Summer, sunlight, and beach, the hot months are always the most favorite among the masses. However, these hot, summer months are no friend to your dear leather. Apart from making leather furniture and car seats too hot to sit on, sunlight also contributes to the damage and deterioration of leather. Continuous exposure to sunlight can cause the moisture to evaporate from the leather, making it dull and faded.
Therefore, summer care is important if you wish your leather to retain its beauty and suppleness. In this guide, we will offer you some leather summer care tips. So, apart from hitting the beach this summer, make sure to pamper your leather so that it retains its elegance for a long, long time.
Sun-Damaged Leather Care
Summer Care for Leather Furniture and Car Interior
The best solution to any problem lies in prevention. The best solution to sun-damaged leather is preventing said damage in the first place. Given below are two simple rules you must follow to prevent leather sun damage:
Summer Care Rule 1 – Prevent Direct Exposure of Leather to Sunlight
The first step to preventing leather sun damage is minimizing or altogether preventing direct exposure of leather to sunlight. If possible, keep your leather furniture away from the windows. This will prevent sunlight from reaching it, allowing the leather to last longer without fading or cracking. If you have leather car seats, try to park the car in a shaded area during the hot months of summer. In case you can’t park in a shaded area, or you are not sure if the shaded area will remain shaded throughout the day, invest in a window shade. The window shade will prevent the harmful rays of the sun from reaching the surface of the leather.
Summer Care Rule 2 – Keep Leather Hydrated
To prevent sun damage, keep your leather hydrated and moist. Sunlight can cause drying of the leather that can lead to fading, as well as cracking. By investing in a good leather conditioner like Whites Pearl Leather Conditioner you can keep your leather hydrated. Moreover, Whites Pearl Leather Conditioner also possesses sun-blocking properties. Due to these properties, it can create a shield around your leather. This shield helps in protecting leather from harmful rays of the sun even when it is placed in direct sunlight.
How to Restore Sun-Damaged Leather?
Even if your leather has become a victim of the sun, due to lack of summer care, it is not too late to try to reverse the damage. Sun-damaged leather appears, faded, stiff, and tacking. Long-term exposure to the sun can lead this tacky, faded leather to develop cracks. Given below are some tips that will help you restore your leather once it has been damaged or discolored by the sun.
1. Thoroughly Clean the Leather
To restore your leather back to its radiant and elegant form, start by cleaning it of dust and debris. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust from every nook and crevice of your car seats or leather furniture. Once that is done, use a leather cleaner to thoroughly clean it of any remaining particles. If you are using the cleaner for the first time, make sure to do a patch test.
When using the cleaner, apply a small amount on a soft cloth and gently wipe the surface of the leather. Do not rub or scrub as that will further aggravate the situation. A gentle wipe is more than enough to remove any hanging dust particles. Once you have cleaned the leather, leave it to dry for a few hours.
2. Condition the Leather with Whites Pearl Leather Conditioner
Once your leather is dry, it is time to condition it with Whites Pearl Leather Conditioner. Apply a small amount of Whites Pearl Leather Conditioner on a clean, soft cloth and gently massage the conditioner on the leather in gentle circular motions. Whites Pearl Leather Conditioner possesses the ability to penetrate deep into the pores of the leather, restoring its lost moisture and boosting its color. As the conditioner absorbs into the leather, its stiffness and dry appearance will give way to soft and supple leather. Once you have conditioned your leather, but it still looks a little dry, apply a second coat of conditioner and allow it to dry for 2 to 24 hours.
3. Consider Dying Leather that is Severely Sun-Damaged
Even though Whites Pearl Leather Conditioner can restore the color of sun-damaged leather by restoring its moisture content, if your leather is severely damaged by the sun, you will have to resort to dying. Dying is a job for the professionals. Therefore, look for a good leather restoration company in your area and ask them to recolor your leather.
Also Read
How to Protect leather from Sun Damage?
Advantages of a Leather Conditioner
6 Major Causes of Leather Damage