Fabric, Carpet & Upholstery

Cloth seats, carpets, mats and fabric roofs trap dirt, spills and smells, and the skill is lifting the dirt out without soaking the fabric. The range runs from ready-to-use cleaners such as Dodo Juice Fibre Reviver to trade-size detergent powder and spotting solution, and fabric protectors from 303, CarPro and Sonax.

How to choose

• Carpet & Fabric Cleaners and Spot & Stain Removers: ready to use, for the regular clean of seats, carpets, mats and soft tops, or for a single mark.
• Fabric Shampoo: Equip2clean trade packs for a deep clean with an extraction machine.
• Alcantara Cleaners: low-moisture cleaners for Alcantara and suede-effect steering wheels, seats and headlining.
• Fabric Protectants and Fabric Coatings: go on clean, dry fabric so spills bead up instead of soaking in; coatings take more prep and are meant to last longer.

Good to know

• Vacuum first and use as little liquid as the job needs: soaked seat foam and underlay dry slowly and can smell. A machine from Extractors & Steam Cleaners pulls the dirty water back out.
• Test any cleaner on a hidden area first, especially on Alcantara and coloured fabric.

How do car detailers get carpet so clean?

They vacuum thoroughly, agitate a carpet cleaner into the pile with a stiff brush or a drill brush, then pull the dirty water back out with an extraction machine. They keep the liquid to a minimum, because soaked underlay dries slowly and can smell.

Related: Interior, Interior Cleaning & Finishing, Interior Tools & Equipment. Popular brands here: Sonax, Dodo Juice, Angelwax, ValetPro.