How to Clean and Restore Dirty, Stained Leather • Everyday Cheapskate

I love learning insider secrets. I’m not talking tabloid headlines, fake news, or conspiracy theories—I work hard to avoid that—but solid, authentic, and reliable insider trade secrets. I’ve got two of those kinds of secrets for you today for how to clean leather.

Dear Mary: I recently purchased a late-model, previously owned vehicle. The dealer tried to sell me a package where they treat the leather seats. Because of the cost, I opted not to make that purchase.

My question is, do you know the type of treatment car dealers use to treat leather seats? Is it even necessary to do this? The car is an expensive purchase for me and I need to know how to take good care of the interior to make it last. Thank you for your very enjoyable column. I read it from top to bottom and always learn or find something I can use daily. Jan

Dear Jan: I checked with a car dealer friend of mine, and he said you are pretty smart. Car dealers aren’t magicians. They just use products that work well, then charge you an arm and a leg to do what you can probably do yourself.

The package they offered was more than likely a couple of bottles of what they used on your car’s leather interior before putting it on the sales lot. You would be smart to use the same thing, but probably not at the highly inflated price they offered!

Secret #1

Car Dealer Spills the Beans

After a bit of arm-twisting, my dealer friend told me his shop’s secret: KevianClean Leather Cleaner and Conditioner (formerly known as BooYah! Clean—only the name has changed). He assures me that this one product used regularly will clean, condition, and protect the leather and leave it soft and supple. It’s the only thing they use at his dealership to get their previously owned cars into tip-top shape for resale. Take a look at KevianClean, especially the online reviews. You’ll learn a lot, and then you’ll know whether this is the product you want to trust on those beautiful car seats.

Why the Name Change?

“The name change was introduced for several reasons,” founder Laura LaFond said. “We wanted to tell a story that was true to the brand and company values. BooYah! didn’t really mean a whole lot. Sure, it was fun to say out loud, but the name Kevian comes from the merging of the names of my two children (Kevin and Ian). While this might not seem like a big deal, to the company and to many of our customers, it really is.”

For years now, I have been using KevianClean to clean, condition, and maintain our car’s leather seats and interior, our leather recliners, my leather handbag, leather shoes, and even my top-cowhide leather-bound Bible. The results continue to be amazing.

KevianClean Complete Leather Cleaner and Conditioner, 16oz

MORE: How to Spring-Clean (Wash and Detail) a Car

Always Test First

Before trying something new to clean, repair, fix, restore—always test first in an inconspicuou place. Now you will know exactly how this new treatment is going to react with your thing to be cleaned. And if it’s a bad result, disaster diverted. Always test first!

Secret #2

Prepare to Be Shocked

By the way, I just have to share something with you that I learned more recently about how to deep-clean and restore badly stained and really dirty leather. I mean the kind of dirt and stains that look like they’re hopelessly embedded for all of time and eternity. Know what I mean?

This may be shocking, so brace—Soft-Scrub Lemon Cleanser. I’m serious. I’m talking about the stuff made for kitchens and bathrooms (DO NOT grab the Soft Scrub with Bleach—you want only the yellow lemon option). And yes, to clean (but not condition) leather.

While this has worked for me to remove a minor leather stain and to make sure it would not damage the leather (it didn’t), I have not had the occasion to clean any extreme situations.

Soft Scrub All Purpose Commercial Surface Cleanser, Lemon, 36 Fluid Ounces

MORE: How to Clean Leather Furniture

Well-prepared

I’m ready and even looking forward to coming across a fabulous leather item like maybe a Coach bag with a $1 price tag because it is so heavily stained and dirty (wouldn’t that be amazing?). I’ll be ready. That will give me some first-hand experience using both Soft-Scrub Lemon Cleanser and my KevianClean to get rid of the problem and return even very old dried up, and ugly leather back to its former glory.

I would not mind hearing from anyone who has tried this and is willing to report back with their results.

Thanks for being such a faithful reader, Jan! That means the world to to me ❣️

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Please keep your comments positive, encouraging, helpful, brief,
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Last update on 2024-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

ntomcho says:

February 27, 2021 at 2:57 pm

Can you use these cleaning methods on seats that have a heating and cooling feature? Thanks.

Cristina says:

February 27, 2021 at 9:34 am

I have old sofas which are going strong and one day I used Mr. Clean Erasers on a mark – took it off & did not damage the leather. In the interest of fairness – it was an imitation – not a real Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.
Be warned that a lot of leather which is sold is NOT REAL LEATHER, but pleather – bonded leather will not hold up the way real leather will.

Carolyn Powell says:

February 25, 2021 at 4:32 pm

Yes, I have tried the lemon Soft Scrub – after Mary mentioned it a while back. Yes, it cleans! No, it did not harm my beige leather car seats. In fact, our car was purchased used and we had no idea of the ‘real’ color of the seats until I cleaned them with Soft Scrub. WOW. They went from a dingy color to a beautiful shade of warm beige. Soft Scrub also removed ink marks and the stain of my new blue jeans.

Barbara Alwin says:

February 25, 2021 at 4:08 pm

If you don’t want to buy an extra product to gently clean light leather seats – try this. I just put a very small amount of Dawn on a warm, wet washcloth and rub it on the seats. It has worked well on my beige and gray leather seats – and it’s available right in your kitchen.

Jane says:

February 25, 2021 at 10:30 am

What about cleaning boots? Not a smooth leather like fashion boots but like UGG boots.

Dana says:

February 25, 2021 at 12:32 am

I tried the Lemon SoftScrub without positive results. It didn’t remove the dye from our jeans that had transferred to our light colored leather or even the little bit of dirt that accumulates in the natural texture of leather.
What did work: SprayWay Glass Cleaner. I use it on all my vinyl and plastic interior and decided to give it a try on the leather seats. I worked on a small area at a time and used a soft bristle brush to work it in the crevices, then wiped it with a clean cloth. It worked great! Seats look new.
Now I need to get the Kevian that Mary recommends to protect my “new” leather seats. 😉

Penny Nibbelin says:

February 25, 2020 at 12:43 am

What can I use to remove stains from material on car seats, juice and dirty toddler shoes…

Mary Hunt says:
February 25, 2021 at 9:35 am

See the recipe and instructions for DIY Upholstery Cleaner in How to Spring-Clean (Wash and Detail) a Car

dholcomb1 says:

August 26, 2019 at 4:32 pm

I used saddle soap on my leather seats in my car.

How to Clean, Restore Dirty Stained Leather