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Cars & Other Vehicles
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How to Shampoo Car Interior Download Article Co-authored by Chad Zani
Last Updated: March 10, 2025 Approved
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Preliminary Cleaning
|
Shampooing the Carpet
|
Shampooing the Upholstery
|
Q&A
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Tips
|
Things You'll Need
|Show more|Show less X
This article was co-authored by Chad Zani. Chad Zani is an Auto Detailing Expert based in Los Angeles, California. He is the Director of Franchising at Detail Garage, an automotive detailing company with locations around the U.S. and Sweden. He and his team are auto detailing experts that offer detailing and car care services. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 91% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 477,704 times.
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.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 3:
Preliminary Cleaning
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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]XResearch source
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.
Advertisement Method 2 Method 2 of 3:
Shampooing the Carpet
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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]X Expert Source Chad ZaniAuto Detailing ExpertExpert Interview
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.[3]XResearch source
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.
Advertisement Method 3 Method 3 of 3:
Shampooing the Upholstery
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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.[4]X Expert Source Chad ZaniAuto Detailing ExpertExpert Interview
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.[5]X Expert Source Chad ZaniAuto Detailing ExpertExpert Interview
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.[6]X Expert Source Chad ZaniAuto Detailing ExpertExpert Interview [7]XResearch source
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.
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Community Q&A
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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. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 4 Helpful 10
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Tips
Do not use ordinary shampoos on leather upholstery or leather trim. Leather needs to be cleaned with specialized cleaners and a soft cloth. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Particularly tough odors may need to be removed with specialized odor-removal products rather than ordinary shampoos. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
If you have access to a steam cleaner, you can use it to clean your carpet and upholstery. Use the right carpet or upholstery shampoo, depending on what you are cleaning, and follow the instructions that come with the steam cleaner to apply the detergent properly. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement
Things You’ll Need
Spray-on carpet shampoo
Upholstery shampoo
Bucket
Stiff bristle brush
Terry cloth towels
Stain treating products
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Co-authored by: Chad Zani Auto Detailing Expert This article was co-authored by Chad Zani. Chad Zani is an Auto Detailing Expert based in Los Angeles, California. He is the Director of Franchising at Detail Garage, an automotive detailing company with locations around the U.S. and Sweden. He and his team are auto detailing experts that offer detailing and car care services. This article has been viewed 477,704 times. 23 votes - 91% Co-authors: 7Updated: March 10, 2025 Views: 477,704 Categories: Washing CarsArticle SummaryX
To shampoo your car’s interior, spray the carpet with your shampoo and scrub it in with a stiff brush. Do one section at a time instead of shampooing the whole carpet so you don't have to keep adding more product when it soaks in. After you’ve scrubbed the carpet, leave the shampoo to soak for a few minutes. For your car’s upholstery, mix a bucket of warm water and car shampoo. Then, scrub the seats with the foam from the bucket. When you’ve finished the seats and carpets, soak up any leftover moisture with a clean, dry towel. Once you've finished soaking up the moisture, leave the doors or windows open so the car can air dry. For more tips, including how to clean your car’s interior before you shampoo it, read on!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Reader Success Stories
Jessie K.
Jun 24, 2017
"This has some great tips! It males me feel more confident about shampooing my Ford Explorer!" Rated this article:
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Chad Zani Auto Detailing Expert Co-authors: 7Updated: March 10, 2025 Views: 477,70491% of readers found this article helpful. 23 votes - 91% Click a star to add your vote
Jessie K.
Jun 24, 2017
"This has some great tips! It males me feel more confident about shampooing my Ford Explorer!" Rated this article:
Paula G.
May 14, 2022
"I had no idea where to start the cleaning process. I have now!"
Nicole Malinowski
May 12, 2017
"I am inspired to clean my seats now!" Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories
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Co-authored by: Chad Zani Auto Detailing Expert This article was co-authored by Chad Zani. Chad Zani is an Auto Detailing Expert based in Los Angeles, California. He is the Director of Franchising at Detail Garage, an automotive detailing company with locations around the U.S. and Sweden. He and his team are auto detailing experts that offer detailing and car care services. This article has been viewed 477,704 times. 23 votes - 91% Co-authors: 7 Updated: March 10, 2025 Views: 477,704 Categories: Washing Cars Article SummaryX
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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] 
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. Advertisement 
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] 
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.[3] 
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. Advertisement 
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. 
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.[4] 
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.[6] [7] 
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. Advertisement 
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. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 4 Helpful 10 
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