Water(?) Stained Fabric Seats - Help! (Pics)

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khjr

New member
Hi -



I've gotten the exterior of my new used 2006 Honda Pilot sparkling, but am struggling to deal with the stained fabric seats. I'm not entirely certain as to what caused the stains, as they came with the car, but some postings lead me to believe that the stains may have been caused by something as benign as water. It's a canvas-like material, and you'd think it to be very rugged, but I understand now that this problem is endemic to the Pilots, (see posts: PILOTEERS .ORG - Honda Pilot Seats Dirty) some Elements, and a variety of other manufacturers. I can't believe that fabric technology is actually proceeding backwards - I never had this problem on any of my other cars!

:sosad



On the Honda Pilot forum, I've read that people found Folex to be ineffective, while Resolve and Lean Green cleaning fluid (not sure which one) lifted color. I don't really care if some color comes up, but would be concerned about a lightened color showing the same stains even worse! One user emphatically recommended Shout spray, scrubbed with water ( PILOTEERS .ORG - cleaning LX seats ), and I tried this but the stains seemed to return some time later (perhaps the Shout has optical brighteners like Woolite, and these faded from the UV?)

:wall



I'm worried that another failed effort will simply set the stain, so I'm looking for expert advice. Can anyone offer anything in the way of advice on how to get these spots out???

:think:



At this point, I'm willing to pay someone to do the work if they're within driving distance of CT, but would be looking for someone that either had success on this fabric or something aking to an IIRC ( IIRC.org ) background so that we'd have a reasonable chance of succeeding.
 

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Try Depends.



Now that I've made the tacky joke I'm going to tell you to try something you won't believe.



Vacuum thoroughly while brushing lightly. Then, spray Scrubbing bubbles directly onto the stains - do this in a corner first to check for colorfastness. Then, using a slightly damp microfiber cloth scrub up the foam. Turn the cloth often and rinse it out often. You should see dirt being rinsed out.



I know this is an off label use of Scrubbing bubbles, but sometimes it's an off label move that works the best.



If you do this, write back and share your results. I expect you'll be more than happy.



Robert
 
It needs extracted. The extractor will even out the water saturation and it will dry spot free that way. Any other way will net you sub par results on this as it's the even dilution that makes for the even drying. (so no spot cleaning) It's proabably one if not the absoulte worst fabrics any car company could've ever used. They claim it was more stain resistent but it ended up being a complete and total backfire. (Ford's are even worse) But it will continue to come back over and over again with that fabric. Anytime you sweat or get any sort of moisture on the fabric you will get those results. Fab gaurd (like 3M scotchgaurd) does help but dosen't prevent 100% all of the time. Pick up a couple of cans (usually about $4/ea give or take a couple... check local markets of course) and have someone extract the seats and let them dry completly and then use the fab gaurd and let that dry completely. I used to do about a dozen or so a week of this issue so It's something I'm quite familiar with.



A ford escape interior with the same issue..



Before



100_1597.jpg




And then after.



100_1607.jpg
 
Jakerooni said:
It needs extracted. The extractor will even out the water saturation and it will dry spot free that way. Any other way will net you sub par results on this as it's the even dilution that makes for the even drying. (so no spot cleaning)
Click to expand...



Thanks! What solvent do you use for the extraction? I recall reading (somewhere, but can't find it) that a diluted IPA might work because it dries so quickly, thus more evenly.



Also, do you think that it might be possible to replicate this by spraying a heated solution and then wet-vacuuming? If not, is the Lean Green machine worth purchasing for the task, or should I just go to the pro cleaner with the biggest pump/vacuum I can find?



When done, I definitely plan to put a fan on the seats to insure even drying, hence my predisposition to doing it myself - i.e. where I do one row, dry, then another etc.



If I can get these seats clean, I might just sell this eBay car and try my luck with a Subaru.
 
I use straight water only in my machine. A LGM might be enough for this. remember you just have to have it be even. Only get it as wet as needed to clean out the stain and then dry accordingly.
 
like jakerooni said the extractor is the only way. i had an escape like above but with tan seats like you have in your pilot and it was water spoted up. the cliant wanted the stains gone. I used some detail king majic cleaner and scrubbed that in then extrated out with my extractor with only water in it. came out perfect. but make sure not to use very much of what ever cleaner you use will take all day to get the suds out. good luck
 
I have a dedicated steam machine and a wet dry shop vac. I know it's not as elegant as an extractor but the the results are at least as good.



I know the extractor shoots water into the fabric and immediately vacuums up what it can but my experience is that even spraying the fabric with the preferred cleaner, a light scrub to agitate then a pump sprayer and wet/dry vac will get the job done very nicely. Everything after the initial spray and scrub is just rinse, isn't it?



Robert
 
WhyteWizard said:
I have a dedicated steam machine and a wet dry shop vac. I know it's not as elegant as an extractor but the the results are at least as good.



I know the extractor shoots water into the fabric and immediately vacuums up what it can but my experience is that even spraying the fabric with the preferred cleaner, a light scrub to agitate then a pump sprayer and wet/dry vac will get the job done very nicely. Everything after the initial spray and scrub is just rinse, isn't it?



Robert
Click to expand...





Yep it's the cheap way to get extractor results. Just remember it's the "eveness" that makes the results.
 
I just finished working on a 1930s Lincoln with a soft top that someone had done a bad job of cleaning and then sprayed fabric protector on. Water spots under fabric protector, just freaking great.



So, after vacuuming thoroughly, I got the top as wet as I could, hit it with scrubbing bubbles, went over that with my steam machine. This is one of those that puts out steam at 300 degrees but not a whole lot of water. Then mopped the residue up with a damp microfiber cloth.



It came out much better than I expected given what I started with. I'll know more tomorrow when I go back and see it after it's had a chance to dry all night.



I could have run the steamer in one hand and my Fien Vac in the other but I found the microfiber picked worked, probably because the surface wasn't that wet.



All the best.

Robert
 
Okay! Consensus on pure water extraction to even out the water stain, and a recommendation for either detail king majic cleaner or scrubbing bubbles prior to the extraction. Any other recommendations for cleaning agents?



Again , although I'm happy to pay a pro to do this right, I'm thinking of trying it myself so that I can do a row at a time and dry it completely before trying the next one. (I'm also a little concerned about getting a hack job if I have to pick someone at random out of the phone book.)



The DIY extractors seem to basically be vacuum cleaners with little sprayers. I'm wondering if I could do the same with a shop vac and a trigger sprayer filled with hot water. Thoughts on this?
 
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