Car upholstery care

Given the emotional relationship between man (and woman!) and machine, it is no surprise that we are often swayed by appearances when choosing a particular car. In an image conscious age, many of us devote considerable energy to the car`s exterior, often neglecting all but the basics in maintaining the interior. A clean interior is far more pleasant for both the driver and passengers, especially important for those long journeys. What`s more, getting rid of any build up of grim and the dirt embedded into car carpets and upholstery is beneficial to health. Think about it this way: where else would you enclose yourself in a confined space, in some cases for many hours at a time, in an environment that has not been cleaned for a month or so, with air circulating continuously around? This is why it is important to care for car interior correctly.

The upholstery on seats is probably the most important, yet difficult area of the car interior to clean. Food crumbs and dirt that are laying on the surface of a seat are easily and inadvertently worked into the upholstery by people sitting down and moving around and body heat is likely to make this far worse by melting food into the surface of the seats. How many of us have sat on chocolate crumbs in a dark suit or skirt? Before cleaning the upholstery it is absolutely vital to identify the material and thus the correct approach to cleaning.

Leather upholstery is useful in that any substances dropped on the surface are easily wiped of if they are discovered early on because of the relatively non-porous nature of leather. However, if any substances manage to become fixed into the surface of leather it is not recommended to use the soapy water technique that people tend to attempt as this may cause shrinkage of the leather which will in turn cause the upholstery to become misshapen or pull away from the seams. The best solution is to obtain a cleaner designed specifically for leather and if possible, a cleaner that can replenish the natural oils of the leather.

Vinyl upholstery, the standard material for steering wheels and dashboards has a vital top coat made of plastic. All cleaning should be aimed at preserving this top coat because once this wears away the surface becomes rough and will begin to crack. Avoid household cleaners and anything abrasive. The recommended technique is to used warm soapy water on a cloth or soft brush which should then be wiped away with cool water and then dried. There are also many specialised cleaners and protectors designed specifically for vinyl.

Fabric interiors are more difficult to maintain because liquids that are dropped onto the surface are immediately absorbed unless there is some sort of surface stain protection added. Even solid substances can be relatively easily rubbed into the surface. One principal advantage of fabric upholstery is that it can withstand being cleaned numerous times as long as the cleaning is properly managed. Most fabric cleaners will be liquid or foam based and will need rubbing into the fabric and then removing with a vacuum cleaner. NEVER use a standard domestic vacuum cleaner unless it is specifically designed to handle liquid extraction. Low cost garage "wet and dry" cleaners are available from a little over £30. The tip is to never overly wet the fabric with cleaner to avoid saturation of car seats which, over time, would run the risk of mould or rot developing, usually indicated by a musty smell.

The final tip is to try to remove stains as soon as possible to avoid upholstery becoming ever more heavily soiled. Stains should be dealt with according to the specific requirements of each type of material and in accordance with the manufacturer`s guidelines. No matter how much care you put into the upkeep of your car`s interior, accidents do still happen so it is wise to compare car insurance offerings and ensure that you are adequately covered.

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