An Easy Guide To Cleaning Car Seats

An Easy Guide To Cleaning Car Seats

With all the time you spend in your vehicle, your car seats are bound to get a little dirty! Just like oil changes and routine maintenance prolongs the life of your car, regular cleaning can improve your car’s interior as well. We’ve put together an easy guide to cleaning car seats so that you can keep your ride grime-free. Check out these 7 tips to clean your car seats like a pro!

Start with vacuuming

To begin cleaning car seats, use a vacuum. This will make the rest of your job easier. Good vacuuming will remove dust, dirt, debris, and pet hair. By starting with a vacuum, you won’t be pushing the dirt deeper into the seat padding.

We recommend that you brush with a soft brush head to get inside all the creases of the seat. Use a crevice tool to reach both between the seat and other hard-to-reach areas.

Treat stains

Make sure to treat all the stains. Somehow, dirt from the outdoors and grease from fast food both have a way of leaving their lasting impressions on car seats. To get rid of these stains, work an upholstery or leather cleaner into the stain with a scrubbing brush. We highly recommend that you test a new cleaner in a hidden spot to make sure it won’t discolor or damage the upholstery.

More isn’t better

This may seem contradictory, but when cleaning car seats, more is not better. Use water and cleaner sparingly, as a little can go a long way. Both of these liquids can seep into the seats, making them difficult to dry. 

A dry foam cleaner works best for cloth seats because not a lot of water is needed. For leather seats, use a leather cleaner and conditioner.

Clean from top to bottom

After vacuuming and treating stains, you will want to complete a thorough washing. It is best to clean from top to bottom so that the dirty solution drips down. As you work your way down the seat, you can clean off this solution. When your brush gets dirty, rinse it with clean water and shake off the excess.

Don’t miss any parts

This may seem obvious, but be certain to not miss any parts of the seats! This includes the headrest, back, and seat, but also the seatbelt, buckle, and the front of the seat where your legs hit. Maintaining all of these areas will prolong the life of your car’s interior.

Dry thoroughly

When you clean your car seats, plan to let them dry thoroughly for several hours, or even overnight. If you are in a time crunch, you can speed up the drying process by using an absorbent, microfiber cloth to soak up the excess moisture.

Consider seat protectors

When it comes down to it, sometimes regular cleaning just isn’t enough to fully protect your car seats. We suggest considering buying seat protectors to help eliminate stains, pet hair, and dirt from making their way to your car seats. Seat covers are made specifically for different makes and models, but make sure they are compatible with your seatbelts and airbags.

Cleaning car seats are a vital part of keeping your car looking new and smelling fresh inside. If you are feeling weary about cleaning your interior, be sure to check out our car wash types! We offer interior cleaning and vacuuming at select locations. Rocket Carwash is committed to keeping your vehicle clean, inside and out!