How to Clean Your Car's Upholstery

Giving your car a good clean means making sure you tackle the inside as well as the outside, but this is not always the easiest task. Whilst your paintwork can be wiped down and polished, it can be much harder to get the fabrics in the interior of your car looking as good as new.

Vacuuming

Your car seats will need to be treated differently depending on whether they are made from cloth or leather, but the one thing that doesn’t change is the need for a good vacuum.

Most vacuum cleaners will come with a special brush tool to help you with jobs like this and will help you to bring out the dust and pet hairs from the fibres of the fabric and remember to make sure that you pay as much attention to the back of the seats as you do to the more obvious bits.

Next, add the crevice tool to your vacuum to make sure you can get into all of those awkward nooks and crannies where fluff, hair and crumbs can build up.

If you have a handheld cordless vacuum, this can make the task a lot easier as these tend to be lighter in weight and you don’t need to worry about trying to get cables to stretch to wherever your car is.

Stains

If you have any stains on your seats, then it can be wise to pre-treat them before you attempt a more general clean. In most cases, working a fabric cleaner into the stain with a cloth or brush and leaving it for around 15 minutes will help to lift the stain.

However, if the stain is from dye, such as those new jeans, then you should dampen the area and apply a paste made up of a few drops of dry oxygen-based bleach and water. This should be left to work for an hour before being vacuumed away.

Cleaning leather car seats

It is important to remember that you need to be careful what products you use on leather car seats, as you can mark or damage them. Taking one small area at a time, work a specialist leather cleaner into the leather with a soft, damp cloth before rinsing away with another damp cloth. Then take a dry cloth and buff the seats to get them shining again. To prolong the effects of your cleaning and protect against further marks and stays you can then apply a protectant or conditioner to the leather.

Cleaning cloth car seats

If you have a carpet cleaning machine, then these can make cleaning cloth car seats much easier. They will often have a special attachment for cleaning furniture, so just make sure that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

If you are cleaning your cloth car seats by hand, then you will need some special upholstery cleaning products that you can spray on and work into the fabric with a cloth or soft brush. Most products will recommend that you let them sit for a while in order to give them chance to take effect before rinsing with a cloth. If the fabric is damp, you can blot it dry with another cloth or towel.

Cleaning vinyl car seats

To clean a vinyl car seat, you can simply spray a general all-purpose cleaner onto the seat and wipe with a microfibre cloth. You should then rinse it if there is any remaining residue and wipe it dry with another cloth.

How often should you clean your car seats?

The easy answer to this is to judge it by eye, and it will depend on how often you use your car and what you use it for – it is likely to be far messier if you have been hiking in the middle of winter than it is just doing the weekly shop.

If something spills or stains, then ideally you should try to clean this as soon as possible. The longer you leave a stain, the harder it will be to get out, so speed is of the essence.

A thorough clean of your car seats can be done seasonally, unless they merit something more regular.

Car seat covers

There is a lot of hard work involved in getting your car seats clean, and so a better option can be to protect them from the mess in the first place. Investing in some tailor-made car seat covers can protect your upholstery from spills and tears whilst still looking great in your car.

They are made from durable material and can be designed to exact specifications of your car to ensure that they have the perfect fit. There are quilted options available for added comfort and you can even personalise them to make sure that they fit in with the style of you and your vehicle.

The best bit about a seat cover is that when it does need a clean, it is easy to remove. Simply give them a quick wash, leave them to dry and pop them back into your car for a much quicker and easier way to get your car sparkling again.

Seat covers can be particularly useful if you have pets, as they will not only protect against dog hair and messy paws, but they can also prevent scratches and pulls that are caused by excitable claws.

Cleaning your car upholstery can take time, but thankfully it doesn’t need to be done too often, especially if you protect your seats. Make sure that you never saturate your seats with water or any cleaning products, and always follow the manufacturers instructions. If you are in any doubt, try a product on an inconspicuous spot first to make sure it is not going to damage the material of your seat.

Keep your car upholstery maintained

If you’re looking to keep your car’s interior in pristine condition, then why not invest in our car seat covers today, which are tailor-made to your vehicle! For any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our team.