Seats and carpets take more dirt than any other part of the interior: crumbs, mud from shoes, spills and the everyday grime that soaks into fabric. Cleaning them properly means lifting that dirt out, not just wiping the surface. This guide explains how to clean fabric and leather seats, how to deep clean carpets and upholstery, and when a steam cleaner or an extractor helps, with the interior cleaning products we stock and each maker's own instructions.
How do you clean car seats and carpets?
Vacuum thoroughly first. Clean fabric with a diluted interior cleaner and a soft brush, then lift the dirt and moisture out with an extractor such as the Aquarius Pro Valet. Clean leather with a pH neutral leather cleaner such as AutoBead Leather Cleaner, never an all purpose cleaner, then leave the car open to dry.
Before you start
- Take out the floor mats and anything loose, so nothing gets in the way and the mats can be cleaned on their own.
- Vacuum the seats, carpets and the gaps under and between the seats. Loose grit left behind turns into mud as soon as a cleaner goes on.
- Brush the fabric with a soft brush while you vacuum to free dirt that sits deep in the weave.
- Test any cleaner on a hidden area first, and read the label of every product you use.
How do you clean fabric car seats?
Use a cleaner made for interior fabric, diluted the way its maker says, and work one section of the seat at a time.
- Spray the cleaner evenly over a small section. Do not soak the seat, as fabric that is wetted right through takes far longer to dry.
- Agitate with a soft detailing brush to work the cleaner into the weave and loosen the dirt.
- Lift the dirt out with a clean microfibre cloth, or with an extractor for a deeper clean.
- Move to the next section and overlap the edges slightly, so you do not leave tide marks.
In stock with us for this step:
- AutoBead All Purpose Cleaner: a concentrate that AutoBead suits to interior plastics, carpet, upholstery, door shuts and more. AutoBead gives 10:1 for heavy soiling and up to 30:1 for general use inside the car: spray on, agitate with a detailing brush, then wipe away with a clean microfibre cloth. AutoBead says it is not suitable for leather.
- Stjarnagloss Inni: an interior cleaner that Stjarnagloss designed for both hard and soft surfaces inside the car.
- Better Detailing Premium Natural Boar Hair Detailing Brush for working the cleaner into the fabric.
Our guide to dilution ratios shows how to mix 10:1 or 30:1 for any bottle.
How do you deep clean car carpets and upholstery?
An extractor, often called a carpet and upholstery cleaner or valeting machine, sprays a cleaning solution into the fabric and vacuums it straight back out with the dirt it has loosened. It reaches dirt that a cloth cannot, and it leaves far less water behind than scrubbing by hand.
- Aquarius Pro Valet: applies detergent and vacuums at the same time, with separate tanks for clean solution (6.5 litres) and recovered water (7 litres). The listing gives an 1100W motor, a 4 bar pump at 2 litres a minute and a 3 metre hose, and the box holds a 4 inch upholstery tool, a 10 inch carpet tool and two stainless steel extension pipes. It weighs 10kg empty.
Use a low foaming detergent made for extraction machines, or the waste tank fills with foam:
- Equip2clean Carpet and Upholstery Spotting Solution, 5 litres: a light, low foaming carpet detergent for hot and cold water extraction machines, made for machines including the Kiam Aquarius, with an additive against mildew. Equip2clean says to spray it directly onto the carpet, or add 280ml per litre of water to the clean water tank.
- Equip2clean Carpet and Upholstery Detergent Powder, 5kg: a non-caustic powder detergent at 30g per litre in the clean water tank, dissolved in warm water.
To extract a seat, vacuum it, pre-spray any heavy marks, then pass the upholstery tool slowly over each section while pressing the trigger, and finish with a few dry passes without the trigger to pull out as much water as possible.
Steam cleaner or extractor?
They do different jobs, and many detailers use both.
- An extractor is for whole seats and carpets. It flushes the fabric and removes the dirty water.
- A steam cleaner uses heat to loosen grime on hard surfaces, in vents, seat rails and tight gaps, and on individual marks in fabric, with very little water.
- Aquarius Pro Steam: a 2000W steam cleaner with steam at up to 5 bar (72.5 PSI) and up to 130 degrees C, a 2 litre tank for 30 minutes of continuous steam, a 2 metre hose and a 5 metre cable. It weighs 3.6kg and comes with a jet nozzle, crevice brushes, extension wands and a squeegee. Its listing names car detailing and carpet spot cleaning among its uses, and asks for distilled water and no chemicals or detergents in the tank.
| Machine | Job | Tanks | Power | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquarius Pro Valet | Extraction of carpets and upholstery | 6.5 litres clean, 7 litres waste | 1100W motor, 4 bar pump | 10kg |
| Aquarius Pro Steam | Steam for hard surfaces, gaps and spots | 2 litres, 30 minutes of steam | 2000W, up to 5 bar | 3.6kg |
Figures are taken from each machine's listing. See every extractor and steam cleaner we stock.
How do you clean leather car seats?
Leather needs its own cleaner. AutoBead's Leather Cleaner is pH neutral, safe for all leather types, and AutoBead says its formulation keeps the essential oils in the leather so it stays supple and does not crack. AutoBead's method:
- Spray it directly onto the leather, avoiding the stitching.
- Agitate with a soft detailing brush to make a foam and lift the dirt.
- Let the surface absorb the foam dry.
- Wipe the surface clean with a clean, damp cloth.
AutoBead recommends doing this monthly to prolong the life of the leather. Buy it here: AutoBead Leather Cleaner. Keep all purpose cleaners off leather: AutoBead says its own All Purpose Cleaner is not suitable for it.
How do you get stains out of car seats?
- Deal with a spill as soon as you can, before it dries into the fabric.
- Blot it with a clean microfibre cloth, from the outside in. Rubbing spreads the stain and pushes it deeper.
- Spray a fabric cleaner or spotting solution onto the mark, agitate gently with a soft brush and blot again.
- Extract the area, or wipe it with a cloth dampened in clean water, so no cleaner is left in the fabric to attract dirt.
Browse our carpet and fabric cleaners for more options.
How do you dry car seats after cleaning?
Take out as much water as you can at the end of the clean, with dry passes of the extractor or a dry microfibre cloth. Then leave the doors or windows open, ideally on a dry, warm day, and do not sit on the seats or refit the mats until the fabric is dry right through. The Pro Valet's listing points to its strong extraction for less moisture left behind and faster drying.
Need help choosing?
Tell the TDHQ team what your interior is made of and what you need to remove, and we will point you to the right products. You can also browse every interior cleaner, leather cleaner, interior detailing brush and extractor and steam cleaner we stock, or read the correct order to detail a car.
Last updated 1 October 2026.
