Any car owner will tell you that he or she loves their car very much and thus, it is a priority for these people to keep their vehicles clean and properly maintained.
However, quite many of those who have cars tend to skip such a thing as cleaning between the seats of their vehicle.
Nevertheless, no matter how thoroughly your car is washed and polished from the outside, how clean its windows are, and how nice it smells in the salon, if there are crumbs and dust in between the seats, you can’t say your car is well-maintained!
In addition, the dust buildup on the seat rails can often make it pretty complicated for you to move the seats back and forth.
This is why we prepared this article for you to explain to you how to clean in between car seats and do it easily. You will learn a detailed guide on this procedure (luckily, it’s very easy!) and also, we will explain what tools you need to use for car cleaning such hard-to-reach places of your vehicle.
In addition, you are going to find out what products could be used for cleaning. Like this, you will be able to pick your very best way to clean between car seats!
Cleaning Between Car Seats. All You Need to Know As a Car Owner
Do you have a car? Then you know how important it is to keep it clean and well-maintained. But even though you may take it to the car wash regularly, chances are pretty high that tend to forget about one very tricky place in your car’s salon! Yes, we mean those narrow areas between the seats!
If you take a look there, you will be unpleasantly surprised at how much stuff there is! Debris, dust, crumbs, pieces of chips and cookies, pet’s fur…this list can be endless.
But the thing is that all that sh*t has to be removed! Otherwise, you may face a scenario when your seats can’t be moved back and forth properly because there is a thick layer of dusty buildup stuck to the rails!
Luckily, you don’t have to spend a whole weekend and a fortune on cleaning in-between the seats of your car.
To start the cleaning “mission”, you will have to get all the tools ready and know the general sequence of actions.
Basically, you will have to go through several stages:
- Clean between the car seat folds
- Clean between the car seats and console
- Clean between the car seat tracks
Now, here is a detailed description of each step. Read carefully and remember to de everything exactly as the guide says!
And your car will be shining-clean both from the inside and from the outside!
How To Clean Between Car Seat Folds?
To clean car seat folds, you will need the following tools:
- Car vacuum cleaner
- Crevice tool
- Stiff bristle brush
Start with removing all the loose dirt. This step is essential since it allows you to easily get rid of all the debris that needs no effort for cleaning out.
For this first step, you can use the vacuum hose.
There is no need for installing any attachments at this stage to remove dust, by the way, since it is loosely hanging on the seat back and bottom.
After you managed the loose dirt and dust, proceed with cleaning along with the seams of the seat.
- Attach a crevice tool
- Then, using your fingers, open the seams of the seat bottom and back
- Run the crevice nozzle along the seams, paying particular attention to the area where the seatback meets the bottom.
- Get rid of dirt hidden there
Finally, after this is done, it is time to make use of a brush that you have prepared. We recommend you use a brush that has stiff bristles since it will be much better and way more effective for removing any stuck and stubborn particles of dirt or dust (should they be there at all).
Use your brush to remove the remaining dirt that might be trapped in the fiber. See, if you vacuum with the hose alone or even if you use the crevice tool, it will only remove the dirt that is on the surface.
For deeper cleaning, you need a stiff brush. So what you need to do is to attach the brush to the hose of your car vacuum cleaner and run it over the car seat.
Pay particular attention to the seams and the folds in between the seat back and seat bottom! Those are the most tricky and hard-to-clean spots.
How To Clean Between The Car Seats And Console?
The space between the car seat and console is another place that may play tricks and can become a challenge for you since it has some hidden nooks and crannies!
As a result, it may take some time until you make it squeaky clean, however, it is well worth the effort. To succeed, you will need the following tools:
- Car compressor
- Dry microfiber cloth
- Vacuum
- Steam cleaner (optional)
And here is what has to be done:
- Start with removing any items and clutter stored in this area
- Using the car vacuum set on low mode, run it around the console area to remove loose dirt and debris. Don’t skip the space between the console and both seats as well!
- Dislodge smaller hidden particles
- Take your car air compressor and direct pressurized air into the tight spaces on the console and between the seats and the console
- Blow out smaller particles
- Wipe the area using a dry cloth
If you notice any stains located between the sides of the seat and the console, you can use a steam cleaner to get rid of them.
Direct the opening of the steam cleaner to the stain and keep at it for several minutes.
When you see that the stain is loosened, attach a small stiff bristle brush to the vacuum and gently brush the stained area. Finally, simply allow it to dry.
How To Clean Between Car Seat Tracks?
Dirty and clogged car tracks can become a real problem! If they have a bad buildup of dust and gunk, you will most likely find it impossible to slide your seats back and forth!
This is why you should definitely clean this area as regularly as possible!
To clean between car seat tracks, this is what you will need:
- Crevice tool
- Handheld vacuum
- Handheld bristle brush
- Small paintbrush
After you prepared all the tools, you only need to make sure that you follow the cleaning instructions precisely. Fortunately, there is nothing complicated at all about them.
The First Step
First of all, before you start cleaning, you need to remove the floor carpets at the front and back of the car. Like this, you will get to the dirt that is hidden underneath.
The Second Step
When the carpets are removed, move your seat all the way forward. It will allow you to have enough space to clean the back area. And then, using your handheld bristle brush, sweep the carpet underneath the seat. Sweep the dirt from the front toward the back of the seat.
Like that, you will dislodge all the dirt accumulated there and make the area ready for vacuuming. By the way, after such a preparation cleaning, vacuuming should also be easier!
The Third Step
When all the dirt has been dislodged, attach a crevice tool to the vacuum hose and pick up this dirt using the bristle brush.
At this point, here is a nice life hack for you: try to use the bristle brush at the same time you are vacuuming! It will allow you to really get rid of those small stubborn particles of dirt that are lingering on the car carpet right underneath the seat.
The Fourth Step
Now it is time to move to the seat track rails. Direct the nozzle of the crevice tool over the metal seat rail severally. However, you need to be very gentle when cleaning the track since you want to avoid removing the lubricant that helps the seat move smoothly along the track!
For hard-to-reach crevices, feel free to use a small paintbrush to help you dislodge and sweep hidden dust. Working in an anti-clockwise direction, vacuum around the AC, move toward the center console, and further down to the footwell.
Like this, the space between your car seats can be cleaned. Of course, this is not something you can do in a minute, however, keeping this place clean is so important that it’s definitely worth all the time and effort that you will spend.
What Cleaning Products to Use For Cleaning My Car Seats?
Cleaning in between your car seats can mostly be done with the help of some easy cleaning tools like bristle brushes and a car vacuum cleaner.
However, if you want to get a better result, or if you also need to clean the seats themselves, you will have to use a cleaning product or solution.
And this is exactly when most car owners start wondering what products would be better to use in their vehicles.
Of course, the type of product you will use depends on the material your seats are made of! If they are made of genuine leather, for example, you must not use water or harsh detergents to clean them, otherwise, you will ruin the material.
However, we can name you several cleaning products that can be safely used on the majority of car seat materials and fabrics.
Club Soda
Club soda can work great for cleaning your car seats! Just lightly spray it on the area of a seat that has stains, and, using a brush, scrub away the stain. Then wipe it away with a clean towel.
Baking Soda
This is another soda-based remedy for your car seats. Use a baking soda solution that is super easy to prepare yourself. All you need to do is to mix ¼ cup of baking soda with a cup of warm water.
After this is done, apply the solution with a light layer right onto the stained area and, using a clean toothbrush, gently scrub away the stain. If the stain is difficult and won’t go away, let the solution sit for around 30 minutes.
White Vinegar
Use a vinegar mixture as an option. Not everyone might like this solution though since vinegar has quite a sharp and unpleasant smell.
But if you don’t mind this, mix a cup of vinegar, add a few drops of any dish soap, and about a gallon of hot water in a bucket.
Then dab the mixture into the stain and scrub it out of the seat with the help of a clean brush. And remember to rinse after the cleaning with the use of clean water! It will help you remove the vinegar scent at least a little bit.
Laundry Detergent
Finally, you can opt for a laundry detergent if you don’t have a specific upholstery detergent/cleaner. Simply mix some laundry detergent with hot water and dampen the stains on your car seats with it.
To rinse the detergent off the seat, we recommend you make use of a towel with cold water.
Like this, now you know what to do if you need to clean your car from the inside and if you need to remove the dirt and gunk between the car seats in particular. With all the tips and life hacks we shared with you today, doing this will be easy.
Frequently Asked Questions
⭐How to remove the car seats for cleaning?
There could be 4 or 6 bolts that you need to unfasten to remove the car seat. You will need a nut driver and an extra hand to loosen and lift the seat out of the car.
⭐How much time does cleaning between car seats take?
Depending on the size of a car and on the amount of work, you might need around an hour or a bit more.
⭐Is it allowed to use a steamer to clean between a car seats?
In fact, steamer will be more useful for cleaning the car seats’ upholstery if the material they’re made of allows this type of cleaning.
