Posts

Your car seat covers handle coffee spills, pet hair, sweat, UV rays, and everyday dirt — all year long. Knowing how to clean car seat covers the right way keeps them looking fresh, smelling good, and lasting for years. We put together this complete care guide so you can wash, dry, and maintain your covers without ruining them in the process.

If you're still searching for seat covers that are built to handle real life and clean up fast, take a look at our full set seat covers at Coverado — over 42 styles in water-resistant faux leather, canvas, and more, all designed to make maintenance easy. And if you're also prepping your car for winter, our guide on the best heated car seat covers in 2026 covers everything from heated cushions to care tips for the colder months.

How to Clean Seat Covers by Material

Not all seat covers clean the same way. The material your covers are made from — faux leather, fabric, PVC, canvas, or velvet — decides what products you can use, how much water the cover can handle, and whether machine washing is even an option. Getting this wrong is how seat covers come out of a wash faded, cracked, or warped. Getting it right means your covers look just as good after cleaning as they did when you first installed them.

At Coverado, we use premium faux leather, PU leather, leather-fabric blends, PVC, canvas, and iced velvet across our lineup. Each material has its own care needs, so here's exactly how to handle each one.

Faux Leather and Leatherette

Faux leather (also called PU leather, leatherette, or synthetic leather) is the easiest material to clean. It has a non-porous surface, which means liquid spills sit on top instead of soaking into the fibers. It's a good habit to regularly clean the upholstery to avoid any buildup of dirt and grime — use warm water with dish soap and a non-abrasive cloth, making sure the cloth isn't dripping wet, then wipe over the seats. Finish by going over everything with a dry microfiber cloth to prevent water spots or streaking.

When it comes to cleaning faux leather, the only piece of advice that really works is "go mild" — harsh cleaners or detergents are the biggest enemies of the material, and they can cause it to break and tear or dry out and lose its shine. Bleach, ammonia-based sprays, alcohol wipes, and anything labeled "heavy duty" are all off limits. Magic Erasers are also a no — they're abrasive and you can end up damaging the seat material. Stick with a mild, pH-neutral soap and you'll have no problems.

If your faux leather covers start feeling a little stiff or dry after a few months, a thin layer of faux leather conditioner brings back that soft, smooth feel. You don't need to condition after every wash — once every two to three months is enough. Using too much cleaner or conditioner can leave a sticky residue that attracts more dirt, so always use products sparingly and wipe away any excess.

Fabric and Canvas

Fabric and canvas covers absorb water, which means they need a different approach. Fabric seat covers absorb water completely, making them easy to clean but also highly sensitive to heat and aggressive motion. Start every cleaning session by vacuuming the covers thoroughly. Use a brush attachment to pull dirt, crumbs, dust, and pet hair out of seams and stitched areas where debris hides.

For spot cleaning, mix a small amount of mild detergent with cool water. Apply the solution to the stain with a soft cloth or brush, working it in gently. Don't scrub hard — that pushes the stain deeper. Let it sit for a minute or two, then blot with a clean, damp cloth. For a full wash, most fabric and canvas covers can be removed from the seat and either machine washed or hand washed. We cover both methods below.

The washer should be set to cold water only for the entire cycle — warm washes, mixed-temperature programs, and warm pre-soaks all introduce unnecessary risk, since cold water cleans effectively when paired with the right cycle and detergent while keeping fibers stable.

PVC and Velvet

PVC is tough, water resistant, and very low maintenance. Clean it the same way you'd clean faux leather — damp cloth, mild soap, wipe it down, and dry. PVC doesn't need conditioner, but it can fade with prolonged UV exposure. A car sun shade helps a lot if you park outside.

Velvet is the most delicate material. For velvet, regularly use a soft-bristled brush or a handheld car vacuum to remove surface dust and debris — for minor stains, wipe gently with a clean damp cloth, and do not use strong acid or alkali detergents to prevent fading or damage to fabric fibers. Don't rub velvet — dab it. Rubbing crushes the nap and leaves flat, shiny spots that are tough to fix.

Machine Washing Your Seat Covers

Can you put car seat covers in the washing machine? It depends on the material. Each material needs a different cleaning approach — while fabric covers can generally be machine washed (unless otherwise specified), leather and vinyl seat covers require special cleaning agents and should not be machine washed.

If your covers are machine washable, here's how to do it without shrinking or damaging them. Remove the covers from your seats and shake out loose dirt and debris. Pre-treat any visible stains with a mild stain remover or a small dab of dish soap rubbed directly onto the spot. Then place the covers in the machine by themselves or with only very lightweight items. Overloading the washer causes pulling and distortion.

Set the cycle to gentle or delicate with cold water. Selecting a gentle cycle is needed to prevent damage during the wash — the gentle or delicate cycle uses slower spin speeds and a shorter wash cycle, minimizing stress on the fabrics, preventing tearing, and preserving the integrity of the cover's fibers. Use a small amount of mild liquid detergent, and skip bleach, fabric softener, scent boosters, and heavy cleaners. Detergent choice affects how seat covers age after every wash — strong cleaners break down fibers gradually, fabric softeners leave residue that stiffens material over time, and scent boosters cling to fibers and make covers harder to rinse clean.

Remove the seat covers from the washer as soon as the cycle ends. Don't let them sit in the drum — that's how wrinkles set in and mildew gets started.

Quick-Reference Machine Wash Settings

How to Hand Wash Seat Covers

Hand washing is the safest method for almost every type of car seat cover. It gives you full control over water temperature, agitation, and which products touch the material. If you have faux leather, leatherette, PVC, velvet, or any mixed-material covers, hand washing is the right call.

Unlike your vehicle's original seat fabric, aftermarket seat covers are removable, making washing them much easier — but you need to follow the right steps to make sure you don't damage the material in the process. Start by removing the covers and laying them flat on a clean surface. A garage workbench, a large table, or even a clean stretch of driveway works fine. Vacuum or shake off loose dirt first.

Fill a bucket with cool or lukewarm water and add a few drops of mild dish soap or a dedicated car upholstery cleaner. The main rule when cleaning any seat cover material is to always be gentle — use gentle cleaning tools and a mild cleaning solution. Dip a soft cloth or sponge into the soapy water, wring it so it's damp but not dripping, and wipe down the covers section by section. For faux leather and PVC, stick to surface wiping. For fabric and canvas, you can use a soft-bristled brush to work the soap into the fibers gently.

Dirt often hides in the creases and seams of car seats, so use a soft-bristle toothbrush or detailing brush to reach these areas during cleaning. Once you've gone over the entire cover, rinse with a clean damp cloth to remove all soap residue. For fabric covers, you can also rinse them under a gentle faucet stream. Then move on to drying, which we cover next. The whole hand-wash process takes about 15–20 minutes per cover — a small time investment for months of clean, fresh-looking seats.

Stain Removal Tips That Work

Stains are going to happen. Coffee, grease, ink, food, pet messes — your seat covers deal with all of it. The single best stain-fighting move you can make is to act fast. If any liquid splashes onto the surface, blot it out immediately using a clean, absorbent cloth — instead of wiping or scrubbing, blotting lifts the liquid from the material without spreading it further, and the gentle motion is less likely to damage the texture. Leaving liquid stains unattended, even for a short time, can result in stubborn marks because liquids can seep into the material and alter its color and appearance.Here's how to tackle the most common stain types:

Coffee and Food Stains: Mix a teaspoon of mild dish soap with a cup of cool water. Dab the solution onto the stain with a soft cloth. Let it sit for two to three minutes, then blot with a clean damp cloth. Repeat as needed. For dried food, dampen the area first and give it a few minutes to soften before treating. For tougher coffee or food stains, a mixture of vinegar and baking soda can also do the job — but avoid vinegar on faux leather, as its acidity can wear down the surface with repeated use.

Oil and Grease Stains: Sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch on the stain to absorb the grease before washing. Let the powder sit for 15–20 minutes. It draws the oil right out of the material. Brush it off, then clean the area with mild soap and a damp cloth. This works on both fabric and faux leather.

Ink Stains: Use rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab and gently blot the ink — don't pour alcohol directly onto the cover. On faux leather, always test a small hidden spot first to make sure there's no discoloration.

Pet Stains and Odors: Use an enzyme-based pet cleaner that breaks down organic compounds causing both the stain and the smell. Skip the harsh disinfectants — they can damage the cover's finish. For lingering pet odors, sprinkle baking soda over the area, let it sit for a few hours, then vacuum it up.

No matter the stain type, test any cleaning solution on a small, hidden area of your cover before applying it to the main surface. This takes ten seconds and saves you from making a bigger problem than the one you started with.

Drying and Reinstalling Seat Covers

This is where a lot of people slip up. You can wash your seat covers perfectly and still wreck them in the drying stage. Most seat covers that feel ruined after washing were actually damaged in the dryer — dryers combine heat and movement, which is the fastest way to cause shrinkage, warping, or surface damage.

So skip the dryer entirely. Air dry your covers every time. Hang them over a clothesline, a drying rack, or the back of a sturdy chair in a well-ventilated spot. If you can, lay them flat to keep the shape intact and prevent stretching at the seams. Avoid direct sunlight to prevent fading — UV rays break down dye molecules in fabric and dry out synthetic leather. If you need to speed things up, point a fan at the covers rather than using any kind of heat.

Before putting the covers back on, make sure they're completely, 100% dry. Reinstalling damp covers traps moisture between the cover and the seat surface, and that leads to mildew, musty smells, and potential damage to both your covers and the original upholstery underneath. Once they're dry, slip each cover back over the headrest, tuck the edges into the seat gaps, and secure the straps and hooks. If you're using Coverado covers, the hook-and-strap system makes reinstallation quick — same as the day you put them on for the first time, no tools needed.

While the covers are off, take a minute to vacuum and wipe down the bare seat. Remove and clean under seat covers periodically, since dirt and debris can accumulate between the cover and the seat surface. You're already doing the work — might as well make the most of it.

How Often to Clean Seat Covers

There's no single answer that fits everyone. How often you need to clean your car seat covers comes down to how you use your car, who rides in it, and what conditions you deal with on a regular basis.

For everyday use, wash your car seat covers every one to two months — if you're exposed to frequent spills or dirt (pet owners, off-roaders, families), wash every two to three weeks. For leather and faux leather covers specifically, a general rule is to clean and condition them every three to four months to keep them looking their best and prevent cracking and fading.

Between deep cleans, a quick weekly wipe-down or vacuum pass goes a long way. Dirt particles act as abrasives that gradually wear away seat cover surfaces — regular cleaning removes these particles before they cause damage. Two minutes of weekly maintenance means your deep cleans are faster, easier, and less frequent. Think of it like wiping down your kitchen counter every night versus scrubbing a month of buildup all at once.

Here's a cleaning frequency table based on real-world driving situations:

Seat covers need proper care and maintenance — washing them too often can wear them out, while neglecting them leads to stains and odors. Sticking to a schedule based on your actual use is the best way to keep them looking and feeling great without overdoing it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you put faux leather seat covers in the washing machine?

No. Faux leather, leatherette, and PU leather covers should not go in a washing machine. Eco leather seat covers and leatherette seat covers do not absorb water the same way as fabric, but their surface layers can stiffen, fade, or crack if exposed to strong detergents or high heat. Hand wash them with a soft damp cloth and mild soap instead. It takes less time than a machine cycle and delivers better results without any risk.

What is the best cleaner for car seat covers?

For most covers, a mild dish soap mixed with cool water does the job. A gentle or mild cleaning product is the way to go — an alternative is a mixture of gentle dish soap and warm water, which is effective for removing dirt and bacteria from seat covers. Avoid bleach, ammonia, and alcohol-based sprays. For tough stains, baking soda handles grease and rubbing alcohol handles ink — just use them sparingly and always on the stain only.

Will washing seat covers make them shrink?

It can — if you use hot water or toss them in the dryer. Cold water cleans effectively when paired with the right cycle and detergent, and it keeps fibers stable throughout the wash. Always machine wash on cold with a gentle cycle, and air dry every time. Fabric and canvas are the most likely to shrink under heat, but even faux leather can warp from a hot dryer.

Can you use Clorox wipes on car seat covers?

We don't recommend it. Many cleaning agents contain solvents and harsh chemicals that can degrade faux leather over time — this includes bleach, ammonia-based cleaners, and even some common household products. If you need to disinfect, use a car-safe sanitizer free from bleach and alcohol, or wipe down with a cloth dampened in a mild soap-and-water mix.

How do you get a bad smell out of seat covers?

Start with a thorough wash using mild soap and water. For lingering odors, sprinkle baking soda generously over the covers, let it sit for several hours or overnight, then vacuum it off. Baking soda absorbs odors without leaving residue. For pet smells, an enzyme-based cleaner is the best option — it breaks down the organic compounds that keep the smell coming back. And always make sure your covers are fully dry before reinstalling, because trapped moisture is one of the top causes of musty, stale cabin smells.