How To Clean Car Seats

Car seats can be very messy, especially if you are a parent who carts children around often. You may not even see all of the dirt and sticky mess from a distance, but when you start to take a cloth to the areas that need it the most you will realize how much sticky dirt and residue is really on those seats, especially the back seats but even the front seats.

A Simple Guide

Really, the process of cleaning car seats is not that difficult. You probably could even do it without even reading these instructions. However, a little bit of extra instruction never hurt anyone in need of it.

1. Prevention is key (about use of seat covers). Every family tries to not eat or drink in their cars. However, that is impossible to do especially if you take frequent family vacations. The next best recommendation would be to use seat covers. You can have fun with these anyway, finding cheerful ones for the children in the back and finding ones that coordinate with the interior of the car. The seat covers can cut down the interior cleaning time dramatically.
2. Remove contents from car. This includes children’s car seats and any lumbar support devices. Also throw out any trash on the seat and on the floor. You should also vacuum all dust, dirt, and food crumbs. Collect all coins, if you find any. You can then use a micro-fiber cloth to wipe all the dust off the seats in order to make the wet cleaning process to follow much easier.
3. Clean the seats. If it is leather seats, you should find a cleaner that is meant to be used for this kind of upholstery. Most seats, however, are nowadays made of vinyl or cloth. The vinyl ones can be easily scrubbed with mild soap and water or appropriate seat cleaner. The cloth car seats can be cleaning by sprinkling baking soda all over your car seats and letting it soak for as long as possible, even overnight. You can even scrub the seats with the baking soda and water and then let it dry. Then, you can use a hose attachment on a vacuum and suck all the baking soda off after has sat for long enough.

Cleaning a Child Car Seat

First, check the expiration date. As of writing this the most current information is that child car seats that were made in the year 2000 or earlier should not be used. However, by the time this article is published the cut-off date as far as obsolete car seats is concerned could change.

In any case, the ones made after the year 2000 have a removable cloth seat cover. You should vacuum this cover before removing it. You can use the hose attachment with a thin opening for best results, or just use the end of the hose without an attachment.

After you are done vacuuming the seat you can then remove the cover and wash it. A gentle or normal cycle is typically recommended. Use your own judgment though. For this task, a mild and unscented detergent is recommended because it is meant for an infant or small child, usually.

When the seat cover is washed, set it out to air dry. However, do not let it dry in the sun or it could shrink. By the way, while the seat cover is being washed and dried this is time you can spend cleaning out the actual car seat.

The first step would be to shake out the debris and dirt that are stuck in it. It is best if you do this over a garbage can. Then, vacuum it a second time and wipe it with a wet-wipe or baby wipe. You can also clean the handle and trim of the car seat, preferable with a mild anti-bacterial soap.

Advantages of Car Seat Upkeep

If you clean your car seats on a regular basis, it can save the expense of having them cleaned professionally. It can also increase the life span of your upholstery and it can prevent them from being damaged prematurely. It also can prevent stains from setting in and making your vehicle look unsightly.

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