Advice for cleaning cloth seats

[Langer]

Hey all, I have a 2017 with the charcoal cloth seats. My 2 year old has absolutely trashed the backseat, yogurt, suckers, other various crumbs. Is there a cleaning product for the cloth seats that you have had good luck with?

Thanks!

 

[Jeremygsu]

I don't have cloth on my Expedition but recently sold my '16 Tundra and it had charcoal cloth seats. They would stain VERY easily. I always had success with Folex carpet cleaner. You sometimes have to do several coats to absorb it and use a good towel to try and soak it up right away but it always worked for me.

 

[Aspen03]

Suckers and candy wont come out with Folex but it's great stuff and will likely do a nice job on everything else. Lowes sells it in a trigger spray bottle or gallon. Get a gallon, useful around the house and more reasonably priced for the amount you get. You're going to need some heat for candy in most instances, a steamer works well, or a a carpet extractor but have to be careful soaking everything, zippers and hooks like to rust as it may dry for awhile depending on weather conditions and where you store your vehicle.

It smells awful but if you take clear ammonia, get from Ace/Lowes easily while you pick up Folex. Mix it 2oz to a 32oz spray bottle, the rest with water. Works quite well at general cleaning and stain removal. As always when trying something new test upholstery for colorfastness on a hidden portion. I've never had issue on the probably 300+ vehicles I've detailed but don't want any surprises. Using a white towel is advised since you never know how it may release dye from what you're cleaning with.

Do a thorough vacuum before any cleaning of course. Water mixed with granola will be the end of your sanity. Careful with yogurt, that can get nasty quick and a lot of the children's types have coloring that really like to stain though likely less noticeable on charcoal.

Our children learned early no eating in the car unless absolutely necessary. I add time to stop for any trips we take to stop somewhere or eat before we leave/get wherever. Despite being clean enough to eat right off almost any surface in my vehicle that's a hard no 99% of the time. Water is all they bring to the back seat as well. I used to co own a detail shop and have seen everything. Figured I don't get paid to clean my own car so it's never dirty...

 

[Adieu]

What is it about parenthood that suddenly makes the idea of force feeding yoghurt inside a moving vehicle to a barely-sentient and highly-uncooperative little lifeform seem not just reasonable... but URGENTLY NECESSARY???

Don't let your hormones and instincts get the better of your common sense.


Or...if that don't fly... tell yourself "but what if we hit a pothole and junior chokes"?

Done.


PS science has proven that junior will be perfectly OK even if you don't feed him FOR A WEEK. Maybe more if he's a chubby one... you cannot possibly be fit to drive for longer than junior is ok to go without a snack. Seriously.

 

[chuck s]

Google "back seat child cover." Link will take you to the back seat dog covers which is just what you want. Seat belts come thru the cover so child seats and passengers can ride back there. Get the waterproof cover.

-- Chuck

 

[Aspen03]

Seat covers are worth their weight in gold, so are weathertech mats and the like. I've seen some naaaaasty vehicles and lifted a mat and found essentially factory new carpet underneath. Same for a quality seat cover under a car seat. We use the molded Britax waterproof ones under our younger children's seats. Slightly pricey for a piece of rubber but extremely durable, doesn't slip and I'm pretty sure boiling coffee wouldnt phase it.

OP for what it's worth if you can't get it all out and find yourself in Indy I have an extractor, a Chief Steamer and a hoarde of other detailing goodies. It's not my job by any means anymore but I still do quite a bit on the side when I have time.

 

[TobyU]

Prestone interior cleaner spray is amazingly great! Been using it since 1994 or so.

Tuff Stuff is ok too.
Get a soft bristle brush and bucket of warm water and spray then scrub then blot then vacuum.

 

[chuck s]

I have a Bissell "pet" carpet shampoo machine (the size of an upright vacuum) that works well with the small attachment on furniture. No reason it can't be used on car seats. Did a wonderful job on an old fabric covered desk chair. Similar item can probably be rented.

-- Chuck

 

[TobyU]

I have a Bissell "pet" carpet shampoo machine (the size of an upright vacuum) that works well with the small attachment on furniture. No reason it can't be used on car seats. Did a wonderful job on an old fabric covered desk chair. Similar item can probably be rented.

-- Chuck

Those and the smaller little green clean machines work well too. If you use a high quality Upholstery and fabric cleaner or carpet cleaner it will have the surfacants in it that lifts the stains a lot better.
Plus most of the heat the water and that helps too. I use one of the professional-grade steam ninjas or something back in the mid-90s on Flexsteel seats in a conversion van that wear a light grey in color. They were quite stained and dingy looking when I started and looked brand-new when I got done. Took me about two and a half hours though to do all the carpet and the seats.
I was working at a rent-to-own store and they had some high-dollar equipment.

 

[Aspen03]

Little green works well they are just small so of it's for more than a spot or a seat they get annoying. The big green machine you can rent has a handheld attachment that works reasonably well. Has a small manual brush built in to knock stuff loose, pivot your wrist lay down some solution and extract. I bought one for the house because I can order through work at a heft discount. Beats the rental at $40 a day w the upholstery tool. I use it from time to time in vehicles. It's just huge and the hose is only 9' so it's not the best choice for our trucks. You have to move the 50lb beast to each seating location to have enough reach.