Upholstery, carpets and vinyl trim — maintenance

Upholstery and carpets

1 Every three months remove the floormats and clean the interior of the vehicle (more fre­quently if necessary). Use a stiff whiskbroom to brush the carpeting and loosen dirt and dust, then vacuum the upholstery and carpets thoroughly, especially along seams and crev­ices.

2 Dirt and stains can be removed from carpeting with basic household or automo­tive carpet shampoos available in spray cans. Follow the directions and vacuum again, then use a stiff brush to bring back the «nap» of the carpet.

3 Most interiors have cloth or vinyl upholstery, either of which can be cleaned and maintained with a number of material-specific cleaners or shampoos available in auto supply stores. Follow the directions on the product for usage, and always spot-test any upholstery cleaner on an inconspicuous area (bottom edge of a backseat cushion) to ensure that it doesn’t cause a color shift in the material.

4 After cleaning, vinyl upholstery should be treated with a protectant.

Caution: Do not use protectant on vinyl-cov­ered steering wheels.

Note: Make sure the protectant container indi­cates the product can be used on seats — some products may make a seat too slippery.

5 Leather upholstery requires special care. It should be cleaned regularly with saddle-soap or leather cleaner. Never use alcohol, gasoline, nail polish remover or thinner to clean leather upholstery.

6 After cleaning, regularly treat leather upholstery with a leather conditioner, rubbed in with a soft cotton cloth. Never use car wax on leather upholstery.

7 In areas where the interior of the vehicle is subject to bright sunlight, cover leather seating areas of the seats with a sheet if the vehicle is to be left out for any length of time.

Vinyl trim

8 Don’t clean vinyl trim with detergents, caustic soap or petroleum-based cleaners. Plain soap and water work just fine, with a soft brush to clean dirt that may be ingrained. Wash the vinyl as frequently as the rest of the vehicle.

9 After cleaning, application of a high-quality rubber and vinyl protectant will help prevent oxidation and cracks. The protectant can also be applied to

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