The average Spanish driver travels approximately 13.000 kilometres each year. With this use It is normal for the vehicle to get dirty, the upholstery to get stained and to stop smelling like a new car.. All this It has an easy solution if you know how to clean your car's upholstery. And if you don't know, we recommend that you continue reading as we will explain everything you need in this article.
To clean car seats like a professional you must take into account several aspects:
- Preventive maintenance from time to time.
- Choosing the right products.
- Vacuum occasionally and remove hair and dirt.
- Clean the upholstery and plastics of the car and the dashboard.
If you want to get that new car smell back, keep reading and we'll explain how to get it back.
How to clean car upholstery and carpets?
To clean car upholstery, carpets and other textiles and plastics you will need the following materials:
- Water and a bucket.
- A normal cloth for normal materials, a microfibre cloth for plastics, the dashboard and leather and similar areas.
- A handheld vacuum cleaner.
- A cleaning product adapted to each area and material. For example, if it is suede and nubuck you will need a fast evaporating leather cleaner such as SKU 1095.
Instructions for cleaning upholstery
Before you start cleaning the upholstery, remove the carpets from the floor and remove any items that may bother you.
Now,, prepare a vacuum cleaner and pass it over all areas of the car to remove dust first. If you don't have a handheld or regular vacuum cleaner, you can always use one from the cleaning areas at gas stations.
When you finish vacuuming, it's time to clean the upholstery with a cloth or rag. To do this, take a cloth dampened with water and pour a little of the product directly onto the cloth and pass it over the seats.It doesn't matter if you start from back to front or vice versa.
Our advice is to start with the dashboard, seats, headrests, back seat and rear tray so that you don't leave any area uncleaned.
For plastic areas, remember to use a different product. For other areas, you should apply the product directly onto the cloth or upholstery, as indicated by the manufacturer. An important aspect to consider is the issue of use and dissolution.
To do this, read the manufacturer's recommendations.
Special products to clean different types of upholstery
Once you know the steps to clean upholstery, we are going to tell you about the different products that exist and which are the best for cleaning upholstery.
- Degreasing products: perfect for cleaning upholstery with very deep stains that are difficult to remove. An example of this type of product is the 1278 SKU a powerful upholstery cleaner with degreasing action capable of removing the most resistant greases from carpets, mats, textiles, leather and door and upholstery fabrics. It is also used for clean a sofa.
- Carpet cleaner: These products are usually made up of detergents and foams that can penetrate between the hard fibres of car mats and remove dirt. Before applying the product, it is advisable to shake the mats and remove as much dust and dirt as possible. You can also vacuum them or pour water on them to remove the dirtiest remains.If they do not come out, do not hesitate to apply a product carpet cleaner like Tapix which is powerful enough to remove all types of dirt from the mats.
- Special products for vinyl, plastics and dashboards: Not just any product will do to clean car plastics. It has to be a specific product that does not damage these sensitive areas.Fortunately, there are products capable of cleaning both upholstery and dashboards. An example is the cleaner SKU 1278 capable of removing the most powerful dirt from these areas leaving plastics with a shine like new.
Different types of upholstery
Car upholstery is made of fairly resistant textile fibres that hold up well over time, but that doesn't prevent it from getting stained and dirty. For this reason, the first thing to do is to know the types of upholstery that exist and know how to clean each one.
The upholstery materials that a car has are divided as follows:
- Leather: This animal-derived material requires different care than other fabrics. The good thing is that the cleaning leather sofa It is very similar to that of a car seat. In the previous link we give you the keys to clean leather of any type. Remember, The maintenance of this material is key to keeping its color for much longer.
- Leatherette: Synthetic leather, also known as leatherette, is a material used in both cars and sofas. It is a Artificial upholstery that is very resistant and holds up well over timeThe cost is lower than that of leather, which is why its use has become popular.It requires little maintenance and is quite easy to clean. However, it is a little more delicate since its quality is lower than that of other superior materials such as leather.
- Mixed or foam upholstery: It is a material that combines fabric in the centre and another material such as leather or even imitation leather on the sides. It is quite resistant to the passage of time and continued use, which is why many manufacturers use it in their cars. It cleans up pretty well and doesn't require too much maintenance.
- Tapicerias premium Alcantara type: This type of premium covering resembles leather, although it feels more like nubuck or suede. They are usually fitted to limited edition or top-of-the-range cars. It is a luxury material and are made from synthetic fibers that prevent them from wearing outIt is advisable to use special products to make them last longer. Another option is to use neutral cleaners that do not affect them.
And with these tips we finish this article on How to clean your car upholstery and remove all kinds of stains. ¡We hope you found these tips useful and that you put them into practice the next time you clean your vehicle!