Do you have large oil or other stains in your cars upholstery? We have an easy way to remove them with some simple cleaner and a little elbow grease. Get rid of all those ugly stains on your cars seats and the floor boards. Here is how!
Clean dirty car upholstery
Here is what you will need:
– Large Sponge
– Old Towels Or Wash Cloth
– Hot Water
– Large Bowl
– Large Bottle Of Clorox Green Works All Purpose Cleaner (Tuff Stuff Upholstery Cleaner Foam works great too!)
– Large Medium Bristle Scrub Brush
First get your bowl out. Pour 2 cups of all purpose cleaner into your bowl. (If you are using the cleaning foam, then just spray the foam onto the stain) Then fill your large bowl with hot water. Mix the solution up in the bowl with you scrub brush.
Next, use the all purpose cleaner directly on the stained area in your cars fabric. Leave sit for 5 minutes to let it soak in. Dip your sponge and brush into the hot soapy cleaning solution. Get as much of the cleaning solution on the brush and sponge. Now scrub the stain with the scrub brush until it disappears. Repeat if needed.
If your car stinks when you turn on the heat or air conditioning, find out here how to clean out the car AC system and replace the filter to make the smell go away.
Clean Car Upholstery
If there are larger stains, use the sponge to get the stained area wet and ready for scrubbing. If the stain is still visible, repeat the process over.
You can use the Clorox Green Works All Purpose Cleaner or Tuff Stuff Upholstery Cleaner Foam right on the stain and let sit for 30 minutes if the stain consists of oil or another type of hard to remove grime.
While you are waiting for the cleaning solution to penetrate the stain, you can wipe down all your seats with the sponge with a little cleaning solution on it. Dip your sponge into the hot cleaning mixture often to remove all the dirt and grime that will come off all your seats.
Once you have done all this, leave car doors open to let the fabric dry so it won’t smell the next day. You can use a common house fan and place it in the car. Turn it on high and let it dry the car out with the car doors open.
At this time you could also check your cars air cabin filter to be sure it is clean.
If you have better methods for cleaning stains in a cars upholstery, please leave a comment below.
I want to make sure that I get my car’s upholstery looking nicer.
It makes sense that I would want to clean it.
There are some cracks in the leather.
I’ll see if I can find a pro who can fix them for me.
I appreciate you going over how to go about doing this. Is all purpose cleaner the absolute best thing to use for this type of thing? In order to be effective I would like to use the best cleaner that I can, so I would appreciate any further suggestions that you have.
I HAVE A TIP TO ADD…
To get grease and oil stains out of carpet or cloth seats, use “brake cleaner”.
Spray the brake cleaner on the stain and rub w/ a clean cloth.
For grease or oil stains in your cars carpet or on the upholstery, most anything really you can use a degreaser. With a husband who works in a plant and 5 kids, I run into the issue of grease and oil in both our trucks and all of our clothes. A huge jug can be bought at most any local parts store. For our trucks I simply washed out an old empty spray bottle, however you can pick one up for little to nothing at most stores. I poured the de-greaser into the spray bottle and sprayed the spots on my trucks carpet, floor mats, and seats. Next I scrub with a toothbrush (it will make a soapy foam). I then either take me little green shampooer with only clean hot water and rinse it of before I had it I would either use a large bowl of warm water and a sponge, however I have on occasion simply been tired by the time I get to the mats that I have just hosed them out.
As for laundry/clothes…
if the stain is really bad I will spray the de-greaser directly onto the clothes and give it a good rub, I at times will also in both my vehicles as well as on clothes if the stain is minor try Shout Advance in the can first (just a f.y.i.) I will give the garment a good rubbing then toss it in the washer. Last I will pour about 2 cups of the de-greaser directly into the washer, this will make sure to finish the job for me as well as catch any grease that may have ended up getting on a shirt or 2 while cooking.
Name of de-greaser
Slate no issue, cleaner and de-greaser
It is a purple liquid. I will however ask you to test it in an area that is not seen first to make sure it will not damage anything. I will say I have not had a problem with any large jug of liquid de-greaser brand or color bought from Auto Zone on any of mine or my husband’s last 3 vehicles.