Interior Cleaning: Cloth Upholstery
- Thread starter Ramolap
- Start date
togwt
The Old Grey Whistle Test
~ One man’s opinion / observations ~
The three steps to interior detailing are vacuuming, cleaning, and conditioning/protecting
Vacuuming- always begin your interior cleaning with a thorough vacuuming, it is much easier to vacuum loose dirt from doorjambs when the dirt is dry instead of muddy after washing the exterior. Use the crevice tool for hard-to-reach areas (don't forget the instrument panel and stereo controls), the upholstery attachment (usually a soft round brush) for the seats, and the stiff-bristled brush on the carpet, to loosen deeply embedded dirt and lift matted carpet-pile
Cleaning- the next step is to clean the dashboard, door panels and the headliner
Normal Cleaning:
Spray on 303TM Cleaner & Spot RemoverTM until damp (This product may be used on all water safe materials. The cleaning action increases with warm water, agitation and longer dwell time.) Completely wipe away dirt/grime with damp cloth until clean, rinsing out clothe as required. Allow to completely dry before use.
Spots and Stains:
Spray the spot until wet with 303TM Cleaner & Spot RemoverTM, or Woolite® Heavy Traffic Carpet Foam, agitate with wet medium-soft brush and let stand. Then blot up the stain and excess cleaner as described above. If necessary, repeat, agitate and let stand a few minutes before wiping clean. Dry completely before use.
Conditioning and Protecting:
Don't miss this very important step.
Once your interior is clean, you should use a conditioning/protection product (303TM High Tech Fabric Guard, which includes UVR protection) to ensure protected surface will repel dirt and moisture, and again, keep your vehicle in its like-new condition.
Using the right detailing tools to apply and remove the cleaning and conditioning products will make the job easier and will give you professional results
~Hope this helps ~
Knowledge unshared is experience wasted
justadumbarchitect / so I question everything/ Jon
The three steps to interior detailing are vacuuming, cleaning, and conditioning/protecting
Vacuuming- always begin your interior cleaning with a thorough vacuuming, it is much easier to vacuum loose dirt from doorjambs when the dirt is dry instead of muddy after washing the exterior. Use the crevice tool for hard-to-reach areas (don't forget the instrument panel and stereo controls), the upholstery attachment (usually a soft round brush) for the seats, and the stiff-bristled brush on the carpet, to loosen deeply embedded dirt and lift matted carpet-pile
Cleaning- the next step is to clean the dashboard, door panels and the headliner
Normal Cleaning:
Spray on 303TM Cleaner & Spot RemoverTM until damp (This product may be used on all water safe materials. The cleaning action increases with warm water, agitation and longer dwell time.) Completely wipe away dirt/grime with damp cloth until clean, rinsing out clothe as required. Allow to completely dry before use.
Spots and Stains:
Spray the spot until wet with 303TM Cleaner & Spot RemoverTM, or Woolite® Heavy Traffic Carpet Foam, agitate with wet medium-soft brush and let stand. Then blot up the stain and excess cleaner as described above. If necessary, repeat, agitate and let stand a few minutes before wiping clean. Dry completely before use.
Conditioning and Protecting:
Don't miss this very important step.
Once your interior is clean, you should use a conditioning/protection product (303TM High Tech Fabric Guard, which includes UVR protection) to ensure protected surface will repel dirt and moisture, and again, keep your vehicle in its like-new condition.
Using the right detailing tools to apply and remove the cleaning and conditioning products will make the job easier and will give you professional results
~Hope this helps ~
Knowledge unshared is experience wasted
justadumbarchitect / so I question everything/ Jon
Ramolap said:
Very carefully. They tend to be delicate fabrics. You can't scrub them hard with a brush. They will pill up. The adhesive issue has already been mentioned. I've had decent success with APC+ diluted to fabric strength. Spray the headliner until damp (NOT wet). Wipe with a MF. Then rinse with a fairly wet (NOT dripping but more than damp) MF. Leave the window open to let the moisture out.
T
tdekany2
Guest
Ramolap said:
I can tell you that it will depend on the car. The CLK430 that I cleaned up (interior only) had the worst dirt in the headliner. However it was clear to me why you pay more for a mercedes. I was able to work it in really well and the headliner stood up to the challange. On the other hand, the Toyota Echo's is the cheapest thing that I have ever seen. I barely touched it with woolite mix and once dry it got kind of white. What do you drive?
T
tdekany2
Guest
spray the woolite mix onto a MF and wipe the area. That should do it. Be gentle first to make sure.
let us know.
let us know.
Ramolap said:
No one ever gave any response to this question...after apply the woolite to say normal floor mats or floors what does one have to do try dry it/get it out so that theres no suds left for the protectant. And if you have to use a wetvac/extractor who makes one and which ones are good pros/cons type thing.I'm also intereseted to know.
HP is a relative indicator of performance. More HP, more suction. I know, I know, I know. 
It's not the absolute measurement of performance but at least within one brand and line within that brand. You can't compare a 5 HP residential Sears to a 5 HP commerical/pro grade Shop-Vac. :nono Inches of water lift is a better performance measurement :up but it's not usually listed on the box. Decent brands are Shop-Vac, Sears, Rigid. There are better more expensive brands. Sorry I don't know those.
It's not the absolute measurement of performance but at least within one brand and line within that brand. You can't compare a 5 HP residential Sears to a 5 HP commerical/pro grade Shop-Vac. :nono Inches of water lift is a better performance measurement :up but it's not usually listed on the box. Decent brands are Shop-Vac, Sears, Rigid. There are better more expensive brands. Sorry I don't know those.