How to Clean Car Seats

How to Clean Car Seats

All of the pre-owned vehicles available at Mercedes-Benz Brampton of Brampton are cleaned thoroughly before our customers ever see them. Of course, vehicles brought in for trade-in come to us in various levels of cleanliness, including issues like lingering cigarette smell or unwanted stickers. Seats seem to get the brunt of wear and tear, especially when those seats are leather. Often, it’s because most folks simply don’t know how to clean leather car seats. Fortunately, it’s not as hard as you might think. We break down the basics below so you can keep the seats in your vehicle looking like new as you drive around Caledon.

How to Clean Car Seats That Aren’t Leather

Cleaning car seats that aren’t made of leather isn’t complicated. It’s as simple as vacuuming the seat first, then applying a commercially available cleaner to the seat. You can use a cloth or brush along with the cleaner, depending on how deeply you need to clean. It’s important to vacuum first, as you don’t want to further stain, scuff, or scratch up the seat with debris while rubbing or brushing the cleaner into it. Wipe up spills as soon as they happen to prevent stains.

How to Clean Leather Car Seats

Leather seats are a popular choice, but they’re a little trickier to clean and maintain than other kinds of car seats. First, you’ll want to determine whether your leather is perforated. This is easy to tell. Just look to see if there are holes punched into it. If your leather seats are perforated, you’ll want to take care not to let water or cleaner sit in the holes. This means you’ll need to go light on the cleaner that you use, and always spray it on the cloth or brush — not the seat itself.

Here are the steps to clean leather seats:

  • Always vacuum first
  • Use an appropriate leather cleaner but test it first
    • Test the cleaner on a spot that can’t be easily seen. If there is any discolouration, don’t use that cleaner.
  • Alternatively, you could make your own cleaner.
    • Mix 2 parts water with 1 part vinegar, and voila! You have your own cleaning solution.
  • Use a microfibre cloth to apply the cleaner, or a soft-bristled brush like a toothbrush
  • Remember to condition the leather seats with a commercially available conditioner

Stop by Mercedes-Benz Brampton Today!

The new or used cars on our lot are always clean and ready for you to drive off in. Come in for a test drive or apply for financing. We’re located conveniently near Georgetown. Contact us today for more helpful service information, like how to unlock a steering wheel.

2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sedan

2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sedan
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Photo for illustrative purposes only.

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