Tips To Keep Your Car Upholstery in Good Condition

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We all spend a good enough time inside our cars, driving to work, dropping the kids off at school or little league and the interiors are what bear the brunt of those coffee spills, food stains, and crayon marks. Choosing the best upholstery at the time of buying your new car and cleaning up those stains before they can set are what maintenance is all about. Fresh interiors are also important when you decide to sell your car.

Upholstery to opt for when you buy a car

Cloth vs Leather is the big question. On lower priced cars, the cloth is usually the standard while in the premium cars like the Mercedes, leather is the only option. However, while the cloth is usually the standard, many car models give leather as an option if you upgrade. Remember that leather is an assumed perception of wealth, it also ups your car’s resale value. The pricing will depend on the leather you choose.

Most stains wipe off easily on leather while cloth might need to be Scotchgarded, else they soak up stains. The cloth is also economical though it is higher maintenance.

Cleaning Tips for Upholstery

All purpose cleaner: There are many all purpose cleaners available and if you are spoilt for choice then consider Megular’s All Purpose Cleaner and for stubborn stains Megular’s Super Degreaser.
Interior brush: This is necessary to brush off the dirt from carpets and seats. Keep a clean toothbrush for those hard to reach crevices. Interior brushes are available from Scotchgard and Interior Guys.
Fabric stain repellent: After a shampoo, apply a fabric protector to your cloth seating to extend its life and prevent stains from soaking in.
Leather conditioner: To prevent your leather upholstery from cracking and to prolong its life use a leather conditioner like Lexol Leather Conditioner.

Seat CoversIf your seats are too stained and faded, rather than opting for the more expensive reupholstering, you can choose to get seat covers. Based on the make and model of your car you can buy them online or visit a store in Austin. The two main types of seat covers are slip-on and tie-on seat covers. The former is like a fabric tube that can be slipped on and has an elasticated bottom. Tie-on seat covers have several bands to tie at the bottom and the back of the seat.

Like your engine, maintaining your interiors will ensure that it will last and that you get a good resale value.