Upholstery cleaning

[Oceansplasher]

Hi. Over time I have developed some random marks and clear stains on the front and back seats and wondered what anyone uses that would clean up the seats. The seats are only leather on the edges as the car is a Leon 5F, FR model.

The stains are not too obvious but have an outer ring around the stain (probably water marks) and this is what can be seen. I obviously am asking the question as I don't want to make the seats look any worse. Any help appreciated.

 

[rob280]

I would use a diluted apc. 10 parts water to 1 part apc. Spray it on then lightly rub with a cloth and wait to dry.

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[Mr Pig]

Try plain water first. Spray the area and use paper towels to dab the water off. Good chance that will work.

 

[Norbert]

Hi. Over time I have developed some random marks and clear stains on the front and back seats and wondered what anyone uses that would clean up the seats. The seats are only leather on the edges as the car is a Leon 5F, FR model.

The stains are not too obvious but have an outer ring around the stain (probably water marks) and this is what can be seen. I obviously am asking the question as I don't want to make the seats look any worse. Any help appreciated.

Must to wash the full part where stained.if not looks stained again just did today as car go next week.terrible material...I have star mercedes cleaning set and special upholstery cleaner spray.but best quick wash with carpet cleaner.

 

[Mr Pig]

If you try it with plain water first you may find that do not need to wash the whole section. It depends on how dirty the rest of the seat is but if it's quite clean you'll probabl;y get away with it.

The important part is to dry the water off with paper towels, or actual towels. That lifts the dirt with the water. If you let the water air dry you'll get tide marks.

 

[Norbert]

Problem not dirt but stain,visible on black part like grease.I have 7years old and god know how he manage to mess everything
I used fibre cloths.(for everthing)

 

[Mr Pig]

I have 7years old and god know how he manage to mess everything.

Kids are messy, that's all there is to it.

Many years ago I made a rule that the kids were not allowed to eat or drink in the car. That is the only way to keep the seats clean. I can think of two ocasions when the seats have been messed up in the last thirty years.

My wife took my then young son to McDonald's drive through and gave him a chocolate milkshake. He dropped the whole thing on the back seat of the car! I took the seat out and hosed it down but that stain never fully came out. It also smelled for a while as well.

Another time my mother-in-law dropped a boiled sweet in the back of the car and didn't tell anyone. It went under a child seat and melted itself onto the seat. That came out not to badly actually.

If you don't let the kids get messy stuff while in the car the seats will be ok. I have a friend who lets his kids do anything and his car is a state. His teenage daughter got nail polish on the seat! What the heck was she doing putting on nail polish in the car?!

 

[Norbert]

Kids are messy, that's all there is to it.

Many years ago I made a rule that the kids were not allowed to eat or drink in the car. That is the only way to keep the seats clean. I can think of two ocasions when the seats have been messed up in the last thirty years.

My wife took my then young son to McDonald's drive through and gave him a chocolate milkshake. He dropped the whole thing on the back seat of the car! I took the seat out and hosed it down but that stain never fully came out. It also smelled for a while as well.

Another time my mother-in-law dropped a boiled sweet in the back of the car and didn't tell anyone. It went under a child seat and melted itself onto the seat. That came out not to badly actually.

If you don't let the kids get messy stuff while in the car the seats will be ok. I have a friend who lets his kids do anything and his car is a state. His teenage daughter got nail polish on the seat! What the heck was she doing putting on nail polish in the car?!

We had the milkshake or chocolate drink story long time ago.Luckily im getting bored every year and buy a new car.Keep it clean as possible because i hate to drive in the mess.

The best was 2.5l gloss paint in boot.somehow i managed to clean just mat gone to bin.

 

[Mr Pig]

The best was 2.5l gloss paint in boot.

That's bad! :0(

 

[SRGTD]

@Oceansplasher; if you have a steam cleaner, you could try that.

I’ve not used one but my neighbour steam cleaned the seats in his last car before it was returned to the lease company at end of lease. They were in a pretty sorry state before he cleaned them and after he’d used the steam cleaner, they looked almost new.

If I needed to steam clean car upholstery, if it was badly stained, I’d first give it a light spray with a diluted APC solution and agitate with a soft-medium bristle brush and towel dry. Then steam clean with a micro fibre mop head on the appropriate steam cleaner attachment, agitate with a soft/medium bristle brush if necessary, and then dry off with another soft, absorbent towel. If you get any APC on your seat side bolsters it shouldn’t do any harm as I’m pretty certain the bolsters are ‘pleather’ (plastic leather / vinyl) on the standard Leon FR seats rather than real leather.

There’s quite a few videos on YouTube that have been posted by detailers cleaning car upholstery and it might be worth having a look at one or two of these so you can see what results you’re likely to get.

 

[JonnyG]

It may be worth protecting the fabric too, once you get it clean.

I can recommend Gtechniq I1 Smart Fabric