Old water stains on your tan car seats can drive you crazy. If they’re not taken care of properly, they can become permanent and complicated to remove.
In this post, we will discuss the best tips that you can use to remove water stains from your car’s upholstery, cloth, and leather seats.
We will also advise how to prevent water stains from occurring in the future.
What Causes Water Stains on Car Seats?
Water stains on tan car seats are caused by one of three things:
- Allowing hot water to dry on tan car seats: Can cause a chemical reaction that will leave dark or white spots on your car seats. You may have already noticed that water often leaves mineral deposits on your seats when it dries.
- Using too much detergent when washing your car seats: It may cause your car seats to become stiff, and the fabric in your seats may pill. (i.e., create small balls of material).
- Spilling a drink or having your windows left open during rain or storm.
4 Tips To Get Old Water Stains Out of Tan Cloth / Upholstery Car Seats
Tip 1: Use a Car Interior Cleaner
Step 1: Spray the car seats with an interior upholstery cleaner
Step 2: Use a brush or a drill brush to scrub out the stain
Step 3: Dry with a clean towel and blow dryer
Note: Best car upholstery cleaner for water stains should have a pH of about 7-8. Otherwise, It may damage the tan fabric. If your cleaner is too alkaline, it may cause the dye to bleed.
Tip 2: Use the Dish Detergent
Dish detergent will help “loosen” or break down the chemicals in the material to be more accessible to the cleaner.
Step 1: Spray the dish detergent directly on the stain.
Step 2: Rub the detergent into the fabric with an old toothbrush.
Step 3: Let the detergent sit on the stain for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Use a vacuum to remove any excess water or moisture left on the seats.
Step 5: Rinse the area with a wet cloth and let it dry totally.
Step 6: If the stain is still visible, repeat steps 1 through 5.
Tip 3: Use a Steam Cleaner
Because steam cleaners use very high heat and pressurized steam, they work great for removing stains from many surfaces. This process will help break down the water stain so that it can be cleaned.
Step 1: Plugin the steam cleaner.
Step 2: Place a clean, absorbent cloth on the area where the stain is located.
Step 3: Steam over the area that has been soaked by water until all of the moisture has evaporated.
Step 4: If there are any remnants of the stain, repeat steps 1 through 3 until clean.
Tip 4: Use Baking Soda
Baking soda can help break down oils or other stains that are hard to clean. To complete this task, mix a small amount of baking soda and water until it is moist and easy to spread.
Step 1: Spread the mixture on the stain with your fingers.
Step 2: Let it sit for an hour so the oils can sink into the mixture.
Step 3: Rinse with water and dry the area.
Step 4: If the stain is still visible, repeat steps 1 through 3 until clean.
2 Tips To Get Old Water Stain Out Of Leather Car Seats
Leather tends to be more resistant to water stains than cloth or plastic. Leather seats are, however, extremely sensitive to oil-based cleaners. Using an oil-based cleanser to remove a water stain may damage the tan leather upholstery.
Besides, inspect the leather car seats for any damage. Leather upholstery is susceptible to cracking and fading, so make sure that there are no imperfections in the leather before you attempt to remove the water stains. If your leather is faded, cracked, or otherwise damaged, you may want to consider restoring it.
Tip 1: Using Leather Stain Remover
Step 1: Apply the leather stain remover on your stained area gently
Step 2: Repeat until your car seats are clean.
Step 3: Clean with a dry microfiber towel
Step 4: Apply the leather conditioner to the entire surface. This will help moisturize your tan leather seats and restore their softness.
Step 5: Allow the conditioner to soak into your leather seats for 15 minutes.
Step 6: Dry off the seats with a clean microfiber towel.
Tip 2: Using Vinegar
Step 1: Mix a solution of 1 part of white vinegar and three parts of water. Vinegar dissolves water stains and restores the pH balance to leather upholstery, thereby removing any discoloration.
Step 2: Apply the vinegar solution to the stained area using a clean cloth or microfiber
Step 3: Let the solution sit for a few minutes. Once it’s sat for a few minutes, wipe gently with a clean towel and dry with a blow dryer.
Step 4: Repeat until the stain is gone
How to Prevent Water Stains on Car Seats?
Since the damage is already done, your next best bet is to prevent this from happening again.
One of the first steps you can take toward prevention is to cover the seats when you are not using them. If it is too cold outside, use a slipcover to protect your seats.
For added protection against spills, use a mat where you park the car. This will help catch any water that tries to seep through your shoes or the bottom of the car door.
When you vacuum the interior of your car, be sure to use a brush attachment and clean all fabric and carpeting. This will help get rid of any dirt or debris that might cause water stains to appear.
