(In)Sanity Check: Ever remove seat covers to wash?

[Marc Hufnagel]

Ever remove your seat covers to wash them in a washing machine? I just got a low mileage 2008 Hyundai Sonata SE and the seats had some water-based stains on the bottom cushion cover.. So.... I took the covers off, washed them and put them back on. Now I question myself, maybe I could have gotten it out with a foam cleaner and brush, but I wanted it really clean..

[MrCLRider]

Re: (In)Sanity Check: Ever remove seat covers to wash?

the acutal material over the foam? I didn't know cars could do that without taking off the hog rings that hold it to the frame...cool.

[Marc Hufnagel]

Re: (In)Sanity Check: Ever remove seat covers to wash?

the acutal material over the foam? I didn't know cars could do that without taking off the hog rings that hold it to the frame...cool.

Yea you have to deal with those rings, not a big problem I don't think. I once bought a 2001 Grand Cherokee that no matter how much vacuuming, cleaning, etc, if you hit the cushions in the sunlight, dust would simply foam out of the covers. Got tired of it, removed ALL the seat covers, washed them in tide and problem gone and wow did everything smell nice for a while

It WAS a LOT of work, but I KNEW the covers were clean, no questions asked. Total time to remove and wash/reinstall was about 7 hours.

I wouldn't probably go to that trouble unless a person paid me a lot to do it with their detail, but when all else fails..

[MrCLRider]

Re: (In)Sanity Check: Ever remove seat covers to wash?

so why wouldn't extracting the seats work??

[roushstage2]

Re: (In)Sanity Check: Ever remove seat covers to wash?

I would on mine if I knew how to deal with the hog rings.

[Marc Hufnagel]

Re: (In)Sanity Check: Ever remove seat covers to wash?

so why wouldn't extracting the seats work??

on the jeep? 3x with the lgcm and still dust.. the car in question had stains reappearing each time it would dry. needed to get the foam clean(er). looks perfect now.

[Marc Hufnagel]

Re: (In)Sanity Check: Ever remove seat covers to wash?

I would on mine if I knew how to deal with the hog rings.

they are a bear but 2 pair of needlenose pliers helps. putting the jeep back together I used very strong zipties. quicker to put together and a bit tighter fit on the fabric too.

[wyseilmykkar]

Re: (In)Sanity Check: Ever remove seat covers to wash?

If you didn't have any trouble getting the covers back on (ie. shrinkage) I'll call sanity.

The new fabrics that Ford uses, I think removing the cover completely is the only way to get them clean. A lot of work, no question, but necessary.

[roushstage2]

Re: (In)Sanity Check: Ever remove seat covers to wash?

The fabric in my Neon (Nappers has the same) is a real pain to try and clean, especially being black. Somewhat the same-ish material that the new Fords use.

[Marc Hufnagel]

Re: (In)Sanity Check: Ever remove seat covers to wash?

If you didn't have any trouble getting the covers back on (ie. shrinkage) I'll call sanity.

The new fabrics that Ford uses, I think removing the cover completely is the only way to get them clean. A lot of work, no question, but necessary.

I was a bit concerned about even a bit of shrinking, but with the dryer on LOW they went back on just as they came off. No change in fitment that I could tell. On this used/new to me Sonata I just got I did the front 'butt cushion' covers this afternoon and pulled the long bench-style cover off the 'butt cushion' in the back seat , washed it, just finished putting it back on. Hands are a bit sore from the 2 needlenose pliers needed and 2 blisters on two fingers but it was worth it.

Now I KNOW they are clean. Seems in most cars the part where your back rests don't really get very dirty in the cars I've seen. Now headrests, that's another story YUK.

I found that on the rear seat the stains were what appeared to be maybe a Sprite/7Up clear soda that was spilled. I took the LGCM to the foam and pulled the discoloration up that I know would have reappeared as the top cover dried. So all is well now and the car smells sooo good.

BTW: I only do the 'pull the seat covers' routine if I buy a used car, usually only 1 time when I first get it as I always wear clean clothes in the car, no food or drink either. No one else does in our cars either, I'd make the kids ride in the trunk but they have some kind of law about that. j/k.

The interiors on my cars stay pretty nice, you guys would love me to bring one of them for a detail I'd bet.

[wyseilmykkar]

Re: (In)Sanity Check: Ever remove seat covers to wash?

Hellspawn - definitely the "right" way to do it. And like you said, you only have to do it once when you first get the vehicle, and then you know that it's only "your" dirt (if any) that comes afterward.

You might look into this, but I believe that there are special pliers made just for hog rings...

[RickyMartinZ28]

Re: (In)Sanity Check: Ever remove seat covers to wash?

I do upholstery.

Yes it takes special pliers for hog rings. And they are more easily removed with a pair of heavy duty wire cutters. Handheld ofcourse.

-Rick

[RickyMartinZ28]

Re: (In)Sanity Check: Ever remove seat covers to wash?

By the way, washing them might be ok... but I would definately never put them in the dryer.

[Marc Hufnagel]

Re: (In)Sanity Check: Ever remove seat covers to wash?

By the way, washing them might be ok... but I would definately never put them in the dryer.

Washed 3 interiors this way and dried each of them on LOW. 2 Jeep models (Cherokee and Grand) and a 2008 Sonata that was a dealer demo to a sales mgr that had some messy kids in the back.

[Marc Hufnagel]

Re: (In)Sanity Check: Ever remove seat covers to wash?

Hellspawn - definitely the "right" way to do it. And like you said, you only have to do it once when you first get the vehicle, and then you know that it's only "your" dirt (if any) that comes afterward.

You might look into this, but I believe that there are special pliers made just for hog rings...

Yea I've heard of the hog ring pliers, but to be quite honest, some really thick zipties work just as well and if you double them up, nothing is going anywhere

On the Hyundai I reused the hog rings though in case any work needed to be done under their 10/100 warranty.