Can Clorox Wipes Clean Your Dirty Car Seats?

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Although every car benefits from a professional deep cleaning every now and then, it's best to do a regular touch-up on high-contact surfaces like seats, control knobs, and console lids. This can not only help prevent the spread of disease, but will also keep your car's interior looking good. Clorox Wipes are handy in the home or office, which may have you wondering if they're good in the car too. Among the more than 100,000 Amazon buyers scoring them an average of 4.8 out of five stars are plenty of people recounting how Clorox Wipes made their daily cleaning easier. 

Clorox Wipes are even a recommended disinfectant for Apple products like iPhones and AirPods and are fine to use on some surfaces in your car. Clorox advises using its wipes on nonporous (usually plastic) surfaces like your dashboard, steering wheel, gear shift, and door handles. When it comes to car seats, the best cleaning method depends on the material. Using Clorox wipes on car seats is never a good idea; it will be either ineffective or harmful depending on the seat material. Read on to learn how to properly clean different kinds of car seats.

Regardless of what your seats are made of, a good car vacuum makes it easier to keep your whole car clean. A purpose-built car vacuum will be more compact than a house unit, and most models have attachments to get to hard-to reach spots between and underneath seats. You'll also want to buy a cleaning solution appropriate for your seat material; once you select a product read the instructions to learn whether you need a cloth, sponge, or brush to apply it. You may want to consider a portable upholstery cleaning machine, which sprays a cleaning solution into the seats that lifts the dirt then sucks it all up. 

One such highly-rated product that we've had success with it the Bissell Little Green family of portable deep-cleaning machines. It has average rating of 4.4 stars from over 4,700 Amazon users and can clean pet stains from your couch along with coffee from your car seats. The various models are priced from $89.99 to $199.99, with cordless versions priced higher. Whichever cleaning products and tools you choose, make sure to dry your seats thoroughly when you're done to prevent mold. A touch of Clorox disinfecting mist on carpets and cloth seats can help kill bacteria and viruses, but use it sparingly and be careful not to breathe in the vapors.

Vacuuming away loose dirt and debris is a good first step, but leather seats can be prone to stains and other damage if not properly cared for. This means regular cleaning and conditioning with the right products and techniques. The Chemical Guys Leather Cleaner and Conditioner Kit is rated an average of 4.6/5 stars from more than 43,000 Amazon buyers and comes paired in 4 and 16 ounce sizes. The cleaner works to lift trapped dirt from your seats, and the conditioner helps keep the leather soft and prevent cracks. 

These products are also effective outside your car on leather shoes, bags, and jackets. For an easy DIY solution, a mild castile or dish soap in water makes a great homemade leather car seat cleaner. Limiting how much sunlight hits them will also prevent leather seats from cracking and fading. Consider buying some car sun shades if you have to park outdoors in an area with no shade, and crack a window on hotter days to keep the interior temperature down.