How to clean up spilled liquid on car upholstery
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No matter how hard you try to be careful in your car, there is a good chance that at one point or another you will run into a spill. The only sure way to prevent a spill is to never leave food, drinks, or other liquids in the car.
Spills can come from a variety of sources such as:
- Baby juice box or milk container
- Car cleaners and lubricants
- Dripping from a hamburger
- Soda or coffee
The process for spot cleaning the upholstery of your vehicle depends on the spill.
Part 1 of 3: Purify the Liquid
Necessary materials
- Cloth or paper towels
- Warm water
Step 1: Soak up spilled liquid with a clean cloth or paper towel.. Clean up the spill as soon as it occurs.
Soak up any liquid that is on the surface of your seat by laying the cloth loosely on the wet area.
Let the drops on the seat surface soak into the fabric.
Step 2: Apply pressure to soak up the absorbed liquid. Use a clean piece of cloth and blot the area where the liquid has been absorbed.
If the spilled water is just water, continue to apply pressure until there is no noticeable change in seat moisture. See part 2 for water-based liquids and part 3 for oil paints.
- A warning: If the substance is not water, do not rub the wet place. It can leave stains on the seat.
Step 3: Use a damp cloth to remove water-based light stains.. If the substance is water-based, such as juice or milk, dampen a cloth with warm water and blot the stain with a damp cloth.
A damp cloth can help draw out dyes and natural colors along with natural substances.
- A warning: If the spill has an oil base, such as engine oil or other lubricant, do not use water on it. This can cause the oil stain to spread through the fabric.
Part 2 of 3: Water Based Spill Cleanup
Necessary materials
- Baking soda
- Clean rags
- Soft bristle brush
- Upholstery cleaner
- vacuum
Step 1: While the stain is still damp, spray upholstery cleaner onto the stain.. Use a cleaner that is safe for all types of fabrics and does not contain bleach.
Spray hard enough so that the cleaner penetrates as far as you think the spilled substance will penetrate the fabric.
Step 2: Gently shake the area with a soft bristled brush.. Cleaning the spill will clear the stain from the seat.
Step 3: Remove the purifier: Wipe the surface with a clean cloth to absorb the cleaner and any stains it has removed.
Step 4: Soak up any remaining deep moisture: Press firmly on the fabric on the seat to remove any moisture that may have penetrated deeper into the seat cushion.
Absorb as much liquid as possible to prevent color fading or odor build-up.
Step 5: Let the seat dry. The fabric can dry in just a few hours, while the main pillow can take a day or more to completely dry.
Step 6: Reapply the cleaner and dampen the stain if necessary.. If the stain is still present on the seat after it has dried, or if you don't notice the stain until it has absorbed and dried, dampen the area thoroughly with the cleaner.
Leave the cleaner on for 10 minutes to dissolve the stain.
Repeat steps 2-5 to clear the area.
Step 7: Apply baking soda to the dried area of the spill.. Make sure you cover the spill completely.
Scrub the area lightly with a cloth or soft brush to work the baking soda into the cloth.
The baking soda will absorb and neutralize any odors that may arise, especially from substances such as milk.
Leave the baking soda on the affected area for as long as possible, up to three days.
Step 8: Completely vacuum up the baking soda..
Step 9: Reapply baking soda as needed to neutralize the odor if it comes back.. It may take several applications to completely neutralize strong odors such as milk.
Part 3 of 3: Removing oil stains from fabric upholstery
Oil spills need to be handled a little differently to prevent the oil stain from spreading to the fabric. If you use a water-based cleaner, it can smear the oil and aggravate the stain.
Necessary materials
- Clean rags
- Dishwashing liquid
- Warm water
- soft brush
Step 1: Blot as much oil as possible from the fabric.. Use a clean area of cloth each time you blot an oil stain.
Continue blotting until the stain is no longer on the fabric.
Step 2: Apply a coin-sized drop of dish soap to the oil stain.. The grease-removing properties of dishwashing liquid capture oil particles and bring them out.
Step 3: Rub dish soap into the oil stain with a clean cloth or brush.. If the stain is stubborn or ingrained into the fabric, use a soft brush, such as a toothbrush, to shake the stain.
Work over the entire area until you can no longer see the boundaries of the spot.
Step 4: Dampen a cloth with warm water and blot the soap stain.. When you wipe the soap with a damp cloth, foam will form.
Rinse the rag and continue to remove the soap until no more suds form.
Step 5: Let the seat dry completely. The seat can take hours or days to dry, depending on how large the area you have cleaned is.
Step 6: Repeat as needed. If the stain still remains, repeat steps 1-5 until it disappears.
We hope that by this time the fabric upholstery of your car will return to its original appearance without stains. If the spill has covered a large area or is deeply soaked into the pad, or if you are having difficulty following any of the steps listed above, you may want to contact a professional auto repair shop for a damage assessment.
