A clean car doesn’t always stay that way for long, whether it’s spilling a morning coffee, leaking hand sanitiser, children’s snacks dropped on the floor or make up on the seat. While you may instantly groan that your car’s interior is stained for the foreseeable, it’s important to remember that acting quickly can help to remove the stain and preserve your vehicle’s interior.
With that in mind, we’ve put together a helpful guide to help you know what quick action to take, depending on the stain in question.
Why removing interior stains matters
It’s important to remove the stain immediately and not just leave it soaked into your car’s upholstery, otherwise you could risk permanent damage. You might notice things like permanent discolouration or odours, which could make upcoming car journeys a little more unpleasant.
Removing those stains is key to protecting the materials in your car and ultimately retaining its resale value, which is crucial if you’re looking to change your car in the coming months or years.
Universal advice for removing car interior stains
There are some universal rules to consider when trying to remove any stain, that can help in your technique for effective stain removal. So, when you next see any type of stain on your car’s interior, remember these points:
- Act quickly
- Blot the excess product that has spilled
- Test cleaning products first
- Use clean cloths
- Vacuum loose dirt first
Removing common car interior stains
So, whatever stain has unfortunately made its way on to your car’s seats, mats or other surfaces, we’ve got the perfect method to help get rid of them.
Coffee stains
Coffee can be difficult to remove thanks to the dark brown colour and strong odour, particularly if it’s a milky coffee! The best removal method is to blot as much of the liquid as possible, avoiding rubbing the surface. If the coffee has gone on to fabric seats or carpet, use a dedicated upholstery cleaner to scrub the area and leave to dry. If you have leather seats, you can clean with a damp cloth and a leather cleaner or conditioner.
If it’s a dried stain, you may need to repeat the process two or three times.
Makeup stains
Depending on the type of makeup spilled, it can be quite easy to remove. For instance, water-based makeup such as foundation or concealer can be the easiest. Using your upholstery cleaner, you can easily remove this type of makeup from any soft furnishings.
If water-based makeup has come into contact with leather, then leather wipes are your best bet.
Oil-based makeup can be trickier to get rid of, especially on car seats. This is because it won’t be broken down by water alone, so you’ll need to utilise that upholstery and carpet cleaner once more. Baking soda is also a great trick, simply sprinkle it over the stain and leave for 10 minutes or so.
Grease and oily food stains
Snacks and food in the car can be a lifesaver for long car journeys, but they do come with risk. Grease and oil from food can be a pain as they can penetrate the upholstery fibres in your car, so it’s important to first blot any excess grease off the surface. You might want to consider using an absorbent powder too, which can help with the blotting and removing as much oil or grease as possible.
Once you’ve done this, the upholstery and carpet cleaner can work to penetrate the surface and remove odours.
Hand sanitiser stains
As many hand sanitisers contain alcohol and a moisturiser, like glycerin or aloe, they can leave residue or stickiness on your car’s interior. If this happens to your fabric seats or carpets, be sure to blot any remaining residue with a damp cloth. You can use dish soap and warm water, but you should also consider a dedicated upholstery cleaner.
If hand sanitiser has leaked on to plastic or hard surfaces, consider using a multi-surface interior cleaner that can remove marks and stains with a residue-free finish.
Suncream stains
In the summer months, suncream is likely a regular passenger in your car, whether you’re applying it to the kids while in their seats or keeping it in the glovebox ready for the next adventure. However, if suncream gets on to your car’s interior, it can leave oils and yellowing on the fabric.
Treat any spilled suncream quickly, using a specialist upholstery cleaner to scrub out the tough stain, even if it’s started to dry. Our Simoniz Upholstery & Carpet Cleaner has a brush-head applicator to help work the cleaning foam deep into the fibres, to remove stains effectively.
If suncream has found its way on to leather, using a conditioning leather cleaner can help to gently lift stains while caring for the leather with nourishing, natural oils.
Ink stains
We’ve all been there, writing a birthday card in the car or giving the kids marker pens to colour in the back seat, but it can lead to mishap! It’s important to try and remove ink gently, so as not to spread the ink further.
On fabric, use a damp cloth to dab the stain. You may need to use some form of rubbing alcohol to help. Once done, wipe with another clean, damp cloth and leave to dry. However, if the ink has got on to leather seats, you should use a leather cleaner first to get rid of some of the fresh ink. You might also want to try the rubbing alcohol, but test first so as not to ruin the seats.
Avoid using products like acetone or nail polish remover, as you’ll probably find they will damage the surfaces more.
How to prevent future stains in your car
So, once you’ve removed the stain, you’re probably wondering how you can avoid having to go through that routine in the future! Here are some helpful tips to keep your car stain and spill-free in the future:
- Clean spills immediately and don’t leave them to dry into surfaces
- Keep a microfibre cloth in the glovebox, for easy wiping and blotting
- Vacuum weekly to remove any dirt and prevent potential stains from forming
- Use seat protectors if travelling with children or pets to save your seats from any spills
- Avoid easting messy foods in the car, instead opting for dry and grease-free snacks that are easier to clean
Whatever you do, be sure to have the right products to hand to keep your car in top condition. At Simoniz, we have a full range of cleaning products for both the interior and exterior of your car.
