How to Steam Clean Car Seats – step-by-step ultimate guide for steam cleaning a car
Who likes to drive a dirty car? When you have a car, it becomes your responsibility to make sure that you are duly taking care of all aspects of it. You should make it a point to steam clean car interior as this will not only make sure that the esthetics of the car looks good, but at the same time, it is great to ensure good hygiene of the car and the people in it as well.
So, if you are wondering the details of steam cleaning a car, we are here to guide you in the right manner. We will let you through the different details of how to use a steamer to clean cars and precisely the car seats and thereby ensure that your car looks new and is hygienic at the same time.
When you have made your mind to use car seat steam cleaner, here are some of the perquisites you need to mindful of.
Right model: There are plenty of steam cleaners available in the market. Make sure that you are choosing the right model and capacity that you need.
Material: The first and foremost thing you need to keep in mind is that the car seat material should be suitable for the use of steam cleaners. Usually, nylon, polyester, and vinyl are the common materials and each one of them seems to be steam friendly.
Duration: While using steam to clean car interiors sounds like a good choice, you have to be mindful of the duration. Do not steam it for too long or else the excess moisture and the long heat exposure may end up damaging the car seats.
Frequency: How often you are using steam to clean car seat is another important point to be taken care of. It is only when you are paying heed to the frequency of car cleaning that you will be able to make sure that you don’t end up impairing the overall quality.
These are some of the key aspects you need to bear in mind so as to ensure that you are able to make the most of your need to opt for car seat steam cleaners.
Now that we are done with these basics, we will next focus on how precisely to use car seat steam cleaner.
The best ways to steam clean the car seats
The right model
First of all choose the right steam cleaner or you can also opt to take one on rent if you are in no mood to splurge.
Weather check
The next step is to be mindful of the weather or prepare your garage to make sure you are doing it right. Steam is nothing else but vaporized water. This is why you have to make sure that the weather is sunny when you are steam cleaning the car or else the seats may stay damp. Alternately, you can also choose to do it early in the morning when the sun is out. In overcast condition, do the cleaning in the garage.
Vacuum clean it well
Before you start to steam clean the seats, you should make it a point to vacuum the seat thoroughly well. This is important to ensure that you don’t end up steam melting different junk or other material unnecessarily. At the same time, it will also make sure that your car will be meticulously cleaned too.
Get the cleaner ready
Now you need to make sure that the cleaner is completely ready for use. Fill the tank to the desired level and then switch it on by following the instructions as listed. Wait for some time to have the steamer ready. This can take anywhere from 30 seconds to several minutes based on the model and capacity.
When you are steam cleaning the car seat, make sure to do it from top to bottom. This is a great way to ensure you don’t damage the fabric. Start from the very top of the car seat and gradually move down.
It is also advised to make sure that you avoid metal components in and around the car seat areas. You should also steer clear of zippers too as application of steam may tend to rust it.
The movement of steamer should be in long smooth lines and do not just rub it randomly over the seats. Doing it in a linear way will ensure that you won’t miss out on any area.
Make sure not to apply too much pressure anywhere and use soft brush for weeding out any stain if needed.
When you are done, use a clean microfiber cloth so as to get rid of excess moisture on the seat and make sure to dab them dry.
Letting it dry
When you are done with all of it, let the interiors of your vehicle dry for some time. This is important to prevent any mold from growing in the seats. It should take between three to five hours and you can also open the windows and let the sun speed up the process too.
So, follow these steps in a systematic manner to make sure that you can steam clean the car seats just the way you are supposed to. We are sure that you will be impressed by the kind of output it has to offer. Of course, a lot depends on your ease and efficiency and also the kind of steam cleaner that you choose for the work as well.
Those who choose to steam clean the car interiors are likely to save significant amount of expenses which would otherwise be entailed in replacing the car seat covers and in some cases the seat itself. So, choose the smarter option and follow these simple steps to ensure that you get the cleaning done thoroughly.
There is no rocket science in cleaning the car seats and when you have a good steamer, you should be able to excel in it really easily.
John Wesley is passionate about cleaning industry especially vacuum cleaners. He is having more than a decade of experience in repairing and selling vacuum cleaners from a well known retail shop. When he’s not testing and reviewing latest vacuum cleaners for this site, he likes to spend time with his partner, 2 kids, and doing house projects.
