Fabia Seat Cleaning.......

[sausage roll]

After taking a close look at my interior I decided it was time to give the seats a real clean.

I'm not a fan of cleaning them in situ as when doing a major clean the foam underneath gets wet. The car is then generally damp for quite a while. I did this in my old 330d with the carpets and the damp ended up causing electrical problems. Plus I don't feel you can ever get a proper clean without taking the covers off. Hence I decided the time had come to strip them down and wash the covers in the machine. I was amazed to actually find that they were a lot dirtier than I thought.

Here is the current state of my front room............

Needless to say the wife is not happy that I (quote) "am making another bloody mess....."

After removing the cover from underneath the plastic trim at the top of the rear seats, you can see what the original colour was. Or alternatively you can see how dirty the seats actually are...............

:S :S :S :S

Sorry for the crappy phone pics. I'll shove some more pics up when I get them through the wash and get them back in the motor.

[deanyboy1985]

I'd like to see the progress on this, keep us posted!

[foey]

Keep us posted, I need to give mine a good clean.

[ChrisRs]

Get some 3M Scotch Gard on them as soon as they are dry

[willskoda]

Agreed

[Tassle]

Awesome. Would love a "how-to" on removing the covers. I'll wash mine this way too if its not too difficult?

[Wardy]

Nice one. I was never brave enough to do it that way - was always worried they'd shrink or something!

[CliffoVRSFabia]

I did the bottom part of my rear seats and the covers took me about hour and hlaf to get off and was quite hrad work, popped them in the washer and the came out great getting them back on was a challenge but again after and hour or so was ready to be put back in the car. Didn't attempt to do the upright sections as it looked way to difficult to get the covers off. anyone else pulled thease off yet?

[faboka vrs]

Always thought about doing this. Looking forward to the results.

[sausage roll]

Here are a few more pics to show you how bright the rear seats came up..............

Also cleaned up the interior carpets whilst the seats were out.............

Check out the whiter than white shine off of the rear seat in this one!!!!

I'll get some more pics up of the final results of the full interior when I get a chance to take them.

Edited 14 September, 2010 by Sausage Roll

[Wardy]

Great result

There's so much room in there now!

[sausage roll]

Great result

There's so much room in there now!

Tell me about it! Felt really big without them.

I only put them back in cos the wife has to sit somewhere!

[ChrisRs]

Come on John..Where are the finished seats???

Get a grip!!

[sausage roll]

So here are some photos of how dirty the seats were. Pics taken just after removing them before stripping for clean........Don't ask how they got in such a state or what any of the stains are as I don't know

Edited 15 September, 2010 by Sausage Roll

[sausage roll]

Here is the washed and refitted seats back in the car. Considering how badly they were stained I am very pleased with how well they have come up

I know full well I wouldn't have got this sort of clean from foam cleaning them in situ. Full cover removal is the only way to go to get these results. They are like brand new I even put the oem mats in the washing machine and they came up good too. Car now smells of Daz 'Summer Fruits'...............

The litmus test just to show they are back to original colour........... From this....

To this.............

[SimonK24]

Well...............not seen seat covers that dirty before! Bloody good job cleaning them though, top work they look great now.

I took the easy option and just changed the whole interior for a different one

[ChrisRs]

Great cleaning job.

Now get some 3M Scotchgard. I used 2 cans on my old Fabia vRS..They looked like new still after 2 years!!

[sausage roll]

Well...............not seen seat covers that dirty before! Bloody good job cleaning them though, top work they look great now.

I took the easy option and just changed the whole interior for a different one

Thats cheating!!!

Your interior looks good though. Which model car did it come out of then?

[SimonK24]

They came out of a Bohemia Combi

Edited 16 September, 2010 by sleithykeithy

[faboka vrs]

Excellent results. You've convinced me to do mine.

What sort of "challenge" was it refitting the covers?

Also what settings did you put the washing machine on?

Edited 16 September, 2010 by faboka vrs

[sausage roll]

They came out of a Bohemia Combi

So it was you that did the swap with Leon then?

Excellent results. You've convinced me to do mine.What sort of "challenge" was it refitting the covers?Also what settings did you put the washing machine on?

I won't lie, it is a big Job. The backs of the front seats are far and away the biggest ball ache of the job.

You will definately need all the right tools before you start (as with any other job) to make it a lot easier. You will need plenty of space and a good day or two to do it in. I did the rears first, then put them back in and did the front passenger seat next. Once this was done I swapped the clean passenger seat on to the drivers sub frame. This was temporary whilst I washed the drivers seat covers so I was never without a drivers seat.

Washing Machine was on a 35 degree wash which was for about an hour and twenty minutes. Came out sparkling clean and dried out pretty quick too.

If you guys want I can try and put together a how to guide with pics if it will help?

[faboka vrs]

Cheers for the info. Did you use the special plyers for the hooks?

Time (without a car) not too much a problem for me as we have 2 cars and we both work in the same place. Plus Nicci's is more fun to drive

If you have the time a guide would be cool. I think someones else did a guide a few months back. Are the back sof the rear seat bench glued on?

[sausage roll]

Cheers for the info. Did you use the special plyers for the hooks?

Time (without a car) not too much a problem for me as we have 2 cars and we both work in the same place. Plus Nicci's is more fun to drive

If you have the time a guide would be cool. I think someones else did a guide a few months back. Are the back sof the rear seat bench glued on?

Nope. No Glue involved anywhere at all with the seats.