Has your car upholstery started to get dirty and discolored? Are you a “do it yourself” type of car owner?
There are more than 250 million cars on the road, with an average age of more than 11 years. As your car ages, one of the best things you can do is to keep the inside in sparkling, like-new condition.
If you’re wondering how to clean car upholstery, this article’s for you. We’ll give you the inside scoop about keeping the inside of your car in great condition.
Assemble Your Tools
The first thing you’ll need for clean cloth car seats is a good interior cleaner and a strong-bristled brush. You can go to your local car parts store and find a microfiber cloth, a fabric brush, and an all-around cleaner.
If your car upholstery is severely stained, you might need to rent a hot-water extractor. You can also take it to a professional detailing shop if it’s in really bad condition.
Scout Your Location
The best way to clean car upholstery is to park your car in a clean, dry location. If you don’t have a garage, try to park it in a location where you can open all of your doors.
Ideally, you should park your car somewhere that has easy access to water. Otherwise, you’ll need to get a bucket of warm water and put it in a secure location near your car.
Attack Tough Stains
Once you’ve parked and gotten yourself ready, it’s time to tackle those tough stains. Take out the car mats and wet them with the cleaner. You can let them dry a bit in the sun and vacuum them after about half an hour.
Next, take a look at the sides of your car seats. They don’t usually stain as much as your seats and headrests so you should try to get everything to match that color.
Apply the mixture of water and car upholstery cleaner, but don’t get the seats too wet. You don’t want to encourage mold to grow.
Rinse and Repeat
Use the brush to remove stains. You may have to repeat this step several times if your upholstery is in bad shape. Again, don’t use too much water and wipe dry with the microfiber cloth each time.
If you’re wondering about the best way to clean car upholstery that’s severely stained, you may have to take it to a detailing pro. If your seats are ripped, you may be able to make repairs with some glue.
Car Upholstery Tips for Leather Seats
If your car upholstery is leather, you can still get an all-around cleaner from the auto parts store. Don’t use a brush, but wipe the seats down with a microfiber cloth. You don’t want to ruin the finish on your leather.
While you’re cleaning your interior, you should also clean your windows from the inside. Microfiber cloths won’t leave streaks like paper towels, and you’ll save time by doing all your cleaning at once.
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