Cleaning faux leather in a car: which products and tools suit it?

Clean faux leather in your car with a suitable mild cleaner, minimal moisture and a soft tool. Remove dust and crumbs first, loosen dirt in small sections and immediately lift it away with a clean microfibre towel. This cleans frequently touched surfaces without unnecessary scrubbing.

Faux leather, vinyl and ‘vegan leather’: what matters?

These names do not reliably indicate how durable the outer layer is. Faux leather can use different backing materials and plastic coatings. ‘Vegan leather’ is not a blanket approval for a particular care method either. Check the instructions for your specific seat upholstery.

Our Leather Soft Cleaner is designed for suitable faux leather and vinyl. Before cleaning, test both the cleaner and tool on a hidden area. Let the test area dry and inspect the colour, gloss and surface. Stop if they change or colour transfers to the towel.

The process, step by step

1. Remove loose dirt: Gently vacuum up crumbs and dust. Do not scrape the seat with the nozzle or hard edges. Include seams and folds.
2. Check the cleaner: Read the vehicle and material instructions, then test an inconspicuous area. Work on a cool surface away from direct sunlight.
3. Apply foam sparingly: Shake Leather Soft Cleaner and apply a small amount of foam to a soft cleaning tool. Do not soak the whole seat.
4. Clean small sections: Use light pressure. On suitable textured surfaces, the Double Scrub Pad can loosen dirt from recesses. For smooth, sensitive coatings, start with a soft towel.
5. Lift away the dirt: Remove loosened dirt and moisture with a clean microfibre towel. The Double Scrub Pad has two scrub sides, with no separate microfibre wipe-off side.
6. Dry and assess: Let the surface dry completely. Only then can you distinguish remaining dirt from a mark in the material itself.

What helps with greasy, shiny patches?

Skin oils, care products and everyday dirt can make armrests and seat bolsters look shiny. Gentle cleaning often visibly removes these deposits. Clean in a controlled way and inspect the dry result before adding more product or pressure.

If a patch stays shiny, friction may have altered the surface. Cleaning cannot repair cracks, worn coatings or peeling layers. For genuine leather upholstery, see Cleaning leather seats.

Which mistakes should you avoid?

• Melamine cleaning sponges and scouring pads: They can mechanically alter the surface layer.
• Strong degreasers and improvised solvents: Without material approval, you risk discolouration or coating damage.
• Too much moisture: Keep liquid out of the underlying structure, particularly around seams and perforated seats.
• Using the pad for wipe-off instead of a towel: The Scrub Pad loosens dirt; the separate towel removes it.
• Repeated scrubbing: An unchanged mark calls for inspection, not automatically more friction.

Does faux leather need leather conditioner afterwards?

Not automatically. A grease- or oil-based product for genuine leather is not suitable as routine care for plastic coatings. What matters is the care specified for that particular faux leather. If a protective care product is suitable, apply it sparingly to a clean, dry surface.

For frequently touched areas, timely, mild cleaning is especially useful. Keep towels clean and separate from paint and coating work. See How to wash microfibre towels. For Alcantara rather than faux leather, read How to clean Alcantara; this material requires a different approach to moisture and friction.

Frequently asked questions