Car Upholstery - Best way to Clean please

Lucky_Lady_5

Hello all. I have a ford fusion and the interior upholstery is a very light grey. In hindsight, with 2 small kids, I would have not bought it, but I love the car and the upholstery colour really didn't come into it! I will learn my lesson the next time! :rotfl:

I need to clean the seats because they are really very grubby now. We have had it valeted in the past and it does get rid of "most" of the stains, but there are some pretty stubborn marks, like water stains, on the upholstery.
This is from a past cleaning attempt by my DH who slapped loads of cleaner on it but then as he read the can wrong didn't rub in and remove, just left it on there. TBH, I just can't justify spending the money on a valet at the moment, and really need to have a bash at cleaning it myself, but would be really grateful of any tips to try and get the water marks out.

Someone has mentioned using bicarbinate of soda, but didn't elaborate on how to use it, do I make a solution to spray on, or do I make a paste, what do I do with it?
Please, if there is anyone out there that can help me.
I do have a little yellow "penguin" type steamer too, but wouldn't know where to start!!!!!
Please help!!! Thanks very much.

scbk

What about getting some seat covers?

dawnydee73

scbk wrote: »

What about getting some seat covers?

I got some covers that are a leather look, but they are waterproof and you just wipe them clean. One of the kids spilt blackcurrant juice and it never went through the covers and so easy to clean. I think I got these from Halfords, they weren't cheap but worth the money.

The best stuff I have used for cleaning fabrics in cars was from wilkinsons, it sprayed on and you rub the foam in then wipe off

Wig

I once removed the lower bench seat from the car when I wanted to clean it, (I suspect the seat you are most wanting to clean is the bit they sit on rather than the back rest.) Once removed from the car I undid all the staples and whatever clips were holding the cover onto the foam frame. Then I chucked it in a washing machine, too hot and it shrunk :rotfl:
Then I re fitted it to the seat, took me ages because it was now too small, but I managed to stretch it on :rotfl:

I don't recommend you to do this, because it is so difficult, and may even not be possible on your seats.

epididdymus

If nothing else works, you could get a replacement set of seats, (even leather), for about £100 from a specialist breaker - see automart magazine. This may sound extreme, but how much value is the problem knocking off the car? - its a matter of balance.
If you do go down this route, despite being straight forward, (usually), care must be taken to ensure seatbelt pre-tensioners are first made safe and then re-armed. Check with a mechanic if unsure. (I used a Haynes Manual when I needed to remove seats)

Lucky_Lady_5

epididdymus wrote: »

how much value is the problem knocking off the car? - its a matter of balance.

I have enquired a couple of places but they haven;'t got the car in stock, it's a pain in the proverbial to be honest trying to get spares from a breaker for this car!
as for the value it's taking off the car, its not taking as much off as the nice little scrape down the passenger side which occured when the bollard jumped out in front of me. pesky bollards. :rolleyes:

harveybobbles

Them bollards are really annoying! I tree got in the way of my front bumper last year when the OH was driving...

Lucky_Lady_5

quite! lol lol lol

goldspanners

try a foam cleaner or upholstry cleaner,spray it in and watch the dirt come out then give it a good run with a dry cloth.
or if the seat affected is easy to come out,remove it and take it to a place with a hot pressure washer and clean it with this, it will take a while to dry.
i used to do this with my van,take out the front seats and pressure wash them, they came up great every time,but do take a while to dry.

Inactive

Stop the kids making a mess in the car in the first place..;)

MiffedChris

Spray and Clean removed grease from the driver's carpet mat in my car, so would work fine.

You spray onto the upholstery and use a microfibre cloth to wipe off (you can work in with your fingers as well). Sometimes on carpet, it dries with a white dust, which you simply vacuum off.

This is used in the car and bus/coach industry . . . it's not cheap, but will work and you can use in the house as well.

http://www.idealworld.tv/32oz_Spray_and_Clean_with_2_White_Cloths_126692.aspx?search=spray%20and%20shine