Why You Can Trust CNET Best Leather Cleaners and Conditioners for Cars 2022: Lexol, 3D and More
Get your car seats looking fresh and feeling soft with our top products.
A car with a leather interior feels luxurious, but if you don't take care of your leather seats, that car will feel rundown in no time. Cleaning your interior is just as important as the outside of your car. Leather is prone to wear, wrinkles, cracking and more. That's why leather cleaners and conditioners are just as important as car polish, soap, waxes or any other products used to keep your car pristine. Investing in a great leather cleaner can keep your vehicle's interior in good shape for years to come.
We've tested quite a few leather care products over the years designed to clean and protect your leather surfaces, so if you're searching for the best leather conditioner for cars, as well as the best car leather cleaner, read on. Our picks below, which we update periodically, are based on firsthand experience. Not every cleaner is created equal. We're highlighting products that maintain and improve leather condition without leaving greasy residue in place of dirt and grime -- a leather product shouldn't leave leather seats feeling gross. We've also included some pro tips on the best way to apply leather care products.
Leather Honey leather conditioner hits all the good stuff in our book. Foremost, it works well -- really well. The cleaner lifts your leather interior's dirt and stains with ease and the conditioner leaves leather car seats feeling oh-so-soft. The kit is exactly what you want from these kinds of leather care products.
We also love that Leather Honey is a family-owned company, all products are made in the US, and the fragrance is very low-key. Some leather furniture or leather upholstery cleaners and conditioners do their best to pump leather scents in, and for those not looking for a surprise air freshener, Leather Honey is the best car leather conditioner on all counts. Period.
Just because it's cheap doesn't mean it does a poor job. Lexol's leather cleaner and conditioner kit does a bang-on job for the price. While the pads had a tendency to fall apart a little bit, the products worked just like they should, pulling off dirt and grime with the cleaner and leaving a nice soft leather behind with the conditioner. This leather car seat cleaner can also be used to clean all leather item- auto leather, footwear, handbags, briefcases, and leather upholstery. This leather care kit contains 1 all leather deep cleaner, 1 all leather deep conditioner, and 2 premium applicator sponges. This conditioner has natural oils that nourish, protect leather, and restores damaged leather.
One thing: Lexol leather cleaner does not smell very good. We'd highly recommend using this leather surface cleaner outside with windows down in the car. But a leather interior care kit for this price is hard to pass up when it does work.
If you want a one-and-done kind of product, Chemical Guys' Sprayable Leather Cleaner and Conditioner in One is the product you're looking to clean your car leather seats. Spray the product onto a microfiber cloth, work it into the automotive leather and you're done. No other steps are necessary to return clean, soft and great-looking leather car seats. It also smells wonderful and leaves a great, clean leather smell in the car interior once you're done. This spray bottle leather cleaner and conditioner does everything well.
Leather cleaner and conditioner details
| Best leather cleaner and conditioner | Brand | Name | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | Leather Honey | Leather Conditioner & Cleaning Kit | $39 |
| For the money | Lexol | Conditioner and Cleaner Kit | $17 |
| All-in-one | Chemical Guys | Sprayable Leather Cleaner and Conditioner | $15 |
| Leather cleaner | Carfidant | Ultimate Leather Cleaner | $17 |
| Leather conditioner | 3D | Leather, Vinyl & Plastic Conditioner | $15 |
Tips for using leather cleaner and conditioner
- Always test the product first in a safe place: Although each of the car leather products tested in our roundup performed well and had no poor reactions with leather, you should always test a new product in a spot to make sure you're not left with a real headache after, say, cleaning and conditioning an entire leather seat. If you see a shadow left behind or discoloration on your car's leather, for example, do not continue using the leather cleaning product.
- Make sure you use the right amount of product: Some leather cleaner and leather conditioner products don't require much on an applicator. Others require more. Read the particular leather care product's directions to ensure you use the right amount so you're not left with greasy residue, especially when it comes to leather conditioner.
- Treat messes as soon as you can: Leather is really durable, but it's not a miracle upholstery. If you decide to let a coffee stain sit, there's a good chance it may not come out after it bakes in over time. Eventually, the car's leather might absorb the stain, but that may take months. Try to wipe messes away quickly with a damp cloth, microfiber or leather wipes.
- Try to leave leather alone after conditioning: In our experience, car seats looked and felt a million times better after letting the leather conditioner absorb into the leather surface. Jumping on the seat minutes after you finish might interrupt this process. Ideally, let car leather cure for a day.
Enjoy soft, supple leather seats
With our top leather cleaner and leather conditioner picks, you'll be on your way to cleaner, softer, protected leather car seats in no time. And there's nothing like a comfortable seat while driving to make you feel just a little better.
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