Products recommended in this post contain affiliate links. If you buy something through our posts, we may receive a commission at no extra charge to you. Prices and inventory are accurate as of time of publication.
A car with filthy seats is the absolute worst. Car seats take a tone of abuse, which is why they need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Vinyl and leather car seats are relatively easy to clean, but fabric car seats are a totally different story.
Car seats made of fabric cannot simply be wiped down with a cleansing wipe or a disposable hand cloth. For this reason, it is imperative that you learn how to clean car seats properly. In addition, we also recommend that you refer to your car’s manual to check whether the manufacturer has given any maintenance or cleaning advice with regard to your car’s upholstery.
Bissell 3624 SpotClean Professional Portable Carpet Cleaner
If you feel the latter option to clean car seats is more suited for you, then we would recommend you give the Bissell 3624 SpotClean Professional Portable Carpet Cleaner a try. This is a professional spot cleaner that effectively removes even the toughest stains and spots from your car upholstery.
Weighing only 13 pounds, the Bissell Portable Carpet Cleaner is ultra-portable. It comes with a 22-foot power cord and a five-foot-long hose, making it easier to maneuver and reach even the deepest corners of your car seat.
This cleaner is also equipped with a ¾-gallon tank, so you don’t need to make multiple trips to the sink to refill it. Once you’re done with your car, you can use it to clean stairs, furniture, and other hard-to-reach surfaces with the help of the six-inch stair tool.
The Bissell 3624 SpotClean Portable Carpet Cleaner is a professional cleaning equipment that is not just perfect for cleaning your car upholstery but other areas of your house. It’s affordable, offers impressive suction power and cleaning performance, and comes with a limited two-year warranty. We recommend you try this one out right away.
Check Offer Price [Amazon]Why Does Car Upholstery Get Dirty, Anyway?
When you accidentally stain your clothes, you can easily clean them by tossing them in the washing machine or washing them by hand. Unfortunately, it is not that easy to do the same with car upholstery.
Like any stain, once it has set in, getting rid of car upholstery stains becomes difficult, which is why you need to deal with it as soon as you can. There are some common reasons why car upholstery gets dirty, including:
Children
When you have children. They tend to drop mustard, ketchup, chocolate, and other kinds of hard-to-remove stains. There may also be a ton of pen and crayon markings all over.
Pets
If you have a pet, it is very common to have pet stains in the car. Not only are these unappealing but can also leave behind a bad odor.
Regular Wear and Tear
If you bought yourself a second-hand car, it is most likely that there are already stains on the upholstery from the previous owner. In such a scenario, you are at a complete disadvantage as you have no clue of the source of these stains and for how long they have been there.
How To Clean Car Seats
As mentioned earlier, dirty car seats are the worst. Thankfully, there are a couple of ways you can have your seats cleaned. Let’s talk about each of these methods.
Cleaning Car Seats With Household Products
You can give your car a quick cleaning that leaves it not only free of stains but also smelling fresh. All you need to do is pick a bright and sunny day so that you can harness the sun’s power to dry the seats quickly.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make your own cleaning solution. You will find all of these ingredients already in your house.
- Two tablespoons of washing soda
- Two tablespoons of dishwashing soap
- Two cups of hot water
You’ll also need a mixing bowl, a clean brush, a clean towel, and linen spray.
Directions
1. Step 1
Begin the cleaning process by vacuuming the seats quickly. Alternatively, you can wipe the seats down gently with a dry cleaning brush so that you can get rid of any small bits.
2. Step 2
In the mixing bowl, add dishwashing soap, washing soda, and hot water. Whisk it for a bit. Dishwashing soap is gentle and helps in lifting the grease, and at the same time, it refreshes the fabric. Washing soda acts as a cleaning booster. Together, these two ingredients with water are safe to use on the car upholstery.
3. Step 3
Lightly dip the cleaning brush into the bowl with the cleaning mixture. Begin by working over the car seats in a circular motion. Remember, the aim is to clean the stains and not let the fabric get soaked with water.
All you need to do is dampen it slightly to lift off the stains. This will also help in removing any pilling from the seats.
4. Step 4
Once you are satisfied with how clean the seats are, you can wipe the car seat down with a towel. Continue doing this until all the seats are cleaned.
5. Step 5
Lower your car windows to let it air dry.
6. Step 6
Finish this process off by simply vacuuming it one more time. If you want a fresh-smelling car, you can spritz it with linen spray.
Cleaning Car Seats With A Car Upholstery Cleaner
The above process does require a considerable amount of household products and elbow grease. If you are looking for a slightly easier way to get your car cleaned, you can consider cleaning the car seats with a car upholstery cleaner, such as a portable carpet cleaner.
Portable carpet cleaners are affordable and easy to use, and they are quite effective too. In fact, it is one of the best ways to maintain your car upholstery in the long run.
Using portable carpet cleaners will help refresh the upholstery and remove the bad smell. It will also keep your car looking fantastic and free from germs.
Verdicts
Conclusion
Knowing how to clean car seats properly will save you the hassle and money to get it professionally cleaned. If you choose to clean with household products and elbow grease, be patient and follow our instructions to the T.
With that said, we do recommend you buy a portable carpet cleaner too. It lasts very long and will clean your seats efficiently with minimal effort.