Cleaning Your Car Upholstery After it Rains

It’s April, and April showers bring May flowers. But they also bring wet shoes and tracked-in mud. And if you make the mistake of forgetting to roll up your windows before the stormy weather rolls in, it can bring the dismay of dealing with a wet car seat and even mildew.

At Mobile Installation in Brooklyn Park, our aftermarket vehicle accessories expertise includes vehicle upholstery. We’ve put together this advice to help you keep your upholstery looking great when the weather is anything but. If you’re thinking about replacing your car seat upholstery, give us a call!

1.   Absorb Excess Moisture

The less water in your car seat, the better. If pooled water is left to absorb into your car seat upholstery, this can damage your car seat. Although paper towels or napkins will work if you have nothing else on hand, they can leave debris on your vehicle upholstery and will easily fall apart. If possible, use a terry cloth towel to effectively absorb any excess moisture. Rubbing and smearing your seat can damage the leather or fabric. Instead, gently blot or pat the excess moisture.

2.   Use a Powerful Fan

If you have access to a high-powered shop fan or even a couple of fans, open all the car doors and windows and point the fan to the wettest part of your vehicle. Leave your vehicle to dry overnight.

3.   Use the Sun’s UV Rays

If your rainy day is followed by a few days of pleasant weather, the sun’s natural UV rays can be incredibly useful for drying out your car seat upholstery. If your car has removable seats, take them out and place them directly in the sunlight. To maximize the power of solar heat, place your car seat on top of dark asphalt or a tarp.

4.   Try a Blow Dryer

A blow dryer isn’t the best solution for cleaning your upholstery and should never be applied when you have leather upholstery. But against fabric upholstery, the heat from a blow dryer may be helpful when you’re dealing with a small area.

Minnesota Car Seat Upholstery Solutions

If your car seat upholstery has seen better days, it may be time for an upgrade. At Mobile Installation, we offer a complete range of custom vehicle upholstery solutions for every make and model of vehicle.

To see our upholstery in action, check out our online gallery. Then give us a call at 612-986-3332 for installation delivery. Or connect with us online to get your free upholstery quote and schedule your vehicle upholstery installation!