Auto Upholstery: Maintenance And Tips

As an automobile owner, you naturally want your vehicle's upholstery to look nice and for it to remain in good repair. Your car is a reflection on you whether you like it or not, and you don't want friends and family making negative comments because your upholstery is shoddy or in disrepair. Here are some top tips for maintaining and, if necessary, repairing your car's interior.

Spills and Stains

A key maintenance task is to prevent stains from forming on your car's seats and carpets. Always clean up any spills quickly. For leather and vinyl, wiping of the liquid with paper towels or cloth will often prevent stains from developing. If the area does stain, use a cleaner made especially for leather upholstery, which can be purchased at any auto parts store. Spray the cleaner with a stain and scrub the stain with a brush. Lightly rinse the spot with water and dry thoroughly with a cloth.

For fabric upholstery, which stains more easily than leather or vinyl, remove as much liquid as possible when a spill occurs. Spray an upholstery cleaner made for fabric-covered seats and follow the directions on the label. In some cases, depending on the product, you may need to vacuum area after leaving the cleaner on the spot for a certain amount of time.

Tears

When a tear occurs, you might be able to fix yourself if you are good at doing these types of tasks yourself and you're dealing with fabric rather than leather. When a simple tear happens in fabric upholstery, one good repair method is to buy an upholstery needle and some thread that is designed especially for auto upholstery. Then you stitch the two sides of the tear together.

If you have a hole, rather than a simple tear, obtain a section of fabric that matches your interior and also some fabric adhesive. Cut out a section of the piece from the fabric that is large enough to cover the hole and slightly overlap it. Bond the patch to the spot according to the directions on the adhesive. This method can work well on holes less than two inches. Large holes may need the attention of an upholstery service.

Tears and holes in leather upholstery are not easy to repair. You do not want to make a repair that is unsightly and look amateurish. It's best to leave these tasks to the experts.

For more information about maintaining and repairing auto interiors, or to have them repair your upholstery, contact a service such as Rich's Custom Upholstery.