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What you'll need:
All Purpose Cleaner (APC)
Upholstery cleaner
An assortment of brushes
Vacuum cleaner
Microfiber cloths
Drill and drill brushes (recommended)
Start by vacuuming the seats. This simple step can make your seats look much better. This will remove all the surface dirt. If the seats are cleaned regularly, this might be enough.
If you have stains, it will require a bit more work. A couple of tips:
Always start with the driver's seat, followed by the front passenger and then the back. This will give all the seats enough time to dry.
Always move the back of the seat all the way to the back to reach the crevices.
When using a new product, use in a small corner first to make sure it won't harm the seat.
Use a good brush: using a stiffer brush will make things easier to clean. However, a brush that's too stiff might damage the fibers in the seats. Also, I personally like using a drill brush. It makes everything easier and reduces time and effort needed to clean a seat.
Leather seats: these are fairly easy to clean but require regular cleaning to keep the leather in good condition. Spray some all purpose cleaner (APC) diluted 10:1. This should be strong enough to handle any dirt or stains. Spray onto a microfiber cloth or a very soft brush and agitate on the seats. Then wipe off the excess. It is very important to condition the leather after doing so, or the seats will start to dry out.
Cloth seats: these seats can be easy to clean but are also very easy to get dirty. If the seats are fairly clean, you can lightly vacuum and then spray an upholstery cleaner. I personally like the seat cleaner by Turtle Wax. It has a good smell and comes with a brush that should get the job done. The foam is also a helpful guide to see where you have brushed. If the whole seats are dirty, you can use APC diluted 10:1 or even 1:1 for tougher stains. Spray the product, agitate with a brush soft or medium stiffness brush and then wipe off the excess with a microfiber. If you have access to an extractor, you can use it to deeply
Upholstery seats: these seats are designed to be very durable and many times can hide stains very well. These take more time to clean. If the seats are fairly clean you can start with a light vacuuming followed by an upholstery cleaner. A medium stiffness brush should give good results. If you the seats have stains, you can go to an APC diluted 10:1 or even 1:1 and brush with a medium stiffness brush. Then wipe with a microfiber. If you have an extractor, you can use it to deeply clean the seats.
During the Inter months or if you have children, it is good to use a fabric protectant if you have cloth or upholstery seats. After the seats have been cleaned and have dried, spray two coats of the Protectant on the seats and really after every cleaning.