Armor All is one of the leading brands when it comes to automotive cleaning products. They have products that range from cleaning the exterior and the interior. They also have many products focused specifically on cleaning leather. In this article, we will be discussing how to use their leather care products and their applications outside of just your car seats.
What is Armor All?
Armor All has plenty of products focused on DIY cleaning of the interior and exterior of your car. Armor All is even used by professional car cleaning services. They allow their buyers to easily clean their cars themselves and do detailed work that one would otherwise pay a large amount of money for. They also have various leather care products made for car seats that are also quite useful for sofas and large leather items.
Armor All’s leather products are not for specialist use and most car upholstery is made of faux leather. However, Armor All says that their formula is made to nourish real leather as well. They also say that you can use them on clothes, shoes, bags, and furniture.
Can you use Armor All on leather?
Armor All has leather-specific products, but we do not recommend using their non-leather products on your leather goods. Their multi-purpose cleaner is quite harsh and may stain your leather goods. Their leather care products are formulated to nourish even real leather albeit most leather upholstery in cars is made of faux leather.
What Armor All leather products Not To Use on
Armor All specifically tells their buyers not to use their leather products on any vehicle controls such as pedals, grips, and steering wheels as they will coat them in the conditioner and make them slippery. Only use these products on aesthetic leather parts and items.
They are also not recommended for any fibrous types of leather like nubuck and suede. These products are liquid-based and will cause the area to darken due to the absorption of liquid on the fibrous material. Plus, if you use these products on suede and nubuck, they will not retain their soft and velvety texture. For the protection of suede use waterproofers and for cleaning special suede cleaners or brushes.
Do note that Armor All leather products may leave some slipperiness and shine on your leather items. If you do not like that effect or find the texture uncomfortable, you may use a different leather care product that produces a matte or satin effect and one that is not slick and slippery to the touch.
Armor All leather products
When it comes to products that you can use for leather car seats and furniture, there are a lot of Armor All varieties that you can choose from depending on what you need. Here are some leather care products from Armor All specially designed for leather:
Armor All leather care gel
The leather car gel by Armor All can be used on almost any type of leather product. However, since we are talking about leather furniture maintenance, we suggest you use this where it works best such as consoles, paneling, dashboards, and car seats. The gel texture of this product makes it easier to reach into the grains of the leather surface compared to the other ones we’ll mention below.
Armor All leather care wipes
These leather care wipes are made for more gentle cleaning of leather surfaces. This works best on light stains and spills, but since they’re wipes, don’t expect them to perform as well as the gel texture. The great thing about leather care wipes is that they’re more portable and convenient to use compared to bringing around a spray can and a separate cloth for wiping.
These cleaning wipes are great for emergency situations as well in case you like eating in your car.
There are two versions, one with beeswax and one without. The beeswax will help add a water-resistant coating to your leather seats to combat spills and stains. Don’t miss our reviews of the best leather wipes too.
Armor All leather care protectant
The armor care leather protectant is your go-to if you want to bring back the shine and suppleness of your leather furniture and seats. The Armor All leather care protectant is perfect if you want to condition the leather surfaces and protect them from damage caused by heat and humidity.
Armor All ceramic leather treatment & cleaner
Water and other spillages can be damaging to your leather furniture, so you’ll need a leather care product that can repel liquids effectively. Apply this ceramic leather treatment and cleaner to add a hydrophobic protective layer on top of any leather surface. Since this is a spray bottle, it’s also easier to use without needing to use cloths and wipes.
How to use the Armor All leather products
In order to get the most out of the Armor All leather products, you need to know how to use them properly. Here’s how you can do it:
Armor All Leather Care Gel
- Clean the surface of the leather using a lint-free cloth such as a microfiber towel.
- Shake the Armor All leather gel bottle.
- Pour an appropriate amount directly on the surface and spread evenly using a soft cloth.
- Wait for a few minutes to allow the gel to fully absorb into the leather material.
- Wipe some of the excess gel product using another microfiber cloth.
- Let the leather surfaces dry completely before using.
Armor All Leather Wipes
For leather wipes, you can just simply pull out a wipe from the canister and remove light stains using a circular motion. Make sure that you close the wipe canister tightly before working on your leather furniture to prevent it from drying out.
Armor All leather sprays
- Shake the leather spray bottle before use.
- Make sure that the leather surfaces are completely dry before using the leather spray for maximum effectiveness.
- Keep the spray bottle about 4-6 inches away from the leather surface.
- Buff the leather surface using a microfiber cloth using light pressure and circular motions.
- When you’ve covered all the surface area, let it rest for a few minutes and use a dry microfiber cloth to remove any excess product.
How do you get Armor All off of leather?
If you have decided that you do not like the slippery and shiny effect that armor all leather products give to your leather interior, you may want to remove them. Maybe the car cleaning services have used them and you’re not a big fan of them. Here’s how to remove Armor All from your leather items and parts.
Things you will need:
- Mild detergent
- Spray bottle
- Water
- 2 microfiber cloths
- Non-slippery and shiny leather conditioner
Steps:
- Remove any dust and debris on your leather surfaces to avoid scratching the leather when you rub it later on.
- Mix 6 parts water with 1 part detergent into your spray bottle. If you only have a strong detergent you may increase the ratio to 8-10 parts water to 1 part detergent.
- Spray the surface you want to clean.
- Working in sections, wipe with the microfiber cloth gently in circular motions, creating suds.
- Use a separate, dry microfiber cloth to wipe off the suds. Work in sections to avoid leaving the soap for too long which may dry out the leather.
- You may want to recondition your leather seats but with a less slippery and shiny effect. Not doing so will expose your leather to the elements and may lead it to be damaged more easily.
Conclusion
Armor All features multi-cleaning products for leather care and maintenance that are safe and easy to use. Their leather-friendly formulation is designed to match the pH levels of most leather surfaces including delicate ones, so you can rest easy knowing that you have a clean leather surface free from damage caused by harsh cleaning solutions.
FAQ
Can I use Armor All on a leather bag?
Yes, you can use Armor All on your leather bag. However, we mentioned above that it can make the surface slippery and shiny, so if you don’t want that kind of finish on your leather bag, then it’s best to stick with traditional leather conditioners to bring back the moisture and supple feel of your item.
Why does leather end up cracking and fading?
When faux leather or corrected genuine leather is not taken care of or gets too old, its coating starts to flake off and dry out. Cracking happens when the leather becomes dry and is exposed to direct sun.
UV rays from the sun degrade these synthetic coatings. The sun’s UV rays also have a bleaching effect on the colorants and dyes used on the leather, causing the color to fade over time. Cars that have tinted windows and regularly conditioned and protected upholstery may last longer, but it is difficult to guarantee faux leather and cheap genuine leather’s longevity.
Some states and countries may have laws when it comes to tinted windows as well so be sure to check those before deciding to tint your windows.
Does Armor All damage leather?
If you are not using Armor All’s leather-specific products, it may damage your leather goods. Some of their cleaners are quite harsh, and cleaners for exterior surfaces should never be used for your leather interior as they may leave stains or interact with the colors of the leather. Only stick to Armor All’s leather products if you want to use Armor All on your leather interior or goods.
Can I use Armor All on my tires?
Please do not use Armor All’s leather products on your tires. Armor All has specific tire shine products that are made for your tires. Use the appropriate products for the appropriate parts and applications as using the wrong product may damage your items or could be potentially dangerous.
