How to Shampoo Car Interior

Co-authored by Chad Zani

Last Updated: November 6, 2022 Approved

Noticeable stains or foul odors are rather obvious signs that suggest you may need to shampoo your car’s interior, but even without these signs, shampooing your car’s interior is a good precaution to use every now and then. Remove as much debris from your car as possible before shampooing. Then, use special carpet and upholstery cleaners to scrub those respective areas of the car.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Preliminary Cleaning

1
Clear out any debris. Any wrappers, papers, stones, or other noticeable pieces of junk that have cluttered up your car interior until now must be cleared away before you can begin shampooing.^{[1]
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2
Vacuum the car interior. Vacuuming removes the majority of large dirt particles, making the process of shampooing both easier and more effective. Shampooing should be used primarily to get rid of greasy, smelly gunk that ordinary vacuuming or sweeping cannot remove.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Shampooing the Carpet

1
Select the right materials. A general spray-on carpet shampoo will work well enough for the carpet in your car. You should also use a stiff bristle brush, like a stiff tire brush made with soft plastic.
2
Work on one area of the carpet at a time. To avoid having to soak and re-soak the car's carpet, focus your attention on one area of the car before moving onto the next, rather than shampooing the entire car at once. Oftentimes, people find it easiest to start with the driver's side floor before moving across the front of the car to the passenger's side, then circling around to the back.^{[2]
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3
Remove the floor mats. These must be cleaned separately from the rest of the car's carpet.
4
Pre-treat heavy stains on the carpet. Problematic stains like tar or oil may not be removed sufficiently by simple carpet shampoo. Use a cleaning product specifically geared toward treating these heavy stains to pre-treat the carpet before shampooing it. Follow the directions on the cleaner's label. Usually, you will need to spray or dab the stain lifter directly onto the stain, covering it completely. Allow it to soak for several minutes before washing.
5
Meanwhile, clean the removed floor mats. Spray an all-purpose cleaner or carpet shampoo on them, depending on whether or not there is any fabric on the mats. Scrub them with a stiff brush, rinse, and hang vertically to dry them out. Wait until they and your carpet are clean before putting the mats back in the car.
6
Spray the carpet with the shampoo. Apply an even spray along each area of the carpet as you work. Work the compound into the carpet using your brush. You can use a little excess shampoo on areas with tougher stains, but avoid over-applying the shampoo. Car carpets tend to be moisture-resistant, but if soaked, they can develop mildew with relative ease.
7
Soak up excess moisture as you work. After scrubbing the shampoo into the carpet and allowing it ample time to sit according to label directions—usually only several minutes—scrub extra moisture out of the carpet by firmly pressing a clean, dry towel along the freshly treated carpet. Move the towel along the carpet in a single direction, rather than scrubbing back and forth. Continue until the majority of dampness is removed, and allow the carpet to air dry the rest of the way by leaving the windows or doors of the car open. Direct an electric fan toward the carpet if desired.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Shampooing the Upholstery

1
Mix special upholstery shampoo into a bucket of water. You can use the same shampoo you used for the carpet, but one that is specifically designed for use with upholstery makes a better option. Use plenty of shampoo and mix vigorously to create a great deal of foam.
- The shampoo foam itself is what you will use to clean the upholstery instead of the soapy water. Upholstery, especially when made of seat cloth or velour, has a tendency to look dry even after being soaked. As such, it is very easy to over-apply cleaner if using soapy water or a spray-on shampoo.
2
Focus on one area at a time. As you did with the car carpets, focus on cleaning one area of the upholstery at a time instead of applying the shampoo foam to the entire seating area at once. Begin on the same side you began cleaning the carpet from, and move in the same pattern.
3
Scoop some of the foam up with your brush and work it in. Lift the foam onto the bristles of your stiff bristle brush, getting as much foam as possible and as little actual water as possible. Transfer the foam onto the upholstery and firmly scrub it into the fabric using the brush. Use as little as possible to cover the upholstery.
- The foam in your bucket will likely die down as you work, so you may need to re-agitate the soapy shampoo water periodically to create more foam. If necessary, you may even mix in additional shampoo.
- For leather upholstery, do not use very alkaline soaps and they'll stain the leather.
4
Remove excess water with a dry terry-cloth towel. Press the towel into the upholstery firmly, moving it along in straight, single-direction lines to wring excess water out of the seats and into the towel.^{[3]
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5
Allow the remainder to air dry. Most of the moisture will need to dry out naturally. Prevent mold or mildew from forming by leaving the windows rolled down or the car doors open, improving air circulation. You can even use an electric fan to speed the process along.

Community Q&A

Question

Will shampooing affect my seat heaters?

Community Answer

No, shampooing your interior should not affect your seat heaters, but you should consult with your dealership first to learn the best method for cleaning the seats.