Automotive Academy

Rear-facing not only turns out to be safer for infants, but for people of all ages. In fact, we would all be safer rear-facing in cars, airplanes, trains and elsewhere. Of course, this would not be acceptable to most adults.  

When seating babies, it is best to remain rear-facing to the weight and height limits of the carseat.  Some convertible carseats have 30 or 35 pound rear-facing limits.  In all cases, infants should be rear-facing until they are both one year and twenty pounds at the very minimum.

Usually a child can be moved to a booster when they are too big for a harnessed carseat, and once they are able to sit properly in a seatbelt.  A child should be in some type of booster seat until around 8 years old, unless they are already 4′ 9″ tall.

Fortunately, adults are somewhat better able to withstand the forces on the head and neck in a severe crash when they are front-facing. Babies have very immature bones and connective tissue, and this is especially the case when they are younger than 1 year or under 20 pounds. For that reason, front-facing babies face a particularly serious risk of spinal cord injury in a frontal crash.

Homemade Recipes for Cleaning and Conditioning Leather:

Read ingredients in leather cleaners carefully. You will find that the ingredients are pretty common: olive oil, lanolin and Neat’s-foot oil (animal rendered oils) are generally used in commercial products. If your vehicle has leather seats, avoid hot, sunny parking spots and use a sun screen in front of your windows, or cover the seats with a blanket to protect the leather.  Spot cleaning, dusting and using a protective spray will increase the life of the leather.

For full cleaning and conditioning, try this mixture:

• 1 part white vinegar
• 2 parts neatsfoot oil OR raw or food grade linseed oil
• Use a white lint free cloth to swirl on, leave overnight then buff for maximum shine.

Remove any mildew or mold on leather before starting with a regular cleaning. To remove mildew, try this inexpensive, easy recipe:

• 1 part rubbing alcohol
• 1 part water
• Spray on or use on a dampened cloth. Use a clean white lint free cloth and replace as it gets dirty. Avoid direct sunlight and allow to air dry. You may also turn on a fan and allow it to gently waft over the surface.

Removing Stains From Leather

It may be impossible to remove all stains from leather, depending on their origin. However, here are some simple cleaning tips that might help.

• Toothpaste straight on the stain, lightly scrubbed in and then wiped off.
• Try non-acetone nail polish remover wipes on ink stains.
• Aerosol hairspray works well on tough stains. Spray the hairspray directly on the stain and wipe away. This may take several swipes so keep at it.