How do you clean your car upholstery?

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Ed_Flecko

Ed_Flecko

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I'm trying to make my car (truck, actually) upholstery look and smell as good as I can, and I'm wondering what y'all do to keep yours looking great?

smile.gif


Oh yeah - my interior is all cloth (no leather) and vinyl (of course) and carpet. If matters, it's a light grey color. I don't have any kids so there's no cookie crumbs or ice cream messes to deal with, but I do transport my two German Shepherds so it might be a little "doggie" smelling.

I've bought some Folex because I've heard people rave about what a great job it does cleaning upholstery, carpets, etc., so I'm wondering if maybe I should spritz my interior with Folex and (maybe) then go rent an inexpensive "extractor" of some sort to finish the job?

Once you've got it looking good...how do you maintain it?

Ed
 
I use Scotch guard oxy power auto cleaner, a shop vac, and air fresheners in every row.

1 GSD-like dog (he's a mutt, but sheds and smells like a GSD) and 2 kids. The car is always a disaster, I am just trying to control the chaos the best that I can.
 
folex is your friend. vacuum all the pet hair and dirt up first. spray a little folex on and let it dwell for a few minutes, if your seats are dirty or discolored . in areas with heavier stains use a " soft " brush and agitate. you can blot stains with a towel. from there use your powerful shop vac to remove the rest of the product. if you seats are in good shape keep them clean and get to the stains as soon as you can. I like to keep a couple of extra cheap microfiber towels in my glove box for any oooops moments.
 
nothing beats a carpet shampooer.

bad stinks and stains at minimum require soap, bucket, brush, and wet-vac.
 
I've developed a method for cleaning auto carpets and cloth seats that is effective and inexpensive. I use Meguair's APC+ (all-purpose cleaner), but I've heard good things about Folex so that is probably a good choice.

All you need is a shop vac, bucket of warm water, brush, microfiber towels, and APC. I mix the APC into a spray bottle with ten parts water. On a lot of cars it's surprisingly easy to remove the front seats, which makes the process a lot easier.

First step is to vacuum the carpet or seats thoroughly. Then spray the cleaner into the carpet and immediately begin brushing. Work one area at a time. After brushing, mist with the spray bottle a second time and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes. Then vacuum thoroughly. Then dunk a microfiber towel in the bucket and wring about half the water out of it. Use it to briskly rub the area you just vacuumed in different directions. Then vacuum again, trying to get as much water out as possible. Allow to air dry. After drying, if you have access to an ozone generator, use it inside with the windows closed, air conditioning on full and set to recirculate. Run it for about 30 minutes. The ozone kills mold and bacteria that can create odors, especially in the AC system.

Here is a pic showing how I treat the interior of my Volvo S60 with ozone. I connect a vacuum cleaner hose and crevice tool to the ozone generator. Then I close the window on the crevice tool and seal up the rest of the opening with clear packing tape. Then I turn on the ozone and run the engine with the AC on for about 30 minutes. You don't want to overdo the ozone treatment, because it tends to oxidize/harden rubber and plastics. Just one 30-min treatment annually does wonders and keeps your interior smelling fresh. Once I used my ozone on a car interior that smelled like was used to film a Cheech & Chong movie. I did my cleaning regimen and then two 30-min ozone treatments spaced about a week apart, and kept the windows open whenever possible. After the second treatment the smell was totally gone.

812ADD9D-4E2A-4B7A-9B40-595D12725185_zpsskfstgtm.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: Joel_MD
I've developed a method for cleaning auto carpets and cloth seats that is effective and inexpensive. I use Meguair's APC+ (all-purpose cleaner), but I've heard good things about Folex so that is probably a good choice.

All you need is a shop vac, bucket of warm water, brush, microfiber towels, and APC. I mix the APC into a spray bottle with ten parts water. On a lot of cars it's surprisingly easy to remove the front seats, which makes the process a lot easier.

First step is to vacuum the carpet or seats thoroughly. Then spray the cleaner into the carpet and immediately begin brushing. Work one area at a time. After brushing, mist with the spray bottle a second time and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes. Then vacuum thoroughly. Then dunk a microfiber towel in the bucket and wring about half the water out of it. Use it to briskly rub the area you just vacuumed in different directions. Then vacuum again, trying to get as much water out as possible. Allow to air dry. After drying, if you have access to an ozone generator, use it inside with the windows closed, air conditioning on full and set to recirculate. Run it for about 30 minutes. The ozone kills mold and bacteria that can create odors, especially in the AC system.

Here is a pic showing how I treat the interior of my Volvo S60 with ozone. I connect a vacuum cleaner hose and crevice tool to the ozone generator. Then I close the window on the crevice tool and seal up the rest of the opening with clear packing tape. Then I turn on the ozone and run the engine with the AC on for about 30 minutes. You don't want to overdo the ozone treatment, because it tends to oxidize/harden rubber and plastics. Just one 30-min treatment annually does wonders and keeps your interior smelling fresh. Once I used my ozone on a car interior that smelled like was used to film a Cheech & Chong movie. I did my cleaning regimen and then two 30-min ozone treatments spaced about a week apart, and kept the windows open whenever possible. After the second treatment the smell was totally gone.

812ADD9D-4E2A-4B7A-9B40-595D12725185_zpsskfstgtm.jpg



Very cool!...thanks for your advice!

smile.gif


Ed
 
I use Blue Coral upholstery cleaner, brushes, a shop vac and lots of scrubbing. I find the carpets to be a source of odors as well and work at getting under the seats clean, too. And don't forget the door panels and headliner and way under the dash where your feet go.
 
Originally Posted By: silveravant
Rent a Rug Doctor machine and the upholstery attachment. Much stronger evacuation than Little Green Machine. I have both and there is no comparison.


Yes, the commercial ones evacuate water with more force. But...

a) you have to rent them
b) they're huge and awkward
c) about half the time they're nasty from the previous renter
d) they're not right there, ready to go in your closet
e) the stronger suction doesn't make as much difference as you might think.
 
Originally Posted By: silveravant
Rent a Rug Doctor machine and the upholstery attachment. Much stronger evacuation than Little Green Machine. I have both and there is no comparison.

The Rug Doctor machine is a good choice if you don't have a shop vac. I believe a shop vac, used in "wet" mode with no filter and a claw-type nozzle, develops more suction than a Rug Doctor.
 
I see the BISSELL Little Green ProHeat - Model 14259 can heat the water, but most other models do not.

Do you think the heat would be a worthwhile feature, for general cleaning, or should I focus more on how many amps (and how good the suction is) instead?

Ed
 
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