How to wash car covers in a washing machine?

Car interiors are regularly exposed to external influences: people bring dirt, dust, and other debris into them. Therefore, sooner or later, every driver will face the need to clean their car's interior. Some take their cars to professionals, while others prefer to do it manually. While cleaning the interior itself is straightforward, can car seat covers be washed in the washing machine?

If the covers are made of leather or leatherette

First of all, it's important to remember that everything depends on the material. There's a huge variety of fabrics used to make car seat covers. Some are easily machine-washable, while others, unfortunately, are not.

The last category includes leather or leatherette upholstery. If your washing machine is lined with this material, you'll have to forego machine washing. But don't worry! This doesn't mean the interior can't be kept in good condition. There are special aerosols and creams for leather upholstery. These will leave your upholstery looking cleaner and newer.

Important! Faux leather car seat covers can, however, be machine washed. However, you'll need to select the most delicate cycle and avoid chlorine-based detergents.

Should you choose a cream or an aerosol? If you're just cleaning your upholstery and simply want to improve the appearance of your upholstery, go with an aerosol. To avoid damaging the leather, read the instructions carefully. Typically, the aerosol is applied evenly to the entire surface of the material, allowed to soak in, and then any excess is removed with a dry cloth.

With isolated stains, things are different. A special cream can help. Apply it directly to the stain, rub it thoroughly with a damp cloth, and then remove the excess with a dry cloth.

Some car owners even wash the interior using a homemade product. It is economical and no less effective: one large spoon of carpet cleaning agent is diluted in five liters of water. And as an immediate aid in removing individual stains, regular rubbing alcohol will help!

Fur or wool covers

Fur and wool products are divided into synthetic and natural. Covers of the former category are not machine washable. Various dry cleaning mixtures are available for cleaning. Alternatively, you can use household cleaning products such as semolina or starch. Apply a predetermined amount of detergent or cleaning agent to the material, comb the product against the lint, and then gently massage.

Natural wool or fur fabrics can be machine washed. Simply select the appropriate cycle or simply use the most delicate setting available.

Covers made from less demanding fabrics

Even the most easy-to-clean covers still require some care. For example, do not rush to load an item with foam inserts into the drum. After washing, they will simply crumble and, perhaps, the quality of the cover will immediately deteriorate sharply.

Please be aware that some fabrics, such as tapestry, tend to shrink when washed. To avoid this, pre-soak the item in warm water using a gentle detergent.

The same applies to any heavily soiled items. Pre-soaking will improve the quality and washing results. And, no matter the fabric, never use the washing machine on the spin cycle. The automatic spin cycle can cause the item to become misshapen. It's best to spin it manually to control the process. Here are some more recommendations.

1. The washing temperature should not exceed 30 degrees.
2. The products must be liquid only.
3. Power rinse.

It's best to let the covers dry naturally, unfolded and horizontally. If you need to remove individual stains, scrub the affected area with a brush and a solution of soap and water, then rinse.

   

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