Cleaning Car Stains
Cleaning car stains, whether
on carpets or upholstery, is done in many of the same ways that
you clean carpet stains in the house. Try water first, using
a clean white cloth to blot it up and to see if the stain is
coming out (is some of it on the cloth?). Then move on to the
other possible cleaning solutions.
To begin with, if a spill just
occurred, soak up the excess with a napkin or cloth as quickly
as possible. Coffee spills that are immediately soaked up and
then repeatedly flushed with water that is blotted up, may not
leave a stain. Use cool water. If there still is a stain, start
with the next step.
Glass Cleaner For
Car Stains
Some people have had luck using
glass cleaner to lift stains of all sorts from car carpet and
upholstery. Spray the stain, let it sit for six or seven minutes,
and blot it up. Glass cleaner doesn't leave a soapy residue to
attract more dirt, as some cleaners do. But it is a good idea
to do a final rinse with water.
Other Car Stain Cleaners
Grease and tar stains on car
carpeting can sometimes be removed with paint thinner. Test it
first on an inconspicuous are to see if it is going to remove
the color from the carpet. Then rub on the thinner with a clean
cotton cloth, cover the stain with salt until it soaks up the
grease, and then vacuum.
Most stains on vinyl seats
can be cleaned with dish washing detergent and water. Try not
to use oil-based cleaners as they can cause vinyl to harden.
Blood stains should be quickly
cleaned with cold water (never hot), but carefully, so as not
to spread the stain. If
this isn't sufficient, try a solution of a few drops of Dawn
dish detergent in a cup of cold water. Work it into the blood,
but be careful not to spread the stain or rub too hard, because
damaged fibers hold stains. Repeat
this as many times as necessary until there's no more transfer
of the stain from the carpet to the cloth or paper towels. Blot
up excess water when you are done.
Vomit is very acidic,
and should be quickly diluted with club soda or a mixture of
baking soda and water. If nothing else is available, water alone
can be repeatedly applied and blotted up.
Ink stains often
come out with rubbing alcohol (90% isopropyl alcohol, or 70%
if that's what's available). But don't
pour rubbing alcohol on your carpet or upholstery. Put it on
a clean white cotton cloth and dab the stain carefully, so you
don't spread the stain. After a few minutes blot carefully (don't
rub!), or suck it out using a shop-vac. Repeat the process until
you see no more transfer to a cloth. It may not be possible to
remove the stain completely.
In addition to using
the tips here to remove any car stains, you can make you car
seats and carpets last longer and look better. Just keep them
vacuumed regularly. Dirt on the car floor gets ground into the
carpet fibers every time you get into the car, wearing it out.
The same is true of upholstery, so use mats and keep the car
clean.
How To Remove Carpet
Stains | Cleaning Car Stains |