How to clean cloth car seats
Spills, sweat and kids’ snacks — lifted out with a plant-based cleaner, without soaking the foam.
45 minBeginner5 steps
Fabric seats hold dirt deep in the weave, and the foam underneath acts like a sponge. Pour water on and you push the stain deeper and leave the foam damp — and in a closed car, damp foam is how musty smells and mould start. The method is little liquid, lots of agitation, and plenty of blotting.
- 1
Vacuum thoroughly
Brush the fabric with a soft brush as you vacuum to lift sand and crumbs out of the weave. Do the seams and where the backrest meets the base.
- 2
Test a hidden area
Mist a little Pure Cabin on an unseen spot and blot with a white microfibre to check for colour transfer.
- 3
Mist, agitate, blot
Lightly mist the stain or panel — do not soak it. Work it in with the soft brush in small circles, then press a clean microfibre firmly into the fabric to blot up the dirt. Repeat rather than adding more liquid.
Bay tip · Work from the outside of a stain inward so it does not spread into a ring.
- 4
Rinse-blot
Dampen a clean microfibre with plain water, wring it well and blot the area to lift any cleaner left in the fabric.
- 5
Dry completely
Leave the windows open (or doors open in a secure garage) until the seats are fully dry, ideally a few hours. A fan helps on a cloudy day.
Common mistakes
- Soaking the seat
- Strong household carpet shampoos that leave sticky residue
- Closing the car up while seats are still damp
- Scrubbing hard with a stiff brush, which fuzzes the fabric