Taking care of your car’s upholstery can be as natural and routine as doing so with your shoes, handbags, or jackets—especially because of the constant wear it endures. While we recommend visiting a professional for large stains, heavy dirt, or significant repairs, at Tarrago Brands we offer several products and tips for the proper care and maintenance of car seats depending on the type of leather.

Below, we differentiate the most common types of upholstery on the market and the products we can offer for each case.

 

Types of leather for car seats

Natural Leather

• Origin: Animal leather (mainly cow or buffalo).
• Characteristics:
  • Very durable and elegant.
  • Soft and pleasant to the touch.
• How to clean and care for it:
  • Cleaning: Universal Cleaner, Combi Cleaner, or Saddle Soap
  • Conditioning: Natural Leather Cream
  • Protection: Rain and Stain or Nano Protector

 

  Synthetic Leather (eco-leather, vinyl, PVC, or PU)

• Origin: Synthetic material coated with polyurethane or vinyl.
• Characteristics:
  • Easy to clean, water-resistant.
  • Requires little special maintenance.
  • Less breathable than natural leather.
• How to clean and care for it:
  • Cleaning: Universal Cleaner or Combi Cleaner
  • Conditioning: Balm (since it’s synthetic, it doesn’t absorb nutrients, but this helps extend its lifespan and prevent cracking)
  • Protection: Rain and Stain or Nano Protector

For both smooth natural leather and synthetic leather, you can use Filling Paste to repair scratches or tears and then apply Quick Color for repainting.

 

 

Suede or Alcantara

• Origin: High-quality natural leather with a softer, finer finish. Alcantara upholstery imitates the texture and appearance of suede.
• Characteristics:
  • Silky and smooth to the touch.
• How to clean and care for it:
  • Cleaning: Combi Cleaner or Suede Nubuck Dry Cleaner
  • Protection: Rain and Stain or Nano Protector

Polyester or Fabric Upholstery

• Characteristics:
  • Very common in mid-range and entry-level cars.
  • Durable, breathable, and affordable.
  • Available in a wide variety of textures and colors.
• How to clean and care for it:
  • Cleaning: Textile Cleaner
  • Protection: Rain and Stain or Nano Protector

As is often the case, many cars feature mixed upholstery, meaning that more than one type of material is used in their design. Therefore, it’s very important to know how to distinguish between them and to remember that there are universal products suitable for use in these cases.