How to Use Laundry Detergent to Clean Auto Upholstery
by Mel FrankLaundry detergent, while typically used for clothing, is also the perfect cleaning element for a variety of other fabrics, including auto upholstery. The upholstery quickly collects dirt, residue and other elements on a daily basis, making a routine cleaning a must to keep your vehicle interior looking and feeling clean. By using laundry detergent along with a few other cleaning tools, you'll be able to clean your auto upholstery with ease.
Step 1
Vacuum the interior of your vehicle to collect dirt and large crumbs.
Step 2
Run a cleaning rag under warm water, saturating the cloth.
Step 3
Pour 1/2 tsp. of laundry detergent onto the cloth, and rub the cloth together to distribute the detergent throughout the cloth.
Step 4
Wring out the cloth until you see no water dripping off. This will prevent saturation into the upholstery, which leads to mildew and odor growth.
Step 5
Wipe the damp, soapy cloth over the auto upholstery. Wipe in large circular motions, and repeat until all upholstery has been cleaned. Saturate the cloth with fresh water and detergent as needed.
Step 6
Rinse the cloth thoroughly with warm water to get rid of all soap residue. Wring out the cloth once more.
Step 7
Wipe the damp cloth over the upholstery again. This will remove any leftover soap residue from the upholstery. Allow the upholstery to air-dry, which should take one to two hours.
References
Things You'll Need
- Water
- Cleaning rag
- Vacuum
Writer Bio
Mel Frank is a professional freelance writer with over 15 years of writing experience. She has completed a wide variety of writing assignments for a number of publications that include CNN and various websites. Frank received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from a prestigious university in Pennsylvania.
