Best way to clean car upholstery

[jamie-ann]

Carpets and seats looking a bit dirty, whats best economical way of cleaning these please. Its cloth trim not leather

 

[C350Carl]

A stiff upholstery brush and a decent Hoover will make good in roads. If it is really dirty and stained though then you will need a decent shampoo and wet vac. Cheapest way would be to hire one if you don't know anyone who has one you can lend.

 

[Crazycarb]

I'm going to use some noxious substance from "Wilkinsons". If it works as well as ALDI's general cleaner, I'll be on a winner.

 

[discoking]

It's amazing what warm soapy water and a soft nail brush will do.

I dumped just about all cleaning products from my garage years ago as warm soapy water does it all and more.Saved me quite a bit of money too with the quantities I was using.

 

[nokia]

Anyone used a steam cleaner?

 

[Crazycarb]

I used the carpet/upholstery cleaner from wilkinsons and it worked a treat on the little Peugeot I am preparing for sale. The seats were minging with suspected beer/coffee stains. clean as a whistle now using a soft nail brush also to rub the foam in, then wiped with a cloth. Job was done in an hour. I cannot see any benefit from a steam cleaner as I reckon you'll still have to put in some elbow grease if the seats are grubby.

 

[Crazycarb]

I have found a pic of what the seats were like when I got the car. so, 2 quid and a nail brush did both the front & rear seats.

 

[Frontstep]

If your on a real budget biological soap in a handspray rub leave ten minutes work in with sponge then rub off with clean water and sponge, park in sun.
It works for your carpets ,rugs,etc in your home as well.
Gets rid of smells as well.

Spend your two quid on something else.

 

[Frontstep]

On another seat cleaning theme leather cleans very well with hand cleanser swarfega type stuff.
Remember whatever you use on your seat goes on your skin and many lotions and potions even very expensive valeting ones have not been tested on human skin.

 

[gizze]

I bought a small Karcher steamer cleaner years ago after having silver cloth seats in an A2, it was cheap and worked really well and we still use it now, some 10 years later to clean the hob, between tiles etc. etc.

I just cleaned the door handles and dash with it on the ML as well, really gets the inground dirty out of places well.

Then I use All Purpose Cleaner mixed down 5:1 and a Meguiars interior brush.

This was the A2 seats cleaned up..

 

[TamOshanter]

I used the carpet/upholstery cleaner from wilkinsons and it worked a treat on the little Peugeot I am preparing for sale. The seats were minging with suspected beer/coffee stains. clean as a whistle now using a soft nail brush also to rub the foam in, then wiped with a cloth. Job was done in an hour. I cannot see any benefit from a steam cleaner as I reckon you'll still have to put in some elbow grease if the seats are grubby.

Do you mean a machine or a chemical?

 

[Headhurts]

Baby Wipes

Do not under estimate these they are awesome for cleaning carpets, trim, hands and even babies.
I always keep a pack in the car.
But if the car is that bad I guess professional cleaning products are needed.

 

[television]

Baby wipes are good, but you do need a sealed bag or they will dry out.

I am a great believer in soap and water, it is human grease after all.

Never use spray dash cleaners, they do not clean well and just seal the dirt in.

 

[drmw]

I bought a bottle of this http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&...vptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_99cnhxx4mx_e a while ago.

It does actually do what it says on the tin. We had a leaky conservatory roof - went on holiday & when we got back, the roof had leaked big style dripping onto an ancient oak chest, brown stains over a lot of the (pale blue) carpet which had then dried out nicely over the subsequent days.

Tried this stuff - took a few passes, but all the brown baked in stain lifted.

 

[L John]

Never use spray dash cleaners, they do not clean well and just seal the dirt in.

I used a spray cleaner on a car dash years ago.
Never could stop something in the dash area squeaking over bumps after that.

As you said, soap is good.
Use in as small a concentration as needed, excess can be removed easily with a damp cloth.

 

[gizze]

Simonez Matte Dash is very good.

It gets rid of all the grease and leaves it a factory matte finish.

 

[Crazycarb]

Do you mean a machine or a chemical?

Chemical. Cheap as chips and very effective.