No one wants their car’s interior to get stained or dirty, but accidents happen. When it comes to protecting the inside of our car, there are a few key things we can do to keep it looking great. In this blog post, we’ll outline some simple tips for keeping your car’s interior in top condition.
By following these tips, you’ll be able to avoid any major damage done to your car’s interior. Thanks for reading!
How do I protect my car upholstery?
Clean it often
If you want to protect your car upholstery, the best thing that you can do is to clean it often. Keep a mild soap and water solution around and spray or wipe down any spills as soon as they happen. That way the liquids won’t have time to settle into your fabric and potentially damage it over time.
Use water-based protectors
Just like your car’s exterior, you should use car upholstery protectors to cover and safeguard it from all the elements out there that can damage it over time. Look for a product that is applied evenly and doesn’t leave any residue once it dries. This will ensure that your upholstery stays dry even when you get caught in the rain. There are protectors that can be applied when the upholstery is still wet from a recent wash as well, allowing you to get two uses out of one application.
Use backseat protectors
If you have children, they will likely eat or drink while they travel with you inside of your car. That means it is important to use backseat protectors on them so any liquids spilled will remain on the protector instead of soaking through into the actual upholstery of your vehicle.
Get the dirt off right away
If you let dirt and grim settle into your vehicle’s upholstery, it can cause stains that are very hard to remove. This is why you should try to clean any dirt and debris off right away. Just be careful how you do this so you don’t stretch out the fabric in your car’s upholstery when trying to remove it.
Stay clear of direct sunlight
If possible, avoid leaving your vehicle parked in direct sunlight whenever possible. This is because the sun is hot enough without an upholstered seat or seat back holding all its heat in. You will notice that direct sunlight beating down on your upholstery can cause it to dry out more quickly than normal which can damage it over time if left untreated.
Avoid using fabric softener
Fabric softeners are great for clothing but they shouldn’t be used on car upholstery. Fabric softeners leave a film on the upholstery which causes it to attract more dirt and stains. It can also change the way that your seat covers fit so you may have problems closing storage areas or seat backs if fabric softener was used.
Use baking soda
If the coffee gets spilled on your car’s upholstery, you should take care of it as soon as possible before the liquid has time to fully soak into the fabric. Take a look at what kind of material your upholstery is made out of first and then sweep some baking soda over the spill. Let it sit for about 15 minutes and then vacuum off any excess baking soda that is still there before using a mild soap solution to clean away any leftover residue.
Get it professionally cleaned
If you don’t want to take the time to clean upholstery yourself, you can have a professional do it for you at any car detailing location. This will ensure that all dirt and stains are removed without causing any damage to your vehicle’s seats. Side Note: Remember what we said about fabric softeners? Well, also stay away from the type of dryer sheets as well because they leave behind a film on your car’s interior.
Can I scotchguard my car seats?
Scotchguard shouldn’t be applied to your vehicle’s interior. The reason why is because scotchguard will typically leave behind a shiny finish which attracts dirt and stains more easily in addition to changing the way that your seat covers fit.
Do seat covers protect cloth seats?
When you are wondering how to protect cloth car seats, the best thing to do is keep spills and dirt away from them completely. You can do this by using seat covers when your car’s top is down or simply by storing them in the trunk while not in use. Another option if you don’t want to use seat covers would be to remove the fabric seats altogether and replace them with custom-fit vinyl upholstery that matches your vehicle. This may seem like a drastic measure, but it will ensure that your original interior remains pristine for many years while requiring very little maintenance.
Many of today’s new vehicles come equipped with stain-resistant or even waterproof leather which makes protecting these surfaces easier. However, it does still require some care and attention to detail in order to maintain its appearance.
