How To Remove Stains From Your Car Seats

OOPS!

It doesn't matter whether you drive a brand new vehicle or the same car you've been driving for ten years - no one wants a permanent stain on their car seats. If you've spilled something on your seats, it's important to take action sooner than later! The longer the stain sits, the harder it will probably be to remove. Your friends at our local car dealership at the Lake of the Ozarks are here to help you out with these tips for getting stains out of your leather and/or cloth car seats.

Removing Stains from Leather Car Seats

Getting stubborn stains out of leather seats can be tricky. Most people have much better luck getting the stains out by pre-treating the leather with a leather conditioner. After the leather has been conditioned, rub in a leather stain remover and let it sit for several seconds before wiping it off. 

Some types of stains are more challenging to remove than others. Here are some of the best ways to approach certain stains:

Oil-Based Stains can be tricky. These stains typically come from food, skin, hair, or lipstick. The best way to remove these is to rub corn starch or talcum powder into the seat where the stain is, allowing the powder to soak up the oil. Use a vacuum to suck up the powder after it has had time to absorb.

Blue Jean Stains are less well-known, but they can be just as problematic for light-colored leather seats. Sometimes, the dye from your blue jeans can rub off on your seats, discoloring the leather. In order to remove blue jeans stains, you will have to purchase a leather cleaning kit that comes with a "stain eraser." Apply the leather conditioning/cleaning product to the stain eraser and rub it into the seat in a circular motion, then dry the leather with a cloth.

Water Stains usually only leave a mark around the edges of the area that the water covered. You can reduce this line by moistening it with a damp sponge and then drying the area with a clean cloth. This works best when you use a microfiber (or other lint-free) cloth.

Removing Stains from Cloth Car Seats

If you want to clean your entire cloth car seat, rather than spot-washing to remove one particular stain, the best way to go about it is to dampen the entire car seat with warm water. Use a spray bottle to apply it evenly to the whole seat. You want to completely cover the seat, but try not to over-saturate it. Once the seat is damp, use the same method to apply upholstery cleaner. Let it sit for a few minutes, then give the seat a thorough scrubbing with hand towels or wash cloths. Finally, run a vacuum over the car seats to suck up excess dirt or other loose particles.

Ink Stains can be removed by using - believe it or not - hairspray. Spray the hairspray on the stained area and gently blot the area with a damp cloth - you want to be careful not to spread the ink stain. If you do not have hairspray, you can use rubbing alcohol mixed with water.

Oil-Based Stains can be removed from cloth seats with paint thinner that has been watered down. Use an equal amount of paint thinner and water to create your stain remover, then rub it on to your car seats with a cotton cloth. Finally, sprinkle cornmeal or salt onto the stain and let it sit overnight. Vacuum up the powder the next day. As a side note, make sure you test the paint thinner in a small, inconspicuous place on your car seats to make sure it will not hurt the material!

Good Luck!

All of us at Hulett Chevrolet-Buick-GMC wish you the very best of luck getting your unwanted stain out of your car seats! If you're in the market for a new car at the Lake of the Ozarks, feel free to come on by and check out our showroom. We look forward to helping you find the car of your dreams!

There's nothing like a Chevy truck. Stop by Hulett Chevrolet-Buick-GMC in Camdenton to test drive either of these great models today!

The Team at Hulett Chevrolet Buick GMC

513 N. Business Route 5
Camdenton, MO  65020
www.ShopHulett.com
Sales: 573.317.4197
Service:  573.317.4195