South African motorists rely heavily on their vehicles to commute to work, for the daily school run and family trips. So, you spot a chocolate wrapper in the driver’s seat door pocket. Then, before you know it, you’re unearthing random rubbish and other things from within your car’s cabin, like an old chip, a toy, or a small piece of old food left over from your child. If the gradual accumulation of clutter hasn’t been enough to prompt you to clean your car seats, perhaps a coffee spill or a crushed cereal incident courtesy of your toddler has done the trick. Either way, you’re in the right place. We have six steps to restore your car seats to their former glory. 1,2
How to Clean Your Car Seats
Please check your vehicle’s user manual and the dealership if needed before cleaning your seats to avoid accidentally damaging the seat. Then, if applicable, try out the below steps to clean your car seats.2
Clear Your Car Seats
Similar to tidying a room in your home, it’s essential to declutter your car. To achieve a thorough clean, remove everything that might make your car appear cluttered or impede your vacuuming efforts, which we’ll get to in the next step. This includes loose change, hair elastic, bits of food, and, if applicable, a baby seat. This step provides you with a clean slate. 2
Vacuum the Seat Crevices
Now it’s time to remove all those minuscule crumbs, stray hairs, and dust particles. Be sure to get into all the small corners and crevices using the hand attachment on your vacuum. Remember to access the areas between the seatbacks and bottoms. When vacuuming your seats, use one hand to separate the seams in the fabric, allowing the other hand to firmly press down with the vacuum, ensuring you capture all the hidden dirt. 2
Treat Stains on Your Car Seats
Apply a light coat of fabric cleaner to areas that require extra attention, such as coffee stains or muddy prints. Follow the instructions on the label, but generally, four or five sprays should suffice to saturate the area without overdoing it (excessive spray can lead to unpleasant, mildewy odours worse than the original stain). For plastic surfaces like the steering wheel, belt buckles, or dashboard parts, use a quality multipurpose cleaning spray. 2
For persistent stains or odours in your fabric upholstery, you can apply some of our carpet cleaning techniques to your car’s interior. 2
Brush and Wipe Down Your Seats
After spraying, use a brush to vigorously dislodge the dirt particles in your seats. Once you’re done, we recommend using a microfiber cloth to remove any soiled suds. Microfiber cloths are more absorbent than regular towels and don’t leave lint behind like paper products. Use fresh microfiber cloths as needed to avoid reintroducing dirt into the seats. 2
Continue Scrubbing and Spraying
The desired cleaning effect may require multiple rounds of spraying with spot treatment, scrubbing with a brush, and drying with microfiber towels. Be patient and repeat until the stains are gone. 2
Vacuum Your Seats Again
Re-vacuum the treated areas to ensure that any remaining dirt particles were removed. This step also helps dry the sprayed areas, as damp fabric can lead to mildew and unpleasant smells in the future. 2
What if you prefer the DIY ‘natural’ route for cleaning? Read on to find out more.
DIY Car Cleaners
Suppose you need fabric cleaner on hand or prefer a DIY approach. In that case, you can use common household ingredients to revitalize your car seats: 2
Method 1: Vinegar Mix
Mix one cup of white distilled vinegar with about a gallon of water. Apply this mixture to the seat and scrub with a brush, then wipe dry with a microfiber towel. 2
Method 2: Laundry Detergent
Combine a tablespoon of highly concentrated laundry detergent with hot water. Dunk a towel into the mixture, massage the affected area, and rinse with a wet microfiber towel. 2
Method 3: Washing Liquid
Mix a couple of squirts of concentrated washing liquid, which you would use to wash your dishes, with water, scrub the dirty area, and rinse with a wet microfiber towel. 2
Method 4: Baking Soda
Mix ¼ cup of baking soda with warm water, apply to the stain, and scrub with a toothbrush. Afterwards, blot dry with a microfiber towel. 2
Method 5: carbonated water
Spray the area with carbonated water, scrub with a brush, and reapply as needed, ideal for tackling tough stains. 2
As a finishing touch, consider spraying a little pleasant-smelling fabric deodorising spray in your car to leave it smelling as fresh as it looks. 2
Disclaimer
The article aims to provide South African motorists with more information regarding potentially cleaning their vehicle’s seats. 1
Now you know how to look after your car’s seats. But how are you looking after your car regarding unforeseen circumstances? Are you thinking of getting car insurance for your vehicle? Get an obligation-free quote for affordable car insurance from PMD, with exceptional unique benefits such as fixed premiums*, reduced excess*, together with world-class service. T’s and C’s apply.
Please get professional financial advice from a certified financial advisor to ensure you select the appropriate financial services product.
This article was prepared by Eric Sandmann in his personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own. The views and opinions in the article should not be attributed to anyone but the author unless expressly stated. Nothing in this article should be relied upon as advice, this publication is presented for informational purposes only. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found in this article, without first obtaining proper financial advice from the appropriate professional. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, or completeness, of any information linked from, referred to, or contained in this article. The author reserves the right, to edit and change the content of this article.
Source:
1 https://www.expatica.com/za/living/transportation/driving-in-south-africa-105802/
2 https://www.homemadesimple.com/beyond-the-home/how-to-clean-your-car-seats/
