Should I Wash Car Seat Cover Before Use? -

A car seat cover will not only protect your original seat and increase its lifespan but will also enhance the beauty of your car interior. Ensuring that car seat covers serve this purpose perfectly, many car owners do consider washing the car seat when they newly buy it. Can you wash the car seat cover before use?

It is pointless washing a new cover before use, especially when you bought the seat cover as a brand new product. Nevertheless, you can decide to wash a new seat cover, if it is meant for children.

Generally, washing a seat cover before use is not recommended. Read on for more information on how to use a new seat cover.

Reasons why you should not wash a seat cover before use

It is a good practice when you want to keep good hygiene and make your car neat. You might be considering washing a car seat cover before use but it has been stated earlier in this guide that you should not wash the seat cover when you newly buy it. Here is a list of some of the reasons why you should not wash the seat cover before use.

It might shrink: When you wash a seat cover, especially when you wash it in a machine or use a dryer for it, the seat cover will likely shrink. In addition, drying the seat cover under direct sunlight might make it shrink also. When a seat cover is shrunk, it might not fit properly on your original car seat again.
Time wasting: It is needless for you to wash a seat cover before use. You are just wasting time that could be dedicated to other purposes.
Risk of fading: Many car owners complain of tacky seat cover, thereby making the interior of their cars less attractive. If you wash a seat cover before use, especially when you do not wash it properly, it is likely the colour will fade, depending on the material and the manufacturer of the seat cover. When the color of a seat cover fades, it makes the interior of the car looks tacky.

When should I wash the car seat cover?

You cannot leave a seat cover unwashed for a longer duration, especially if you use the car often and the nature of your passenger.

Also, the material of the seat cover will determine how often you will wash it. If it is a leather seat cover, you can clean it in the car. Read on for more tips on when you should wash a seat cover.

When it is dirty: Cleaning the car seat cover regularly should not stop you from washing the car seat cover periodically. You should consider washing the car seat cover when it is dirty. You will notice that some part of the seat cover is changing colour.
When it is smelling: In a situation where you frequently have underage passengers in the car, they will likely spill liquid substances on the seat cover. This will make the seat cover smell when this happens regularly. In addition, sweat and food droplets could make the seat cover small. Therefore, anytime you open your car and you perceive an offensive odour coming from the seat cover, you should wash it.
Twice a year: You should not wait until the seat cover is dirty or start smelling before you wash it. Though you might be cleaning the seat cover regularly, it is still recommended that you wash the seat cover once in six months.

Trending Searches

How do I wash a seat cover?

Washing the seat cover could be a difficult process depending on the type of material the seat cover is made of and if you are washing for the first time.

Nevertheless, it is a seamless process if you are ready to give it a trial. However, make sure you wash the seat cover when you have time to avoid using a machine or dryer. Highlighted below are some of the steps you can follow when you want to wash a seat cover.

Read instruction

The first thing you should do before you wash the seat cover is to read the manufacturer’s instructions that will guide you on the mode of washing. Most manufacturers do not recommend washing the seat cover in a machine.

Remove from the original seat

If the seat cover is not made of leather material, you should completely remove it from the car seat. You can use a wet neat towel to clean a leather seat cover in the car. Once you remove the seat cover from the car seat, you should then shake it thoroughly.

Hand wash

When you want to wash the seat cover, make sure you do so when you will have enough time to avoid the temptation of washing in a machine.

You can hand wash the seat cover with your hands within a few hours. Also, it is recommended that you wash the seat cover with warm water.

Do not wash with bleaching detergent

The colour of the seat cover might fade when you wash with a detergent that has bleaching contents. Wash with automotive rated soap.

Allow to air dry

Once you are through with washing the seat cover, you can spread it on a hanger and allow it to dry. Do not dry under direct sunlight or use a dryer for the seat cover.

Fix appropriately

When you have completed the process of washing and drying the seat cover, you should carefully fix it back appropriately on your original car seat. Endeavour to fix all the edges neatly.

Things you should consider before buying a seat cover for your car

When you buy a seat cover for your car seat, it will protect the seat and enhance the beauty of the interior. However, if you buy the wrong seat cover, it might look tacky and you will likely spend extra money before you buy another one. Here is a list of what you should consider before you buy a seat cover.

Colour

The colour of your car interior is very important before you buy a seat cover. You should buy a seat cover that will complement the beauty of your car’s interior. If you buy a seat cover that doesn’t match the colour of the interior, it will make the interior less attractive.

Manufacturer

Many manufacturers produce car seat cover. There are factory seat cover and universal seat cover. Your car manufacturer will likely produce a seat cover that will fit your car model.

In a situation where the manufacturer has not produced the seat cover for your car model, you can consider the universal car seat cover.

It is, however, recommended that you buy the factory seat cover, though it might be expensive than the universal seat cover.

Budget

Your proposed budget for the seat cover will determine the type of seat cover you will buy. It might cost you more to get a quality factory seat cover but you will use it for a longer duration.

Material

The material your original seat and the seat cover are made of should be considered. If you are buying a seat cover that is made of sheepskin, you might have to spend more.

Weather

Using a leather seat cover during hot weather will make you feel uncomfortable. Therefore, you should consider the weather of your environment before you buy a car seat cover.

Maintenance tips for car seat cover

Though the car seat is protecting the original car seat from being ruined, you should properly take care of the car seat cover also. Here is a list of what you can do to increase the lifespan of the seat cover.

Fix properly: When the car seat cover is not fixed appropriately, it will easily wear out or slide when you sit on it. Make sure all the edges are in the right shape when you are fixing a seat cover.
Periodic cleaning: You should not wait until when the car seat is dirty before you clean it. You can use a vacuum cleaner to take away dust and food droplets from the seat cover.
Ban sharp objects: The car seat cover can accidentally get damaged when you bring sharp objects into the car.
Ban liquid substance: It is likely the car seat cover will begin to smell when you allow liquid substances to pour on it and it is not properly dried. You can avoid this by banning liquid substances in the car or you make use of can holders in the car.
Avoid direct sunlight: When the car seat cover is exposed to direct sunlight often, the colour might easily fade. You can use a blinder for the side window.

Conclusion

When you newly buy a car seat cover, you should not wash it. With proper fixing and regular maintenance, the car seat cover will last longer.