Carpet & Fabrics

Yes, always vacuum first. Vacuuming removes loose debris and abrasive particles that would otherwise be rubbed deeper into the fibres once liquid is introduced. On fabric car mats, run a dry-extraction pass before any wet work so you do not grind grit into the pile when it is wet. Skipping the vacuum step also risks clogging your extractor machine with dry debris.

Apply your upholstery cleaner to the dry surface first, allow approximately 15 minutes of pre-soak time for the product to break down contaminants in the fibres, then agitate with a palm-sized brush. Extract using slow, controlled passes before moving to more aggressive back-and-forth swipes. After extraction, do a final flush pass with clean water only to remove product residue from the foam. Pat the surface with a microfibre towel to pull residual moisture from the top of the fabric. Clean the whole seat, not just the stained area, to avoid tide marks.

Do the seats first to maximise their drying time before the car is reassembled. Open the doors during and after extraction to maximise airflow. Do not replace fabric mats until they are fully dry. Damp mats left in a cold car trap moisture and create a mould risk, particularly in winter. Leaving a mat damp but clean on the floor is worse than leaving it out of the car to finish drying.

There are four main methods in increasing order of thoroughness. First, brush agitation with a dry shampoo or foam then vacuum, suitable for light soiling. Second, spray shampoo, agitate with a brush, then extract with a wet vac, the standard approach for moderate soiling. Third, a full carpet extractor that sprays and vacuums simultaneously, for heavy soiling. Fourth, steam followed by extraction, the most thorough method for mats that have not been cleaned in a long time. A scrubbing pad is more effective than a soft microfibre for agitation as the mechanical action lifts embedded grit.

Start with an enzyme-based cleaner, a general cat or dog urine cleaner works fine, and allow it to break down the proteins. Extract with water only after the dwell, not more product. Agitate gently with a soft scrub pad such as a Scrub Ninja. Once dry, follow up with Koch Chemie Pol Star at 1:20 and extract again with water. Always treat both seats even if only one is stained, or you will get a visible mismatch when they dry.