This Is The Best Way To Clean Fabric Seats In Your Car

Between pets, passengers, and all the soil from the street looking to hitch a ride, car interiors get dirty quickly. But with some simple tools and a little know-how, you can keep your seats squeaky clean. There are also a few tricks to freshen up the smell, while a deep clean will require a bit more work.

Not all car seats are made out of the same fabric, though most are upholstery. Before you dive into this guide, make sure to consult your car's manual to see what kind of fabric your particular model has. Some car seats, such as leather, can be damaged without the right cleaning solutions and tools. You don't want to damage your seats with ill-advised "cleaning hacks."

That being said, most seats can be thoroughly cleaned with a portable upholstery cleaning machine. They're far more effective than dabbing cleaning solutions by hand, they're easy to use, and for those in a rush, these machines are faster, too.

The market is flooded with different cleaning concoctions, and many demand patiently dabbing car seats by hand and scrubbing at stains with a brush. Unfortunately, these are more of a band-aid than a solution. Wet spills, mud, and fine particles pass through upholstery easily, so a superficial clean won't reach down deep enough. Over the long term, neglected filth within the seats can lead to stinky odors and even mold.

A portable upholstery cleaning machine sprays solution deep into the seat, soaking the dirt. Then, with all the dirt suspended in the liquid, it vacuums out the solution with a powerful suction. The result is a mostly dry car seat that's free of deep-down filth and odors.

This isn't hearsay. I've had hands-on experience with the Bissell Little Green Cleaner. Compared to manually dabbing on and scrubbing spots, this portable wet vac flies through the task in a couple of minutes, and it does a super thorough job. It's a little pricey due to the high quality, but there are other options out there for those with tighter budgets. Hoover CleanSlate Plus, for example, costs a bit less and still produces a solid clean.

The first step is to fill your machine with the right mixture of cleaning solution and water. Again, make sure to check your car's manual to see if there are any chemicals to avoid since some cleaning solutions can damage certain types of upholstery. Most automakers recommend testing a little of the solution in an inconspicuous area to make sure it doesn't discolor or damage the surface. The best solutions to use are spot removers and upholstery cleaners specifically designed for car interiors. Some need to be mixed with water to dilute them, while others can be poured directly into the machine's reservoir.

Before you turn on your machine, it's a good idea to spray your seats with a little bit of the solution first. You don't need to go overboard, but a 5-minute soak will help loosen up the really tough stains. You can also give noticeable stain spots a light scrub with a soft brush to help activate the solution.

Finally, fix the main cleaning attachment to the hose and turn on the machine. Press the button and move the cleaning head in straight lines to spray and suck up the dirt at the same time. You don't have to force the cleaning head into the seats, since a light, firm sweep works best. You can move the cleaning head forward and backward but try to keep the motion consistent and steady. From there, the machine will do the rest of the work.