Maintaining Nissan Leather Seats 101: Everything You Need to Know

You just put the finishing touch on the Nissan you couldn't live without: you upgraded its upholstery, from factory cloth to leather. As investments in comfort go, that one's big -- precisely because it can be expensive.

After all, whether that leather's untreated aniline, coated (semi-aniline) or pigmented, or even vinyl/synthetic, it's soft enough to end up with a scuff, or worse, stains or a tear. Put simply, the seats you love get dirty, take a few nicks, and start to wear out, you'll end up footing a pretty good bill at a Nissan dealer to get them replaced.

Luckily, you can avoid all that, by taking the best care of the leather possible. Here's how.

1. Grab Supplies

You can find most on the cheap, and they're available everywhere from the grocery or hardware store to department stores and online auto retailers that sell things like paint pens and cooling system and transmission fluids. You'll need a microfiber cloth, a soft-bristled brush, and some damp towels, and you'll want a vacuum cleaner handy. Pick these up, and you'll be ready to do some serious car seat leather care.

Most importantly, though, you'll need leather cleaner and leather conditioner; no seat cleaning and protection project can happen without them. There's a few things to know (and do) when buying both.

You'll want to make sure, for one, that they're the right solutions for your seats, relative to the seats' condition. Secondly, you'll want to figure out whether the cleaner and conditioner are as easy to use as you need them to be, whether they'll work with your seats' colors and texture, whether they're for new leather or older, whether they're toxic or nontoxic and, if you prefer, fragrance-free, and whether they have natural ingredients. Thirdly, you'll want to know in advance whether buildup or dulling's a side-effect of either.

In short, make your buying decision based on how comfortable you are with answers to these questions. If you're not sure about something, your best bet's to get some advice from a detailing pro (like a certified mechanic at a Nissan service center).

2. Prep the Interior for Cleaning and Do a Thorough Vacuum

Prep means getting rid of trash, kids' car seats, and anything else that might get in the way of the job, like interior accessories. A thorough vacuum means sucking up crud not only from the seats but also from nearby -- from spots like in the carpeted floor mats or the cupholders on the console. That way, it won't get picked up and end up back on the seats. Pro tip: use a brush attachment to go as easy on the leather as possible, and use a cloth to get anything left in any crevices out.

3. Test the Cleaner

This is good idea if you're using something new, for the first time; it can help prevent inadvertently ruining leather. That is, notice the cleaner causing an adverse reaction, and you'll be able to stop using it sooner rather than later, opting instead for something gentler. Our advice: check your owner's manual for recommendations from Nissan.

4. Scrub the Stuck-on Stuff

Find the cleaner okay to use on the seats? Spray a microfiber towel down with it; that's a surefire way to make removing residues easier. Do that, and you'll be ready to start cleaning the rest of the leather.

5. Get Applying the Solution

Using that soft brush, lather up the cleaning solution; it'll help break stains and dirt down better. Be sure to use only enough to clean a seat, though, and work in sections, with gentle, circular motions; you don't want to saturate the grain, discolor the seats, and make any bad situation worse. What's more, if the seats have holes, use caution (and the microfiber towel, instead of applying directly).

6. Towel Off the Seats

Use a slightly damp versus dry towel; it'll pick up leftover dirt and grime better, keeping any debris from making its way to your car's floor where it can damage the floor pans. Wipe away excess, and follow up with a dry microfiber wipe-down to ger rid of mold- and mildew-encouraging moisture. Do this until they're totally dry to stave off wrinkles, or worse, cracking.

7. Condition the Leather

Leather conditioner's great for a longer-lasting seat. For best results, use a solution with UV protection, and apply it once every three months, at least (or about as often as you clean seats). Note that, if you drive frequently enough, park in the sun, or transport a pet (even in pet accessories like a seat protector), you might have to condition leather more than usual. After conditioning, let the leather air-dry as long as called for.

8. Accessorize for the Long Haul

Want to keep the need to maintain and condition leather to a minimum? Installing custom seat covers is just one way to do it, and the most obvious. Plenty of other accessories can help shield seats, too, though.

For one, sunshades, installed above each window and on the sunroof or moonroof, if you have one; they'll cut the damaging effects if light and heat. Secondly, all-season floor mats; they're much easier to keep clean of the kind of debris that inevitably makes its way onto the seats and arm rests.

In any case, however you decide to update your interior, use OEM accessories. They'll be genuine Nissan -- top-quality, made to fit and look the part. We stock a huge selection here at Nissan USA, and even better, we offer shipping anywhere in the States. Shop now; you're welcome to contact us if you have any questions.

In sum, follow our advice to the letter, and once all that leather seat maintenance is done, and you're properly equipped with accessories, you'll be ready to enjoy that luxurious feel you love for many miles to come. So, hop back in and enjoy the ride!