Leather care & cleaning for cars with Swissvax
For smooth, open-pore, closed, and vegan leather
In your automobile, you will find various leather areas and types of leather. High-quality leather seats and leather interiors need proper cleaning and care. Old leather can become brittle and cracked. New leather requires sealing and protection.
At Swissvax, you will find a wide range of care products for the leather in your vehicle. Cleaning, care, and sealing components harmonize in a complete care system for the benefit of the vehicle material.
Below, we provide care tips for various types of leather in the automotive sector.
This way, the beauty and function of your leather will stay as they should be from the beginning – simply perfect with products from SWISSVAX – a brand committed to uncompromising quality.
New smooth leather
Automobile manufacturers and suppliers have made great strides in their desire to make a car's interior aesthetic and durable. Leather, as a natural product, has been treated to make aging processes like color fading or material shrinkage nearly non-existent. Modern coatings have been made resistant to scratches and stains, creating an easy-care product adapted to modern times.
However, easy-care doesn’t mean care-free!
Dirt can also accumulate on modern surfaces. Our recommendation for this is:
- Clean smooth leather surfaces with Leather Cleaner / Leather Cleaner Forte depending on the level of dirt and the leather cleaning brush. For perforated surfaces (like ventilated seats), use the cleaning sponge.
- Remove the foam and dissolved dirt with a soft detail cloth or the yellow Micro-Wash.
- Repeat the process until no more dirt is removed.
- Work in small sections to prevent the liquid from drying. You’ll be surprised at how much surface dirt is removed. The leather will regain its original, slightly matte appearance.
Sealing new leather with Leather Glaze protects smooth leather from jean stains and abrasion. Simply apply with a fine sponge in circular motions from seam to seam. The colorless seal dries in a few minutes and does not shine.
Please do not use our products on buffalo or suede leather.
Do not treat aniline leather (open-pore leather) with Leather Cleaner Forte and/or a brush.
Open-pore or coated smooth leather?
Apply a drop of water in a hidden spot and lightly spread it with your finger. If the water is absorbed, it is open-pore leather.
Care for new smooth leather
Used smooth leather
Here we provide care tips primarily for coated smooth leather. This can be natural leather in new cars as well as older leather material in young- and old-timers.
1. Clean the smooth leather surfaces depending on the level of dirt with Leather Cleaner / Leather Cleaner Forte and the leather cleaning brush. For perforated surfaces (punched leather), use the cleaning sponge.
2. Remove the foam and dissolved dirt with the detail cloth or the yellow Micro-Wash.
3. Work in small sections to prevent the liquid from drying.
4. Once the surface is completely dry, apply Leather Milk with the fabric applicator. Use a small amount of material and let it soak in. If the leather still feels dry, repeat the process.
Please do not use our products on buffalo or suede leather.
Do not treat aniline leather (open-pore leather) with Leather Cleaner Forte and/or a brush.
Open-pore or coated smooth leather?
Apply a drop of water in a hidden spot and lightly spread it with your finger. If the water is absorbed, it is open-pore leather.
Care for used smooth leather
Special problem solutions
Sealing - Repairing - Softness
Leather Glaze leather sealant
New leather does not yet require leather milk, as it is still sufficiently protected by the tanning process. However, new leather should be protected from the outset with Leather Glaze against abrasion and color transfer from jeans and other clothing. Leather Glaze is colorless, non-glossy, and can be applied with a fine-pore sponge in circular motions from seam to seam.
Leather Healer leather tint
Seat bolsters, steering wheels, gear knobs, and armrests made of smooth leather tend to show signs of wear. This is usually harmless wear like faded color or scratches. With the right leather tint, these can be corrected. The leather tint for smooth leather is applied with a fine sponge in circular motions from seam to seam, dries in minutes, and does not rub off (no cream).
Leather Gloss Corrector matte or glossy
More heavily used leather surfaces in the interior, like the steering wheel, armrests, or gear knob, begin to shine over time. Gloss Corrector matte is applied with a fine sponge in circular motions from seam to seam, restoring a more matte appearance. Several applications enhance the effect.
Young- and old-timers often have shinier leather upholstery. If a leather piece needs to be replaced, for example, the gloss level is often too matte. Gloss Corrector glossy can also correct this difference. The procedure is the same as described above. Again, several applications enhance the effect.
Leather Softener
Lack of care and especially heat are the main causes of hardened leather. If old leather has already hardened, you can work wonders with our Leather Softener and a little patience. The Softener restores oils and minerals to the leather that have been lost due to sunlight and air.
Apply the Leather Softener with the sponge applicator and let the liquid soak in. In some cases, the treatment needs to be repeated several times so the liquid can gradually penetrate the lower leather layers.
Products for special problem solutions
Vegan leather
Vegan leather fits perfectly with our times and is growing in popularity. Technological developments have made it possible to create a synthetic material that is indistinguishable from its natural counterpart. The look and feel are perfectly imitated. However, synthetic materials also need care to maintain their original beauty.
Here are our recommendations:
1. Clean with Leather Cleaner / Leather Cleaner Forte and a cleaning sponge or brush.
2. Surface protection of light-colored vegan leather against staining from jeans and other clothing with Leather Glaze leather sealant.
Care of vegan leather
Alcantara
Like vegan leather, Alcantara is a synthetic material that mimics suede but is easier to maintain and more durable. Do not use harsh cleaners or brushes for cleaning and never rub.
Alcanta Cleaner
Clean Alcantara surfaces with a vacuum cleaner to remove loose dirt and spray Alcanta Cleaner onto a sponge applicator or directly onto the surface. Clean by dabbing with light pressure. Dab dry with a yellow Micro-Wash microfiber cloth. Never rub! Never clean with heat.
Pilling on Alcantara
The small knots that develop over time in wear areas are typical of Alcantara and are called "pilling." As long as the pilling is not too severe, it can be removed with our leather sanding pad.
Lotos Protectant fabric sealant
Alcantara can be effectively protected from new dirt with a fabric sealant. Clean the surface with Alcanta Cleaner, allow it to dry, and finish with Lotos Protectant to seal it.
