How to Clean Car Seats—Tips & Tricks for Pristine Results

If you’re like most car owners, you probably take some time before you get down to cleaning your car seats. However, by then, getting them to look their best again can become a real challenge.

But worry not! Here, we’ll show you how to clean your car seats in no time, whether they’re made from leather, cloth, or even suede. We’ll give you tips on how to get rid of dirt, dust, and nasty stains without damaging your car seats (or your budget!).

So, let’s get started!

How Often Should You Clean Your Car Seats?

Car seats take quite a beating on a daily basis. Most people eat, drink, or even smoke in their cars, staining the seats and making them absorb unpleasant smells.

Ideally, if you use your vehicle daily, you should clean your seats at least once a month. But, if you have kids or pets, you may need to do it more often than that.

In essence, any time the seats start looking dirty or feeling sticky, it’s time for you to get down to business. You can choose one of the techniques we’ll describe below and make your seats pristine in no time!

How to Clean Leather Car Seats

Car seats made of real leather are a luxury, and for a good reason. They’re very comfortable to sit in and fantastic to look at! However, leather is more prone to staining and also much harder to clean than other materials.

But worry not! Cleaning leather, restoring it, and preserving its natural beauty is by no means an impossible task.

This is how to do it:

Step 1: Vacuum Your Car Seats

The first step to sparkling car seats is always vacuuming. Go over the surface and all the tiny crevices with your vacuum cleaner (use the upholstery attachment) and remove any debris.

You should also clean between the car seats and around them to prevent dust from raising later and settling on your car seats.

Step 2: Apply a Suitable Cleaning Solution

One thing worth remembering is that abrasive and harsh chemicals like ammonia can ruin your leather car seats. Now, you can always buy a commercial leather cleaner and clean your dirty leather car seats with it, but where’s the fun in that?

Instead, you can save a buck and do an equally good job with dish soap, vinegar, and rubbing alcohol — we’ll explain how to use these DIY cleaning solutions in detail later in the text (in the “Homemade Cleaning Solutions” section).

Step 3: Wipe the Seats Clean

After a good scrubbing, rinse the seats with cold water. If you’re using a homemade solution, be sure to rinse thoroughly to avoid leaving any residue.

Step 4: Let Them Air-Dry

Once you’ve rinsed the seats, let them air dry. If possible, open the car doors or windows to speed up the drying process. You can also use a fan or hair dryer (on the low heat setting) to speed up the drying process.

Step 5: Condition and Condition Some More

Treating your car seats with a leather restorer (conditioner) is the final touch. This way, you’ll restore the natural softness and elasticity of your leather car seats.

Conditioning makes leather seats feel more comfortable and keeps them crack-free until the next cleaning. Just remember not to use too much of it to avoid oil stains.

How to Clean Suede Car Seats

Cleaning suede and faux suede car seats is similar to cleaning a suede couch. This means that you should avoid excess water and certain cleaning agents (e.g., abrasive ones).

Instead, you should equip yourself with suede-friendly cleaning essentials — a soft-bristle brush and a suede eraser (both can be found in shoe stores). You’ll also need a microfiber cloth.

So, how do you do it?

It’s simple:

First, vacuum all the debris.
Then, take a soft-bristle brush and brush the seats from top to bottom and from right to left.
Pick up the dirt with a soft microfiber cloth.
Then, work on the stains with the eraser and rub them clean.
Vacuum the eraser particles, and you’re done!

How to Clean Cloth Car Seats

Unlike car sears made of leather, those made of fabric are fairly easy to clean. They’re typically made of nylon or polyester, which makes them durable enough to withstand even harsher cleaning agents.

Step 1: Use a Vacuum Cleaner, a Steamer, or a Carpet Cleaner

The only difference between leather and synthetic seats is that you can use your carpet cleaner to pick up the debris. The best ones for the job are the portable kinds with upholstery attachments, which will help you make your seats look as good as new.

Step 2: Pick the Right Cleaning Solution

The best cleaning solution will depend on the level of staining. Usually, you can’t go wrong with dishwashing soap and lukewarm water.

But if you want to deep clean your car seats and use some harsher chemicals, it’s best to consult the manufacturer’s guidelines and see what and how much your car seats can withstand.

Step 3: Wipe the Seats Clean

After scrubbing, thoroughly rinse the seats with cold water to avoid leaving any residue (especially if you’re using a homemade solution).

Step 4: Dry the Seats

Once you’re done cleaning, you’ll need to be patient for at least 30 minutes for the car seats to dry on a hot summer day (longer if the temperatures are lower). If the weather allows it, open the windows to aid the drying process.

Car Seat Cleaning Solutions

There’s a variety of cleaners you can use to make your seats squeaky clean again — from commercially available store-bought goods to homemade concoctions.

So, let’s check them out!

Store-Bought Cleaners

Various cleaners widely available in stores are suitable for freshening up your car seats. They’re affordable and easy to use, and you can clean other parts of your car with them, too, like your car’s carpet, etc.

Laundry Detergent

Laundry detergent isn’t only good for your clothes. It can also help keep your car seats clean:

Mix one gallon of warm water with 1/2 cup of laundry detergent.
Use a clean sponge to scrub the seats with the solution.
Rinse the seats with cold water and let them air dry.

And if you’re wondering how to remove stains from car seats, laundry detergent is also the answer. Just pour a few drops on the stain, rub it well, and rinse with a damp cloth.

Upholstery Cleaner

If you have one lying around, an upholstery cleaner is perfect for removing grease and food stains from your car seats.

Use a few drops on the stain or dilute it to clean the whole surface of the seat. Spray the upholstery cleaner on the affected area and leave it for a few minutes (as instructed on the bottle). Then, you can wipe it away with a cloth.

Car Wash Shampoo or a Car Soap

If you decide to shampoo your car seats, there’s one thing you need to bear in mind — you’ll need a lot of foam! The more of it you create, the lower the chances that you’ll unnecessarily soak the seats. So don’t forget to stir the shampoo well!

Apply the foam to the whole surface of your seats with a cloth or sponge.
Massage the foam into the car seats with circulatory movements.
Blot any access moisture with a dry terry cloth towel.
Wait for the seats to dry (about 30 minutes in the summer or three hours in the winter; you can open the windows or turn on the car heater if you want to speed up the process).

Homemade Cleaning Solutions

You’re all out of car wash shampoo? No worries!

Here’s what you can use instead to clean the seats in your car:

Cleaning Solutions for Cleaning Cloth Car Seats

Just about any household cleaning agent can be used on synthetic car seats. This, of course, excludes abrasive cleaners like ammonia.

Club Soda

A bottle of club soda can definitely serve as first aid for your seats:

Make sure to use a spray bottle and spray directly onto the stained surface.
Then, you can gently rub the club soba into the fabric with a cloth to ensure that stains will disappear.

Wait for a few minutes before wiping off the excess moisture.

Vinegar

Vinegar won’t only clean your car seats, but it’ll also freshen up their color:

Mix a gallon of warm water with a cup of vinegar.
Spray the mixture onto the seats (enough to saturate the fabric).
Wait for a couple of minutes and then wipe it away.

This cleaning method is ideal for those who can stand the smell of vinegar and can wait for the odor to dissipate before taking the next ride.

Baking Soda

You can also clean your car seats with baking soda. All you need to do is mix it with some water to make a paste. The baking soda/water paste won’t only remove any old and stubborn stains, but it’ll also absorb unpleasant odors from your car’s interior.

So, this cleaning solution is also a good option if you need to clean pee out of car seats.

This is how clean with baking soda:

Rub the paste in with a toothbrush.
Wait for a couple of minutes (older stains and more persistent odors may require you to wait longer — about 30 minutes)
Rinse your seats.
Repeat if necessary.

Bear in mind that you’ll need a little more effort to rub baking soda in and rinse it. That’s why this method is better for stain removal than cleaning the entire surface of a seat.

Cleaning Solutions for Leather Cat Seats

Now let’s take a look at how affordable homemade car seat cleaning solutions are made and used for pristine results.

Water + Dishwashing Soap

This method is a classic when it comes to cleaning car seats made of real leather. And for a good reason! It’s very effective, and you won’t need many tools:

A bucket of water
Dishwashing soap
Two soft cloths (e.g., microfiber)
Towel

Here’s how to do it:

Make the washing mix — Take a bucket and fill it with a gallon of lukewarm water. Then add some dishwashing soap, depending on how dirty the seats are. You can pour 1/5 cup of dishwashing soap (a few generous squirts) or less.
Massage the cleaner into the seat surface — Dampen the cloth with the solution and start massaging the whole seat with circular motions. Make sure to squeeze the excess water out of the cloth every time to prevent soaking the seats. Otherwise, they might end up crackling before you even get the chance to use a conditioner.
Clean between the seats in the car and the area around with the remaining cleaning solution.
Wipe the seats clean with a clean cloth dampened only in lukewarm water to get rid of all the remaining cleaning solution. Repeat the procedure until the seats are soap-free.
Blot dry with a dry towel. Pay special attention to crevices and curves where water tends to get trapped.

Vinegar + Olive Oil

Nope, you’re not about to make a salad dressing with these two. These condiments are surprisingly good at conditioning the leather and can be quite handy if you’re trying to clean white leather car seats. They’ll also help you remove unpleasant smells from your seats, such as cigarette smell.

Here’s the recipe:

Use 1/2 cup of olive oil and 1/4 cup of vinegar.
Mix the solution well and spray it on your car seats.
Wait for 5–15 minutes.
Start wiping the solution away with a microfiber cloth.

Rubbing Alcohol + Water

If you want to clean the stains out of car seats, then a homemade spray of rubbing alcohol will do the trick:

Make a 50/50 cleaning solution using alcohol and water and put it in a spray bottle.
Spray the affected area and rub it with a microfiber cloth in circular motions.
Start rubbing from the outer edges of the stain and work towards its center, and voila! Your car seats are now clean!

Now that you know how to clean your car seats, you have no excuses! Follow these simple steps, and make your seats clean and fresh-smelling now! Don’t let yourself and the ones you love inhale any more of the dirt and dust from your car interior.

Bottom Line

FAQ

Can I use a carpet cleaner on my car seats?

Yes, you can use a carpet cleaner to clean car seats made of faux fur or any other upholstery fabric. Just make sure that the cleaning solution you intend to use is compatible with the material the seats are made with.

Tip — Avoid using your carpet cleaner on smooth fabrics and leather, as it may cause scratching.

Can you use baking soda on car seats?

If they’re made of cloth (natural or synthetic) — absolutely! Baking soda won’t only remove the stains, but it’ll also absorb lingering odors.

Mix the powder with lukewarm water and brush over the fabric, and that’s it.

Tip — Keep in mind that baking soda can damage leather, so avoid using it if your car seats are made of this material.

Can I shampoo my car seats myself?

Yes. You’ll likely need a sponge to work the shampoo into the fabric and a dry cloth to remove the excess. Be careful not to make the solution too liquid so as not to soak the seats. You’ll need firm foam for best results.

Tip — If you have leather seats, shampooing might not be the best option.

How often should you shampoo your car seats?

You should shampoo your car seats and the whole interior every six months or so, depending on how often you use it. If your kids and pets are often in the car, you may have to shampoo more often.

Frequent cleaning will prevent the build-up of dirt and dust, as well as permanent staining.

Can I use hydrogen peroxide to clean the car seats?

Yes, if your seats are made of synthetic materials. A combination of water and hydrogen peroxide is a powerful cleaning agent, especially against stains: