How to Protect Leather Car Seats from Sun | 5 Effective Ways

Nowadays, cars are what we desire the most, and it can be a regular model or a high-end model.  

Whether the car is a regular one or high-end, leather car seats are always our top priority, and they should be protected from the sun.

Leather car seats enhance the interior of a car and append a modern alongside a classy look. As they beautify your car’s look, you should take care of your car seats. Keeping them clean and protected is a part of your car’s maintenance.

But is that all? Cleaning and maintaining? No, it’s not the end of the story—the true villain of your leather car seats in the sun. The sun and its heat can be a real threat to your whole car as well as the car seats.

So, what’s the way to get out? Well, there are a few ways, and you can surely follow up. Now, let’s see how to protect leather car seats from the sun.

How to Protect Leather Car Seats from the Sun

The sun! Sun is a good source of heat for all the living beings, but when it exceeds the limit, then it causes harm. And living beings and abstract things – all face the destruction of scorching heat.

Now, as we are talking about the car seats, you have to protect them from dangerous sun rays. You have to always stay well-prepared. Whether you are in a hot climate all year-round or a cold climate, you should follow some basic rules to protect your leather car seats.

1. Park in the Shade

The first and foremost method is parking under a good shadow. It will protect your leather car seats from the direct sunlight they get.

You know that parking in a direct sunlight area will bake your car for a longer time. What you don’t notice is that the sunlight can go through the glass of your car and reach the interior and eventually harm the leather seat.

The destructive UV rays from the sun can discolor, fade, and dry out the leather interior surface of your car, simultaneously fading away from the colorfully and bringing down the car’s quality and value. 

So, whenever you get a chance, try your best to park your car in the shade or an area where sunlight falls in a reduced amount. In this way, sunlight can enter a less amount in your car’s interior.

Parking areas covered by shadow or shadow giving structures can protect your cars – not only from sunlight but also from solar emission, rain, wind, dirt, and even hail storm. Furthermore, the shaded area can help to protect your cars from bugs and bird poop. 

2. Using a Dash Shade

Dash shade should be your call when you are forced to park your car in an open area where sunbeams could fall directly and run into your vehicle’s interior. 

A dash cover is specifically made to protect your interior. It will protect your interior and reflect the sunlight as well as heat and keep the interior cool and nice until you return.

Additionally, sunlight can go through the car’s windowpanes and side glasses while the car is parked. It’s better to cover them with dash or sun shades as well. You will find lots of great shades to cover your car’s interior appliances, which are user-friendly, foldable, and come at an affordable price.

To add more, you can use sun or dash shade directly over the seat blanket, but sometimes you won’t need it if your car’s interior is already sunproof certified.

One last thing, remember to clear your dash shades because they can catch dust and dirt on the road trips. You can do it with a microfiber cloth.

3. Vacuum Regularly

Most people think that vacuuming is just for home and office areas, but that’s not totally true. You have to keep your car vacuumed regularly so that the interior stays in top-notch shape and removes the filthy and dirty feeling as friends, passengers, or others settle on the seats.

When you are driving in summer for longer, crumbs, dust, and debris will be baked on top of the seats and carpet as well by the scorching sun. Then, it’s only you and the hard-to-remove specks of dirt, which is eventually a mess. So, you have to vacuum regularly in summer and at other times. 

If your car has expensive or inexpensive leather seats, you should maintain proper protection from the sun and other stains, like food stains. Ensure you pick various nozzle sizes while you vacuum because you will see some hard-to-reach places in the interior.

4. Install Seat Covers

If you want an evergreen solution to protect leather car seats from the sun forever, then seat covers should be your choice. Seat covers are like a full-proof plan to keep your seats brand new as it was on the first day without the hustle of regular maintenance and cleaning. 

Customized seat covers are great to cover the leather seats and fit perfectly, so no more UV rays can sneak into the interior to discolor or fade away the nice look. Moreover, seat covers will protect the seats from food stains, spills, and other messes during various road trips.

5. Use Leather Conditioner

The scorching heat of the sun can terribly do a number on the leather seats. To avoid cracks and wear outs, you can keep your seats conditioned and cleaned. Using a leather conditioner is one of the most trusted methods to protect your leather car seats from sun damages.

As mentioned earlier, the leather interior begins to fall apart, weaken, or even cracks when the leather seat area dried out. That is why using a leather conditioner frequently can prevent these issues. Ensure that you find the right product formulated for leather interiors and follow all top to bottom guidelines.

Well, if your leather car seats have been cleaned already or a few days ago, in that case, you can just wipe the seats with a damp cloth to remove the housed dust and dirt. Then dry it out by using a soft microfiber cloth.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How can I protect my leather car seats?

You have to use a conditioner on your leather car seats every 3 to 4 months. Or whenever you see the seats are drying out, you have to apply a conditioner. Leather conditioners are found at most of the appliances stores that are sold as a leather spray.

How can you protect your car from sun damage?

You can protect your car from sun damage by putting your car inside a parking area, garage, or any highly shaded area when you aren’t riding. In this way, you can protect both interior and exterior of your car.

What causes leather seats to crack?

You will notice multiple reasons behind leather seat cracks, but the real culprit behind those cracked seats is the sunlight. The direct sunlight cracks the seats over time.

Can the sun crack my dashboard?

The UV ray of the sun is what you can call a real threat to your car’s exterior and interior, including seats, carpet, and dashboard. As time passes, the sunlight harms the dashboard to get cracked because of heat.

Can you put coconut oil on leather seats?

Yes, you can, but using coconut oil, you must wipe and clean the leather seats with a damp cloth. Then, please take a few drops of coconut oil and add it to the leather surface. Rub the oil gently with a new and dry cloth.

Final Words

That is all for protecting leather car seats from the sun. We’ve mentioned multiple tips and tricks to protect your leather car seats from sun heat. Try to follow them and implement them in real life to save your car. A few tips come with usages of a few products, but they’re all affordable and quite handy. It’s better to spend on maintenance products rather than filling up an expensive repair bill.

So, now you don’t have to run to the professional as you know how to protect leather car seats from the sun. 

Go enjoy your ride. Cheers!