Car Valeting Guide
Interior Care
Carpets & Mats
Procedure
Vacuuming
You need a good vacuum, a few attachments, and ten to fifteen minutes for vacuuming.
The two most important attachments are the crevice attachment and the dust brush attachment. Make sure your crevice attachment is plastic, not metal. A metal attachment or a plastic attachment that's in poor condition may scratch or otherwise damage leather or vinyl upholstery.
Use the crevice tool to reach between and under seats, into tight seams, nooks and crannies, and around seat beads. Vigorous movement on the carpet helps to bring up sand and grit.
Use the round dust brush attachment to vacuum the console, dash and vents. You can assist with the dusting by using an interior detailing brush ahead of the vacuum to get deep into vents and cracks.
Here are the steps for proper vacuuming:
(a) Start your vacuuming by pulling out the floor mats. Shake out the mats to remove any loose dirt. Use a 4" upholstery attachment or the bare hose end to vigorously vacuum the mats.
(b) Vacuum the rear upholstery and carpet. Push the front seats all the way forward. Use the crevice tool to vacuum the cracks of the seats, and between the seats and carpeted areas. If the seat upholstery is fabric, switch to the 4" upholstery attachment and vacuum the rear seat and the deck under the rear window. Vacuum the rear carpet. Use the crevice tool to vacuum around the seat tracks and under the front seats.
(c) Push the front seats all the way back to work on the front upholstery. Use the crevice tool to vacuum the cracks of the seats, between the seats and carpeted areas, and around the foot pedals. Now switch to the 4" upholstery attachment to vacuum the carpet in the foot wells and the seats (if the seats are fabric). Use the round dust brush attachment to vacuum the console, vents and door panels.
(d) If your headliner is fabric, use the round dust brush attachment to vacuum the headliner. Be gentle, though, as this material is not as durable as your seat upholstery.
Shampooing
Most automotive carpets are very durable and will withstand repeated shampooing without signs of damage or wear.
Carpet cleaning is not fast or easy. You should expect to spend 2 to 3 hours shampooing the front and rear carpet and mats.
Before shampooing, the carpet and floor mats must be thoroughly vacuumed. To do a complete job, it may be necessary to remove the front seats, which requires the correct size Allen or socket wrench.
Follow these easy steps:
(a) Spray spots and heavily soiled areas with a good spot remover.
(b) Fill a bucket with warm water.
(c) Lightly spray a section of carpet (no more than 2 square feet at a time) with your carpet and upholstery cleaner. Use an upholstery brush or a sponge in a circular motion to agitate the upholstery. Dip your brush in the warm water to keep it wet, but apply as little water as possible.
(d) Wipe away the suds with a sponge or a damp towel.
(e) Empty your bucket of soapy water and refill with clean, warm water.
(f) Rinse your carpet with clean water by wiping with a damp terry cloth towel. Rinse the soap from your towel often and wring it out. Use as little water as possible, but rinse thoroughly.
(g) Vacuum your carpet to extract the remaining rinse water.
(h) Allow the carpet to dry overnight before using.
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