Tips and tricks for cleaning car seats with Vanish

The websites of organizations offering dry cleaning and car washing contain a large number of “before and after” photographs. The effect is amazing: dirty, unkempt seats end up looking almost new.

But not every car enthusiast is ready to resort to the services of professionals: some are stopped by the high cost of work, others are deterred by the desire to do everything themselves.

The main task for those who decide to clean their car seats with their own hands is to choose the best product. It must be effective, safe and affordable.

Many car enthusiasts make their choice in favor of Vanish, but what is behind this - correct advertising or the actual effectiveness of the product? In this article we present step-by-step instructions for cleaning car seats. Vanish.

What types of contaminants in a car interior can be removed?

The more often you use your car, the higher the risk of getting something dirty on the seats. This is especially true for families with children: kids constantly spill, rub and smear things.

Reviews from car enthusiasts indicate that With Vanish you can remove a variety of types of stains:

• from drinks (tea, juice, coffee, etc.);
• from foods (chocolate, fat);
• shoe marks, dirt stains.

This popularity of the product is explained by the fact that it:

• suitable for processing pile of any length;
• prevents bright colors from fading;
• Cleans gently without damaging the fibers.

Which Vanish should I choose for my car?

The Vanish name includes products for cleaning stains from clothing, carpets, furniture upholstery and other textile products.

The release form is different:

• spray;
• moistened powder;
• shampoo.

The spray is completely ready for use, just press the dispenser. The shampoo must first be diluted with water in certain proportions and beaten with a sponge or brush until foam appears.

The powder, like the spray, is ready for immediate use. Each of these means has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Shampoo or spray?

The most popular among car enthusiasts are two types of Vanish products:

1. Shampoo for manual cleaning of carpets. It is a medium-thick liquid that is whipped in water until rich foam. The resulting foam is distributed over the contaminated surface, wait until it dries completely and vacuum thoroughly. Judging by the reviews, the product is used sparingly, and its cost is completely justified - 300-370 rubles. for 600 ml.
2. Foam for cleaning furniture upholstery. The product comes in the form of a spray and produces foam immediately after spraying, which should simplify the cleaning process.However, car enthusiasts leaving reviews on online forums note that the spray is not entirely convenient to use. The foam is absorbed into the upholstery instantly, so it is difficult to treat the entire surface evenly and efficiently. The spray is used up quickly, and its cost is slightly higher than that of shampoo: 350-410 rubles. for 600 ml.

Powder: effective, but inconvenient

Vanish in powder form can also be used to clean seats, but Several significant disadvantages do not allow us to make a final choice in its favor:

1. The powder cleans worse than its analogues in the form of shampoo or spray. It is suitable for getting rid of fresh, superficial stains.
2. When cleaning with powder, no water is required; just sprinkle the product over the surface. On the one hand, this is an advantage, but on the other hand, it is a disadvantage.

   The powder cannot be distributed evenly on a vertical surface, so the seat backs will have to be removed or another product must be used to clean them.

3. The powder is difficult to remove completely. Its microscopic particles fall between the fibers of the fabric and become inaccessible to the vacuum cleaner. On such a seat, at the slightest contact with moisture, streaks will begin to appear (for example, if you sit on the seat after running several meters in the rain).

   Under no circumstances should such upholstery be washed, as the manufacturer himself notes in the instructions; you can only vacuum it after it has completely dried. If repeated vacuuming does not help, you will have to contact cleaning specialists for help.

Shampoo for washing vacuum cleaners: a firm no

It is worth noting such a product as shampoo for washing vacuum cleaners. Theoretically, it can be used to clean car seats, but in practice this is impossible. Even the smallest attachment will be too bulky for the seats.

This means that you will have to be in contact with a fairly aggressive substance for a long time, which can affect your overall well-being. And it is unknown how safe such an active product is for seat upholstery.

Checklist of necessary items for manual cleaning

To effectively clean car seats, in addition to the cleaning agent itself, you will need:

1. Soft large sponge. The smaller it is, the longer it will take to apply the foam, so it is better to choose a larger size.
2. Delicate brush. The soft bristles allow you to apply the cleaning foam intensively without the risk of damaging the upholstery.
3. Gloves. Vanish is considered a gentle product, but even the most gentle cleansers have a negative effect on the skin of your hands.
4. Bucket or basin with water. We will dilute shampoo in it.
5. Vacuum cleaner. Necessary for preparing seats for wet cleaning.
6. A pair of soft microfiber cloths. You will need them to complete the cleaning.

How to clean it yourself: detailed instructions

To properly clean the seats yourself, it will take about 4-5 hours, taking into account the time required for them to dry completely. First of all, let's look at the process of cleaning textile upholstery.

The work can be divided into several stages:

1. Preparing the seats for processing. We pre-clean them with a vacuum cleaner. If you don't have a vacuum cleaner, you can tidy up the seats using a damp brush. In the latter case, it is important not to rub dust and dirt on the upholstery, but to make short movements from the center of the seat to the edges, as if you were sweeping with a brush.
2. We dilute Vanish shampoo in a suitable container. The instructions recommend a ratio of 1:9, but for cleaning seats the concentration can be increased to 1:5 (1 part Vanish x 5 parts water). Using a sponge, beat the water until a thick foam appears.
3. We prepare the means at hand: a basin or bucket of water and rags.
4. Distribute the foam over the seat and rub it using a brush or sponge. You need to apply the foam evenly, directing your movements in one direction, for example, from the back edge of the seat to the front.

   We carefully process every centimeter of upholstery so as not to leave dirty areas. It is important to apply the foam and not squeeze the wet sponge onto the seat. Excess moisture will make subsequent cleaning and drying of the upholstery difficult.

5. Leave the product on the seat upholstery until completely dry, on average this takes 1.5-2 hours. The same period of time is indicated on the label. During this time, the active substances will penetrate into the fibers of the fabric and “push out” the dirt, which is why the drying foam will turn gray.
6. Removing shampoo residue:
   • using a vacuum cleaner: collect the remaining foam, moving from the center to the edges; there is no need to apply pressure on the brush so as not to rub the contaminated foam over the upholstery;
   • using a microfiber cloth: wet it in water, squeeze it out and remove the foam from the upholstery, then, after rinsing and squeezing again, vigorously wipe the surface of the seats in a circular motion; If foam appears again, carefully remove it and rinse the cloth in clean water, repeat until the remaining product stops foaming.
7. We finish cleaning. When there is no foam left on the seat, wipe the dampened upholstery with a dry cloth under pressure to dry it as much as possible.
8. Leave the seats to dry completely for at least 1.5-2 hours.If possible, it is better to leave the car with the windows slightly open all night: the seats will completely dry, and there will be no foreign odors left in the cabin.

Can velor surfaces be cleaned?

Velor is a type of fabric upholstery, but it is much more demanding to care for than regular textiles.. Since this material easily accumulates dust, the first thing you need to clean it is a good vacuum cleaner with a delicate attachment. This will remove dust from the seats without damaging the delicate fabric.

Stains on the surface of such seats can be wiped with a soft cloth soaked in soapy water. Vanish products are not suitable for processing velor, because... it contains bleaching agents.

In case of significant contamination, it is wiser to contact specialists.. Their arsenal includes cleaning products suitable for delicate fabrics.

Is it suitable for leather?

Leather interior, like velor, requires careful handling. There are special products for caring for leather products, which Vanish does not apply to.

What about vinyl?

Vinyl upholstery is one of the easiest to maintain.. For easy cleaning, simply apply glass or dishwashing detergent to its surface and wipe with a soft cloth.

For more significant contamination, it is permissible to use simple home remedies such as soda, ammonia, and soap. Places that are difficult to reach with a vacuum cleaner, such as seams, can be cleaned with a toothbrush.

Vinyl can be cleaned without any difficulty using simple home remedies.. There is no need to use Vanish to clean these seats.

Professional dry cleaning: how much and when?

One of the reasons for cleaning car seats yourself is the high prices for this type of service. In the regions the cost is 3,000 rubles. and higher; in Moscow – from 5000 rubles.

In some cases, it is still worth turning to professionals, despite the high prices. These include:

1. Old, difficult to remove stains. There is a risk of wasting your time and nerves without any tangible results.
2. Traces of glue, plasticine, chewing gum. Vanish is not intended to remove this type of contamination, so the smart solution would be to contact a specialist.
3. The need to clean not only the seats, but also the entire interior. Practice shows that it is possible to deal with the seats yourself, but cleaning the ceiling causes great difficulties.

   You have to constantly hold your hands up, rubbing the cleansing shampoo with force. As a result, your hands quickly get tired, it’s impossible to apply foam evenly, and as a result, stains from the cleaning agent are added to the dirt on the ceiling.

4. Lack of time. Preparing the seats for cleaning will take about 30-40 minutes. Add to this the time for applying the foam, waiting, subsequent removal of the foam and final drying.

   As a result, the entire cleaning will take at least 5-6 hours. At the same time, in order to save time, you should not neglect any stage.

   During the same time, specialists will clean not only the seats, but the entire interior.In addition, professionals use special equipment to dry the car, which reduces cleaning time without compromising quality.

TOP 3 alternative remedies

Any upholstery is subject to wear and contamination, but modern car enthusiasts are lucky: there is a wide choice of products designed to solve this problem.

The following tips will help you choose the right products:

• the use of the drug allows you to remove dirt without causing damage to the fibers and maintaining the brightness of the fabric;
• the cleaning product contains no hard particles that could cause damage to the product;
• The product is manufactured by a well-known brand with a good reputation.

In accordance with the listed criteria and customer reviews, we can highlight a rating of three textile cleaning products that are a worthy replacement for Vanish:

1. L.O.C. from AMWAY, USA. Amway offers a concentrated multifunctional cleaning product.

   It removes not only fresh stains, but also old dirt. Simultaneously with cleaning, the product disinfects the surface and leaves an unobtrusive aroma.

   The advantage of the product is its economical consumption, but the disadvantages include the cost - 550-600 rubles. per bottle.

2. Unicum Spray for cleaning carpets and upholstered furniture, Russia. It copes with both new and old traces of dirt, maintains the brightness of the color, and leaves a protective layer on the treated surface that prevents rapid re-contamination. Unicum is sold at an affordable price - 170-220 rubles.
3. Karcher, Germany. This product is one of the best in its category. The main advantage is the combination of a high degree of efficiency with an environmentally friendly composition.It not only cleans effectively, but also creates a protective layer on the treated surface, prolonging freshness and cleanliness.

   The product is completely environmentally friendly and safe, including for people suffering from allergies. The consumption is quite economical, which justifies the high cost - 590-650 rubles.

Reviews from car enthusiasts

A simple search query is enough to find many reviews on the Internet about cleaning seats using Vanish with real photos and videos.

This method may be effective in some cases, but it creates a risk of streaks on the upholstery. seats. Use it or not - decide for yourself.

Useful video

How to clean stains on car seats with Vanish, video instructions:

Conclusion

You can clean and freshen dirty car seats yourself. It is important to choose the right cleaning product and use it in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

You also need to objectively assess your strengths, and in case of serious contamination, contact specialists without experimenting with various folk remedies.