How to clean your car seats with your own hands

Every car enthusiast knows firsthand that obscure spots, stains and complex pollution often form on the seats. Hence the need for a “home” dry cleaning, which is not particularly difficult. In specialized services, the procedure is carried out by qualified masters, as a result of which the price policy leaves much to be desired. To save hard-earned money and learn the technology of processing automobile covers and seats, use the practical recommendations.

Practical recommendations

1. Before proceeding with the procedure, it is necessary to prepare the interior of the car. To do this, vacuum the seats and the floor, collect large debris. Optionally, you can pull the front row out by placing it on a soft cloth or plastic film. If you have covers, remove them for further manipulation. After completing the preparatory work, proceed to wet cleaning.
2. To properly clean, you must take care of improvised tools and materials. They may include carpet brushes, microfiber cloths, cotton (waffle) towels of tight sewing, a steam generator / washing vacuum cleaner, a hairdryer for proper drying, etc.
3. As for detergents, they can be purchased at specialized stores. If desired, use folk remedies such as laundry / tar soap, liquid laundry detergent or stain remover. The main thing is that the selected composition is suitable for the fabric from which the seats are sewn. Otherwise, you risk leaving stains or rinsing off the pigment from the surface of the product, spoiling natural and artificial skin.
4. Pollution left on car seats has a different degree of origin. This includes traces of juice, coffee, greasy food stains, fuel oil, blood, dirt from the street, etc. If you are concerned about dust, remove it with a normal soap solution. To do this, just grate a third of the bar and dissolve the chips in warm water.
5. If you use professional cleaning products, be sure to choose a composition taking into account the type of fabric. Also make sure that the product does not contain chlorine, alkali and other components. Before use, test on an inconspicuous area of ​​the seat: apply the solution, wait half an hour, rinse and evaluate the result. If the pile does not start to “bald”, and the skin does not crack, feel free to proceed with the procedure.

How to clean genuine leather car seats

1. An important aspect of the treatment of genuine leather seats is the right choice of composition. It is strictly forbidden to carry out the procedure using soapy water, vinegar, drinking soda and salt. Such manipulations will lead to damage to the product, as a result of which the skin will crack.
2. You can use either a special composition for treating a specific type of skin (soft, hard, color, etc.), or a universal preparation for all types. Most manufacturers produce paste-like mixtures for cleaning the skin, they are more gentle.
3. To properly clean, distribute a little cream on a microfiber cloth, rub the product into the contaminated areas and leave it for 2 hours until completely absorbed (the exact time is indicated in the instructions on the back of the bottle).
4. After the set period, the mixture is washed off or left in its current form. If you wish, after the end of the procedure cover the seats with balm that will soften the skin, give it shine and emphasize the shade (in the case of colored products).

How to clean faux leather car seats

1. Unlike products made from genuine leather, the artificial surface is easy to clean using a regular solution based on tar or laundry soap. To properly prepare the composition, grate half of the bar on a grater, pour cool boiling water so that the liquid covers the soap 3-4 times.
2. Then mix and cool the solution, soak a microfiber cloth in it, rub the contaminated places. After that, dip a cotton towel in warm water, remove the remnants of the product, wipe dry.
3. To remove complex stains, use artificial leather cleansers (such as Turtle Wax). Follow the instructions, do not violate the proportions and exposure time.

How to clean velor and fabric car seats

1. In cases where the seat upholstery consists of such materials, aerosol cleaners are used. The rules of use are quite transparent: spray the composition from a distance of 30-35 cm, wait for the interval indicated on the package, rub the mixture into the fabric with a microfiber cloth.
2. After a certain period, rub the seats with a brush or sponge until foam develops, vacuum or remove excess with a dry towel. Pay great attention to velor, do not rub it with hard brushes, do not use preparations that contain large abrasive particles for processing.
3. If you notice complex spots on the surface of the fabric, remove them with a household “Vanish” or “Domestos”, do not use chlorine.

How to clean plastic parts of car seats

1. As a rule, all car seats include plastic elements, which are often dirty during use. For processing products from a similar material, use a solution of laundry soap, dipping the chips with boiling water.
2. You can also purchase a special cream or gel for cleaning the control panel, as a rule, such formulations are universal. You can remove contamination with aerosol preparations by spraying them to the surface, and then wiping them with a napkin or a hard cloth.
3. To prevent strong tumors, wipe the plastic parts daily with wet car wipes.

How to dry car seats after cleaning

1. After all the manipulations regarding the processing of seats made of genuine and artificial leather, fabric, velor, it is important to dry the details. Otherwise, moisture will accumulate in the fibers of the products, subjecting the material to damage. From here follows the formation of mold and, as a result, an unpleasant smell, it will be quite difficult to get rid of in the future.
2. To dry the interior, disconnect the battery, open the windows and doors. The drying time varies between 12-14 hours, it all depends on the size of the treated surface and the presence of moisture in the structure of the material.
3. The smell from the use of cleaning products disappears after 40–48 hours, which is not very convenient. If desired, you can place slices of lemon or zest of citrus fruits on the control panel so that they absorb extraneous aromas. It is also worth using an automobile flavor, which is sold in any supermarket.

How to clean car covers

Cleaning car covers is easy. For proper processing, remove them, shake and vacuum.Universal folk remedies that can be prepared on their own will help remove complex spots.

1. Corn starch. The technique is designed for processing fur automobile covers. Mix 120 gr in one composition. semolina and 75 gr. corn starch. Spread the dry mixture over the entire surface, rub well, leave for half an hour. At the end of the period, knock out the excess, vacuum the covers and comb them with a natural bristle brush.
2. Oat groats. Place a handful of medium or finely ground oatmeal in a pan with non-stick coating, warm the composition to a warm state. Be careful not to burn the croup. Spread the mixture still warm in places with complex stains, rub thoroughly, then vacuum. If necessary, repeat the procedure.
3. Laundry soap. Car covers from all types of fabric can be cleaned with a soap solution. Grate a third of the bar on a fine grater, pour boiling water over it, cool to a temperature of 35-40 degrees. After that, soak the kitchen sponge in the composition, rub the stains well to form a foam. Remove it with a napkin, vacuum it, removing excess moisture.
4. Lemon. The method is suitable for removing impurities from covers of light shades. Squeeze the juice out of 2-3 lemons, strain it through a gauze cloth, moisten a clean rag in the liquid. Rub into stains, leave for 10 minutes, wipe covers with a damp cloth. If desired, you can use a solution of citric acid, most importantly, dilute it with water in a ratio of 1: 8.
5. Vodka. Remove traces of wine, coffee, ballpoint pen or marker will help with alcohol or vodka. Dampen a cotton cloth in the solution, carefully rub the covers on both sides, leave for a quarter of an hour. After the specified time, blot the surface with a cotton towel, leave until completely dry.

It is easy to conduct an independent cleaning of car seats, if you have sufficient knowledge. In the case of leather and substitute, use professional products that are sold in all car dealerships. If the seats are made of fabric or velor, remove stains with soapy water. Use folk recipes for processing covers and seats, which are universal, regardless of the type of fabric.

Video: do-it-yourself car interior dry cleaning