You don’t necessarily have to take your car to a car detailing shop and pay someone to give the fabric seats a detailed cleaning. Cleaning your car seat can be done easily by yourself. First, vacuum the car seat clean, then spray a small amount of cleaning fluid on the car seat, then use a brush to remove dirt, and finally use a towel to wipe off excess water and foam.
Remove Dirt
Vacuum the seats. Before cleaning your fabric seats, use a vacuum cleaner to thoroughly remove any crumbs, dirt, and residue from the seats, even in the crevices. Use your fingers to open the two sides of the gap and insert the vacuum cleaner’s nozzle to suck up the scattered garbage.
Spray a thin layer of cleaner solution on the seats. Do not use all-purpose cleaners to clean fabric seats. Instead, choose a specialized fabric seat or fabric cleaner. Spray a small amount of detergent on the area that needs cleaning. Four to five sprays are enough for each location.
- Don’t spray too much cleaner, otherwise the seats will get soaked, causing the lining under the fabric to become moldy and smelly.
Use a brush designed to clean the interior of your vehicle to clean the fabric seats. Brushing the seats needs to be done piece by piece. Spray the cleaner on an area first and then scrub immediately. After brushing, move to the next part and continue the previous operation. Choose a soft or medium-hardness brush designed for interior cleaning and scrub the seat surface like a massage.
- Do not use a hard-bristled brush for carpets to clean fabric seats, as this will damage the fibers of the seat fabric.
Wipe away dirty soapy water with a microfiber towel. Brushing the seat surface will bring dirt out of the seat. When bubbles containing sewage collect on the seat surface, wipe them away with a microfiber towel. You must wipe the foam off before it dries, otherwise the dirt will creep back into the seat.
Repeat until the seat is clean. Repeatedly spray the cleaning solution, brush and wipe the seats until they are clean again. Remember, the key to cleaning your seats is to only spray a small amount of cleaning solution before scrubbing and never completely soak the seats. It may take 3 to 6 sprays of cleaning solution on the same area to completely remove the dirt.
Vacuum again when finished. After removing the dirt, vacuum the seats again. This step helps absorb any liquid that has accumulated in the fabric, allowing the seat fabric to dry faster. It is best to dry the seats before using the car.
Substitute Other Products for Fabric Cleaners
Try laundry detergent. Don’t rush to buy a special fabric cleaner, look for it at home – in fact, laundry detergent can also clean the fabric seats of your car. Mix laundry detergent and hot water and pour it into a spray bottle, or soak the seat surface directly with a sponge dipped in the solution.
- Dampen a microfiber towel with cold water and wipe away any remaining laundry detergent. First, wring out the excess water from the towel, then wipe the seat vigorously to remove dirt and laundry detergent.
Use vinegar to remove stains. White distilled vinegar can be used as a fabric cleaner. Mix one cup of white vinegar, a few drops of dishwashing liquid, and 4 liters of hot water. Apply the mixture to the seat and use a brush to scrub the surface clean.
- Wet a microfiber towel with clean water and wipe the seats to remove sewage and foam.
Make a cleaning solution with baking soda. Baking soda can also be used to clean fabric seats, and it can also remove odors from the seats. Start by pouring 1/4 cup of baking soda into 1 cup of warm water and stir well. Then spray a small amount of the mixture onto the seats. You can use a toothbrush to scrub away stains.
- This method is suitable for dealing with dirt that is difficult to remove. Spray the baking soda solution on stubborn stains and wait 30 minutes. Once the time is up, you can press the seat with a clean towel to absorb the stain.
Use club soda to remove stains. Sparkling water can also remove dirt from fabric seats. Spray a small amount of soda water on the seat and brush it back and forth to remove the dirt. Repeat the previous steps if necessary. During the scrubbing process, dirty water will be brought to the seat surface. Don’t forget to wipe it off with a clean towel.
- Soda water is great for cleaning stains left by vomit.
Routine Maintenance of Fabric Car Seats
Vacuum your car often. Vacuuming keeps your car clean. Picking up debris and dirt prevents dirt from getting stuck in the seat. Depending on how clean your car’s interior is, you’ll want to vacuum it every one to two weeks.
Clean up the liquid and dirt spilled on the seats as soon as possible. When liquids are spilled or spilled, there will be no stains on the seats as long as they are dealt with immediately. Some dirt will immediately leave a mark on the seat, such as mud, blood or oil. Therefore, once the seat is contaminated with such dirt, you must deal with it as soon as possible.
- When liquid is spilled on the seat, absorb the liquid immediately with a towel or cloth.
- If the seats are stained by dirt, food, or makeup, wipe them down with fabric cleaner as soon as you get home.
Make rules. If you’re concerned about your car seats getting stained, establish some rules for car passengers. For example, people riding in the car are not allowed to eat in the car, and they can only bring drinks with lids on board.
- If a passenger has mud or dust on the soles of their shoes, you can ask them to take off their shoes and put them in a plastic bag or in the trunk of the car.