Using a leather conditioner for car seats and other interior is the best possible thing you can do to keep the interior feeling and smelling fresh. Although leather is less prone to stain damage compared to cloth interior, it still need to be maintained.
The best leather conditioner is the Lexol Leather Deep Conditioner, which preservers and protects the leather that has been the trusted formula since 1933.
Leather interior needs to replenish oils to prevent cracking and tearing from prolonged use. The introduction of thinner seats that often have a heating element implemented requires additional care from the heat drying out the seats.
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Best Leather Conditioner
When leather interior is looked after, it really does show and it will continue to look great for years to come. However, as soon as the cracking and other defects start to appear, the value of your car can drop quite significantly.
Before using any leather conditioner, it is important that you use a car leather cleaner beforehand. Loose debris, dirt and grime will prevent the conditioner being as effective as it can be, which will not produce the best results.
Below is a list of the best leather conditioners that will bring your interior back to life and are completely safe for automotive interiors.
Lexol Leather Conditioner For Cars
Features of the Lexol Leather Conditioner include:
- Protects leather from cracking and aging
- Restores oils used in the tanning process
- Contains no chemical solvents
- Odorless and non-greasy formula
- Leaves no residue when wiped off
- Available in a 16 oz or 1 gallon bottle
The formula contains fine oil droplets that bond with the fibers within the leather. During application, Lexol recommend that you leave the product on the leather for a couple of minutes before wiping clear to allow for plenty of bonding time.
Overall, it is the best leather conditioner that is easy to use and wipes clear with no greasy residue. It is one of the most popular formulas that is manufactured by the reputable Lexol brand.
Check it OutLeather Honey Leather Conditioner
Leather Honey was first developed in 1968 and is still dominating the car leather conditioning market. They claim that their conditioner will last over 6 months and helps protect and bring back to life your cars leather interior.
Other features of the Leather Honey Conditioner include:
- Concentrated formula that lasts
- Made in the USA with a 100% satisfaction guarantee
- Gentle cleans all types of leather and vinyl
- Non toxic and safe on automotive interiors
- Works with a range of applications
Leather Honey is guaranteed to provide your leather interior with the “food” it requires to be as good as new. This product is US made and has been since 1968 with a loyal fan base that continue to re-buy this leather conditioner.
Used with a leather cleaner, the Leather Honey can transform any interior, giving the seats the hydration it needs after becoming dried out and faded. It is a pricey product but it is the one of the best options for those not on a budget.
Check it OutTriNova Leather Conditioner and Restorer
Features of the TriNova Leather Conditioner and Restorer include:
- Protects from cracking and fading
- Non toxic formula that is safe for new and old leather
- Soften, strengthens and moisturizers immediately
- Can be used on automotive and domestic leather surfaces
- Includes an applicator with the product
- Leaves a pleasant rich leather fragrance
- Adds shine and suppleness to leather
The US made conditioner restores any faded or cracked leather car interiors with ease. It is affordable, easy to apply and out performs many similarly priced products. The TriNova formula will not disappoint and offers excellent value for money.
Check it OutChemical Guys Leather Care Kit
Other features of the Chemical Guys Leather Care Kit include:
- All products are designed to work with one another
- Works on the majority of automotive leather
- Can also be used for domestic use
- High quality 9 piece kit
The Chemical Guys Leather Care Kit is everything you will require to maintain your cars leather interior over the years. It is great for car seats, steering wheels, door panels and a range of other surfaces.
Meguiar’s Gold Class Leather Conditioner
Meguiar’s is by far one of the most popular detailing brands in the world. However, unlike many leather conditioning formulas, theirs is fairly unique as it comes within a spray bottle, which can make application far easier.
Features of the Meguiar’s Gold Class Rich Leather include:
- Uses aloe and other moisturizing oils
- Provides UV protection
- Leaves leather feeling soft
- Non-greasy formula that leave no residue
- Conveniently sized spray bottle
During application, it is recommended to spray the product into a towel instead of spraying straight onto the leather. When spraying straight from the bottle, the area of spray is quite large resulting in spray going to other areas of the car.
Overall, it is an excellent all-rounder that leaves your leather looking rich and natural. Unlike many other formulas, it allow protects with a unique formula that protects car leather interior against UV rays.
Check it OutLeatherNu Complete Leather Color Restoration
LeatherNu has been specifically designed to touch up and redye areas where the leather has become worn out. You are able to easily blend any color leather interior and you can also use this product on household leather items.
Other features of the LeatherNu Complete Leather Color Restoration include:
- Touch up formula that repairs all types of leather
- Easily blend with any colored leather
- Professional repair compound
- Includes 7 intermix color dyes
- Package includes applicators and instructions
- Made in the USA
In terms of the application, it is as simple as rubbing in the “glue-like” formula into the leather and that is it. When using this product, be sure to remember that the color may change after it has chance to dry thoroughly.
LeatherNu leather repair is very popular in the US and highly rated by professionals. The only issues from using this product is on some leather surfaces, the color match is not 100%.
Check it OutLeather Conditioner Buying Guide
Improving the interior by a simple clean can improve the resale value dramatically. You can even go as far as using a steam cleaner for cars, which will completely remove any bad odors and tough dirt that will not go away.
However, once the leather interior has been cleaned, it will need a conditioner to help preserve it. Without conditioning, the leather can eventually turn hard and begin cracking or fading. The conditioner prevents this and keeps the leather looking and feeling brand new. Before applying the conditioner, it’s important that all the dirt is removed prior. This will enable the conditioner to get straight to work on the worn leather and not be blocked by a layer of dirt.
To help you make an informed buying decision, we have produced the below buying guide regarding leather conditioners.
Purpose of Conditioners
Car leather is highly durable and with plenty of maintenance, they will be long lasting. The purpose of a leather conditioner is to prevent drying out of the leather as well as fading, cracking and general wear and tear.
Most include nutrients such as vitamin E and aloe ingredients that nourish, soften and protect the leather. Regular use will help prevent any further damage and prolong the life of the car leather.
Application of the Conditioner
After you have fully cleaned your interior, you can begin to use a leather conditioner. The application involves the following:
- Add a small portion of the product to an applicator pad.
- Spread evenly across the leather surface.
- Allow the conditioner to bond with the leather.
- Buff off after manufacturers specified time.
Each manufacturer of the leather conditioner may have their own instructions to apply the product. Some may only require a few minutes to bond whereas others may require a few hours. For the best results, always follow the products instructions.
Conditioner vs All-In-One
It may be tempting to purchase a leather care product that promises to clean, condition and protect the leather but should you? Most of these products can do an excellent job but for conditioning the leather, you really should invest into a formula dedicated to conditioning.
The leather conditioner must have the correct pH balance that will preserve the leather. Some all-in-one products may have a slightly more acidic or alkaline formula, which may not provide as much conditioning as you would expect.
pH Balanced Formula
As mentioned above, to avoid any further damage to the leather, you will want to ensure you use a pH balanced formula. Not all leather will have the same pH value as they have been manufactured differently. The two most common types of automotive leather include chrome tanned and laminated leather. These have pH values of approximately 3.2 to 5.5, which are considered acidic.
Using a formula that is not pH balanced can cause side effects to the leather such as darkening, hardening, brittleness and loss of strength. For this reason, it is essential that you only use products that are suitable for automotive leather. Most pH balanced formula will also contain no harmful toxic chemicals, which will also prevent damage.
Other Desirable Features
When researching for products, some premium leather conditioners include many other desirable features, these includes:
- Non-greasy formula
- Pleasant scent after application
- Extra shine or a deep finish
- No residue left behind
- Suitable for other applications
Although increasing the shine of the leather may be great for the showroom finish, it may cause greasiness. This is due to the gloss agents that cling to the leather, which can often transfer onto your clothes if used on seats. However, some car owners may ignore the greasiness and enjoy the fact that their car leather is shining.
Conclusion
There are many different types of leather conditioners on the market but not many are suited towards automotive leather. Worn, faded or cracked leather can ruin the appearance of your interior but using the best leather conditioner can help bring it back to new. All of our recommendations are suited to a range of budgets and can be applied with ease.
