Some seats in cars are better than others. Some feel better on one’s back, some look better, and some are easier to maintain. I have noticed that Ford Explorer, Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Ridgeline, just to name a few, are some of the most difficult to keep its upholstered covering clean. As for this Ford Explorer, all you have to do to stain the seats is to literally spill a small drop of water, and bang, it’s stained. I came across this Ford Explorer over the weekend and wanted to include it in this blog post. In the photo above, one can see that a lot of spills have created stains. I am not sure what they are, but it appears to be coffer, pop, who knows what, but one thing is for sure; it needs to be cleaned. Time to break out the upholstery shampoo, vapor steamer, and our heated carpet extractor.
Although it will be a simple process, the results are always cool to see, so I hope you enjoy this one. We use Meguiars Professional Products as some of our interior cleaners, and today I used Meguiars All Purpose Cleaner Plus diluted 4 to 1. After spraying the cleaner on the surface I let it sit for a few minutes.
The photo above shows using our vapor steamer to break down the dirt and grime that has collected on the seat. With temperatures reaching 320 degrees, the dirt literally melts away. After using the brush attachment to agitate the surface, the combination of the brush and steam makes quick work of the dirt and stains.
The next step is to extract the seats using my Mytee HP60 heated carpet extractor. This machine heats water to 210 degrees with its dual heaters. It injects a stream of water into the upholstery, then the vacuum sucks the excess dirt, grime, and water into the recovery tank. I do this step immediately following the steam agitation. The hotter the surface, the better the results.
Above is the finished product and one can easily see the results. The three-step process is a fantastic way to deep clean upholstery. The surface is still a little damp, but in no time it’ll be completely dry. In the warmer months, the seats will be completely dry in a few minutes, but in cold temperatures, it can take a few hours. Running the heater in your car helps the drying situation, as does a large fan or carpet dryers. I always cover the damp seats with a plastic seat cover so the vehicle can be driven immediately. Nevertheless, the seats are clean and fresh. The results are amazing compared to the way they used to look.
Thanks for reading!
-Clint
