Cleaning carpets and fabric can seem like an impossible task. But with the right tools it’s as easy as cleaning the dishes after a nice meal (if only there was a dishwasher big enough for car seats).

We’re going to break down the simple steps to cleaning your car seats and the tools you need.

This guide is meant for the average DIYer looking to save some money and clean their own car seats. This method does work for most other fabric applications as well.

NOTE: This guide is not intended for leather seats.

Tools

Needed

- Vacuum

- Microfiber rags/towels

- Fabric/upholstery cleaning chemical

- Small brush type tool (toothbrush, Q-tip, fabric brush, etc)

Optional

- Carpet extractor

- Drill

- Drill brush attachment

Step One: vacuum

It’s a good idea to vacuum your seats before applying any product or continuing with the next steps. Don’t forget to get between the seats, between cushions, and other overlooked places for a more thorough clean. This will remove the larger surface level debris on the fabric, so you don’t end up spreading it around and rubbing it in further. Use a brush, Q-tip, or a similar tool to get in the crevices and stitches of the seat. If there is any dirt your vacuum can’t suck up, you can agitate it with the brush which usually loosens it up enough for the vacuum. Be careful not to apply too much pressure and rip your stitching though. This ensures your seats are as clean as possible so you can be more successful with the next steps.

Step Two: Apply cleaner and agitate

Next, you will want to apply your upholstery cleaning chemical. There are many great and affordable options available at your local hardware store. You don’t need anything fancy from a specialized detailing supply store for a DIY clean.

Its best to follow the directions on the bottle of the chemical you purchase.

Generally, the product will be liberally applied on the entire surface of the seat and then agitated. Try to avoid only applying the product to a small area of the seat to ‘spot clean.’ Some products will come with a brush attached to the bottle which you can use. Otherwise, you can use a brush attachment for your drill (if you have one) or a simple toothbrush or similar brushing tool will work just fine. You will have to check the directions on the bottle to see if you need to let the chemical sit for a few minutes before agitating or after agitating. Some chemicals will want you to brush until no more suds are visible. Again, check the directions on your bottle to apply the cleaner to the manufacturer’s specifications. Once you’ve finished following the manufacturer’s directions for application of the chemical, you can move on to the next step.

Step 3: Mop Up

Grab a towel that you don’t mind getting dirty and rub the seat’s surface. Apply heavy pressure to the seat’s surface with the towel to absorb as much of the chemical and dirt as possible. This step will not extract all the dirt and liquid but is a great way to prep the seat for the following steps. The seat may look clean after this step but there is still liquid and dirt inside the seat itself that must be removed.

Step 4: Two Choices

The next step in the seat cleaning process will depend on your budget but the purpose is the same.

A. Extractor

A carpet extractor is like a vacuum but has an added active water/chemical component. It uses a vacuum head with a water line attached to the vacuum hose to fully remove debris deeply embedded into upholstery. Water comes out of the water line while the vacuum head suction is engaged. A chemical can be added to the water portion, or a chemical can be sprayed onto the fabric being cleaned beforehand. This will depend on what kind of extractor you’re using or if you have built your own. But generally, the water/chemical combination will loosen up debris in the fibres of the fabric and the vacuum will absorb it the second it comes loose. They’re commonly used by carpet cleaning professionals for their superior ability to remove debris and stains that won’t come out with common methods.

Using an extractor is always the best option if you have one available or are willing to buy one. Once you have your extractor setup, spray a light layer of water on the surface of the seat. Then, use the extractor head to suck out all the liquid and dirt. Repeat this step until the water in the extractor head runs clean. If you check your extractor water tank you will see how dirty your seats really were!

B. Vacuum

An extractor is always a better option, but they are expensive. Often only professional cleaners or dedicated car enthusiasts will have extractors. A standalone extractor can be hundreds of dollars and an extractor kit attachment for your vacuum isn’t much cheaper.

A convenient replacement for an extractor is a vacuum. Your standard wet/dry shop vacuum from Home Depot or Walmart will work. Make sure whatever vacuum you use is a WET/DRY vacuum. If you use a typical household vacuum that is only built to handle crumbs and dust, you will damage your vacuum.

Since you now have liquid and dirt embedded deep within your car seats you need to remove it. Over time the liquid can turn to mould if not removed. Use a wide mouth attachment head on your vacuum hose that you can rub along the seat without damaging it and will provide a tight seal. Drag the vacuum head along the surface of the seat slowly to suck up all the liquid and debris within the seat. Make sure you hold the head tight to the seat for best suction. You will most likely have to do multiple passes along the seat, depending on how much chemical you used before.

Bonus Step: Drying Options

You will probably notice your seats are still wet after extracting or vacuuming, which is normal. Depending on the weather you can leave your car in the sun with the doors or windows open to let air to flow in and dry the seats. Another option, especially if its cold or raining, is to put your car heater on full blast with the windows and doors closed and leave it for an hour or two. This will heat up your car’s interior and dry the seats fairly well.

Conclusion

This is a simple but effective method to clean your car seats, fabric mats, or any other upholstery type material in your car. Perfect for any DIYer. We do not recommend you use this method for cleaning your headliner, however. Car headliners are a sensitive piece of fabric glued to the top of your car and must be treated completely differently. We will cover that process in a future article.

Thank you for your time and attention.

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Clean Your Car Seats in 4 Steps