Leather Care
The perfect cleaning, care and sealing of natural leather, imitation leather and fabrics. For your interior and your car seats.
Four Steps to Perfectly Cared-For Leather
Every leather interior needs the same simple routine: clean, condition, seal – and waterproof when needed. Below, each step is explained with the matching products. New to leather care? Start with a complete kit and you have everything in one box.
Start Here – The Complete Kit
Everything for the full routine in one set – better value than buying individually. Choose the size that suits your care routine.
Step 1 – Clean
First vacuum loose dust, then work Leather Cleaner into small sections with the cleaning brush and remove the foam with a Micro-Wash cloth. Clean leather is the basis for everything that follows. For perforated (ventilated) seats, use a sponge applicator instead of the brush.
Step 2 – Condition
Once fully dry, nourish the leather with Leather Milk and the cotton applicator. This restores lost moisture and keeps the leather supple – the step that prevents drying out and cracking.
Step 3 – Seal
To finish, apply Leather Glaze for an invisible protective layer against abrasion and dye transfer from dark clothing (e.g. jeans). It dries clear and changes neither the colour nor the matte finish of the leather. Apply with a fine-pored sponge in circular motions.
Step 4 – Waterproof (optional)
For convertible interiors or leather exposed to moisture: Leather Wax penetrates deep into the leather, keeps it supple and forms a water-repellent protective layer against moisture and mould. For normal, closed interiors this step can be skipped.
Solving further leather problems
Sealing - Repairing - Softening
Leather Glaze leather sealer
Leather Healer Leather Tint
Seat bolsters, steering wheels, shift knobs, and armrests show color abrasion and scratches over time. Leather Healer compensates for these traces of use – apply with a fine sponge in circular motions from seam to seam. Dries in minutes and does not rub off.
Leather Gloss Corrector matt or shiny
Heavily used leather surfaces such as the steering wheel, armrests, and shift knob begin to shine over time. Gloss Corrector Matt restores the more matte original appearance. Multiple passes increase the effect.
For youngtimers and classics with originally glossy leather upholstery: Gloss Corrector Shiny matches overly matte spots to the gloss level of the surrounding upholstery.
Leather Softener
Lack of care and heat are the main causes of hardened leather. Leather Softener restores oils and minerals to the leather that have been removed by sun and air.
Apply with the cube sponge applicator and let it absorb. Repeat the treatment several times if needed, so the liquid gradually penetrates deeper layers of the leather.
Products for solving further leather problems
Specialized solutions for the most common leather issues in automotive interiors.
Vegan leather
Vegan leather increasingly looks and feels like real leather but has different material properties. Conventional leather cleaners can attack the synthetic surface.
1. Clean with the Vegan Leather Cleaner – gentle, effective, and solvent-free.
2. Additionally seal light-colored vegan leather with Leather Glaze against dye transfer from jeans and clothing.
Care products for vegan leather
Solvent-free cleaning and sealing for Nordico, Sensatec and other vegan leather types.
Alcantara
Alcantara combines the feel of suede leather with high durability but needs special care. Conventional textile cleaners can damage the sensitive microfiber structure.
Cleaning: Vacuum the surface, spray Alcanta Cleaner onto a sponge applicator or directly onto the surface. Clean with light tapping pressure. Dry by tapping with Micro-Wash. Never rub! Never clean with heat.
Pilling: The typical pilling in wear areas can be removed with the leather sanding pad, as long as pilling has not become too severe.
Sealing: After cleaning and drying, seal with Lotos Protectant – for long-lasting protection against new soiling.
Care products for Alcantara
Specialized cleaners, anti-pilling sanding pads, and long-lasting textile sealants.
Leather care & leather types
Answers on cleaning, conditioning, and sealing smooth, open-pore, vegan leather, and Alcantara in the vehicle interior.
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What types of leather are found in a car and how do they differ?
Different types of leather and leather-like materials are used in the vehicle interior, each with clearly different construction, appearance, and care requirements. Smooth leather is surface-sealed, resilient, and easy to maintain. Open-pore leather such as aniline leather is natural, breathable, and particularly sensitive to moisture, dirt, and abrasion. Vegan leather is a synthetic material that visually resembles leather but ages differently and requires material-appropriate, gentle care. Alcantara is not leather but a synthetic suede-like material with a fine fiber structure, requiring a completely different cleaning method.
Each of these surfaces reacts differently to cleaners, moisture, and mechanical stress. That is why tailored care is essential to preserve appearance, feel, and durability over the long term.
All products are in our Leather Care Collection. Detailed guides are on our leather care page and in the leather tutorials.
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How can I tell if my leather is open-pore or finished?
Whether leather is open-pore or finished can be determined with a simple water test on an inconspicuous spot. If a small drop of water absorbs into the leather within a short time and darkens the area, it is open-pore leather such as aniline leather. If the drop stays on the surface and can be wiped off, the leather is surface-sealed, meaning it is finished smooth leather.
Open-pore leather is natural, breathable, and particularly sensitive to moisture and dirt. Finished smooth leather has a protective color layer, is more resilient, and easier to care for.
More on our leather care page.
For gentle cleaning of both leather types, use Leather Cleaner.
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How do I properly clean smooth leather in my car?
Depending on the level of soiling, smooth leather is cleaned with SWISSVAX Leather Cleaner or SWISSVAX Leather Cleaner Forte. The cleaner is applied gently and the loosened dirt is then taken up with a soft, clean cloth.
Light to normal soiling can be removed with Leather Cleaner. For heavier dirt, discoloration, or heavily used contact zones, Leather Cleaner Forte is used. In both cases, the surface remains supple and is not attacked, since cleaning takes place without aggressive solvents.
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Does new leather need care or just protection?
New smooth leather does not require conditioning, as it is sufficiently nourished from the factory. However, it should be protected from the start to prevent early wear, abrasion, and denim dye transfer. For this, SWISSVAX Leather Glaze is used.
Leather Glaze forms an invisible protective layer on the leather surface that reduces friction and makes it significantly harder for dyes to penetrate. This keeps the leather clean, uniform, and visually like-new for longer, without changing its feel.
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How do I care for used or dry leather?
Used or dry smooth leather is conditioned after cleaning with SWISSVAX Leather Milk. The conditioner is applied sparingly, absorbs into the material, and keeps the leather supple. At the same time, the leather is protected from further drying out and premature wear.
Leather Milk restores moisture to stressed leather, improves the feel, and supports the natural elasticity without over-oiling the surface or making it look greasy.
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Which leather types should I NOT treat with SWISSVAX leather products?
SWISSVAX leather products for smooth leather must not be used on buffalo leather or suede leather. These leather types have a different fiber structure and react sensitively to smooth-leather cleaners and conditioners.
Open-pore leather such as aniline leather must also not be treated with strong cleaners like SWISSVAX Leather Cleaner Forte or with brushes. Overly intensive cleaning can damage the open structure, cause stains, or permanently alter the surface.
For sensitive leather types, the rule is always: clean according to material, work without pressure, and use only products intended for that purpose.
All matching products in the Leather Care Collection.
For all compatible leather types, you will find matching Leather Care Sets.
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How do I care for vegan leather in my car?
Vegan leather is cleaned and protected as needed, but does not require conditioning emulsions like those used on genuine leather. For material-appropriate cleaning, SWISSVAX Vegan Leather Cleaner is used.
The cleaner removes dirt gently, preserves the elasticity of the material, and protects against drying and cracking. The surface is cleaned without being over-conditioned or made to look greasy. Depending on surface texture, it is applied with a soft cleaning brush or sponge, and then wiped with a clean cloth.
Vegan leather is a synthetic material with a different aging behavior than genuine leather. Classic leather care products are therefore unsuitable and can negatively affect the surface over time.
Interior & cockpit care
Cleaning, care, and protection of all interior materials – from plastic to wood to screens – with material-appropriate Swissvax products.
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How do I properly clean the interior?
Interior cleaning always starts with thorough vacuuming to remove loose dirt. A vacuum cleaner with a narrow nozzle is best, and floor mats and loose carpets should ideally be removed first.
Textile surfaces such as seats, carpets, headliner, or floor mats are then cleaned with SWISSVAX Fabric . The textile cleaner removes dirt gently without leaving cleaning rings and is suitable for all textile materials in the interior.
Plastics and vinyl surfaces are then cleaned with SWISSVAX Plastic Wash. It provides deep-pore cleaning and forms the basis for subsequent conditioning or sealing, without attacking the surface or making it look greasy.
Following this sequence keeps the interior hygienically clean, appropriately cared for, and uniform in appearance.
All products and guides are on our interior care page.
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How do I care for sensitive surfaces like piano black finish or screens?
Sensitive surfaces such as piano black finishes, displays, and high-gloss interior parts are cleaned gently with SWISSVAX Quick Interior Finish and a SWISSVAX Micro Polish. Fingerprints, dust, and light soiling can be removed streak-free without causing micro-scratches.
Quick Interior Finish is antistatic and solvent-free. It does not attack sensitive surfaces, reduces subsequent dust attraction, and preserves the original finish of piano black and screens.
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How are interior plastic surfaces cared for?
Interior plastic and vinyl surfaces are first thoroughly cleaned with SWISSVAX Plastic Wash. This deep-pore cleaning removes dirt, skin oils, and deposits and creates the necessary basis for even conditioning.
After cleaning, SWISSVAX Protecton provides intensive deep conditioning and rich, even protection. For matte surfaces or when a matte finish is desired, SWISSVAX Protecton Matt is used. Both products protect against drying out, discoloration, and premature material wear.
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How do I protect wheels from brake dust and salt long term?
For long-term protection, SWISSVAX Autobahn rim wax is used. It forms a heat-resistant protective layer based on carnauba wax enriched with PTFE. This protective layer makes it harder for brake dust, salt, and road grime to adhere and significantly eases subsequent cleaning.
Thanks to its high temperature resistance, Autobahn rim wax is also suitable for heavily used wheels. Brake dust can settle less readily, salt and moisture do not penetrate the surface, and existing wheel coatings are protected. This helps prevent corrosion and permanent surface damage.
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How do I properly care for tires and whitewall tires?
Tires are conditioned with SWISSVAX Pneu . The tire conditioner supplies the rubber compound with moisture, protects against drying and cracking, and produces a uniform, deep-black appearance. Application is on clean and dry tire sidewalls by spraying or targeted application with a brush or hand puck.
Whitewall tires are first cleaned with SWISSVAX Pneu White . This specialized cleaner reliably removes yellowing and stubborn dirt without attacking the material. After cleaning and drying, Swissvax Pneu can also be applied to the black rubber areas of whitewall tires for protection and shine.
