How to Clean Upholstery in Cars

This article will give the reader tips on how to clean car upholstery. There are three different types of car upholstery. There is fabric, vinyl and leather. This article focuses on ways to clean each one.

Things You'll Need

• Leather upholstery cleaner kit
• Vinyl upholstery cleaner
• Fabric upholstery cleaner
• Upholstery cleaning brush
• Hand held steam cleaner
• Vacuum

Instructions

1. 

   When cleaning leather upholstery, you can do it in two steps. Before starting the process, vacuum the seats to remove loose debris. Purchase a leather cleaner kit to make things easier. Spot test the cleaner on an area of the upholstery that is not visible to the eye. Some cleaners can stain upholstery, so, it is better to be safe than sorry. Apply the leather cleaner to a section of the upholstery at a time using a soft cloth. Clean the entire interior and let dry. After the interior dries, use a second clean soft cloth to apply the conditioner. Again, spot test the conditioner to prevent staining. Apply the conditioner to all sections of the leather interior.

2. 

   When cleaning vinyl upholstery, first vacuum all debris from the interior. Use a well-known cleaner such as Armor All. Always use a fresh clean cloth to prevent embedding more dirt into the interior.

3. 

   Cleaning fabric car upholstery well requires more steps than other upholsteries. First, vacuum the entire interior. Next, use an upholstery brush and spot pre-treater to remove stains. Fill a hand held steam cleaner with water and steam your fabric seats. You can use detergents with some steam cleaners; this will help to remove strong odors. Allow upholstery to dry thoroughly. Spray seats with a fabric refresher such as Febreze to complete the deodorizing process.