# Steam Cleaning Interior?



## Guest (May 24, 2009)

Just filled the steamer and playing with it now.

Used the squeggy thingy on the windows, do I wrap this with MF and just rub the carpet and seats?

Just done an alloy which is taking longer than using alloy cleaner and PW, but a lot less water.

Think need more practice.


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## caledonia (Sep 13, 2008)

I normally wrap a MF around the head of the squeegee, and give it a wipe over. Use a fresh dry one to clean any moisture off just after.

As for the carpets. Gentle spray across the surface with just the steamer. To start to soften the deep down grime. Then as you said wrap a MF around the head. But always remember to move to a clean section. So your not just spreading the dirt or grime. You should only have to do this now and again. No need to deep clean every time. I hard to reach places just spray with steam and work at the corners with just the MF. 

As for vinyl and the like just the same as carpet. But turn down the steam pressure.

Cant really comment on your seats as I don't know what material they are.


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## Guest (May 24, 2009)

Waiting for steamer to cool down, refill and play again.

Whilst at the rear alloy, steamed the stainless steel exhaust, its VERY shiny now, but its not really budgeing the tar  but it is leaving the metal sparkling. It looks cleaner than whan I was it with apc etc.

Have done the plastics using nozzle then wipe with mf, bit of water but not much, the plastics look "dry" if you get what I mean, but are of course very clean now.

The seat fabric is just normal cloth not leather.


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## caledonia (Sep 13, 2008)

matt1263 said:


> The seat fabric is just normal cloth not leather.


You have a few choices then. Either treat as you carpets. But with lower pressure of steam. Or my choice is to wrap a gentle upholstery brush with a MF and steam just in front of the MF.

So steam an area move the steamer and work the area just steamed. This way you can concentrate on the dirtier areas. Don't be frightened to return to an area the requires a bit more work.

The important thing to check is the material is colour fast So try an area not so noticeable first. Check to make sure there is no colour transfer on the MF.

But take your time with the cleaning. After you are happy give the seat a good going over with the steam to remove any Odour's that might be present and deep clean the cloth. 
When finish a quick wipe over with a Mf to remove any surface moisture.

Hope you can understand this.
Gordon.


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## Guest (May 24, 2009)

Its to dark to do the carpets, however I did do the mats, and I did it this way:

Steam with squeezy thing (no mf) to loosen the dirt then followed with squeezy thing wrapped with MF. This did remove some mud I hadnt noticed and left the (white) MF pale brown so did remove a fair bit of dirt.

Gave mats a good sniff and to be honest they dont smell of anything, which must be a good thing :lol:

I normally wet vac but this has left the mats ALOT drier and from what I can tell, just as clean. Maybe not as deep clean, but they are clean and no chemicals used.


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## caledonia (Sep 13, 2008)

Matt I normally Hoover the worse off first. Then go over this with steam.
I dont know what tools or what machine you have. But I dont normally use the squeegee. I have a small triangular head for mine.

Do you have Small head or an attachment for yours. But if its your mats and there out the car. The use the bigger head. Lets you get more pressure and aid the cleaning. Continue to do so till no more dirt is on the MF.

Here is the head I have. Good for tight areas. seats and carpets. I can also wrap it in a MF.








Gordon.


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## Guest (May 25, 2009)

Is a vax 081 and it dosnt have that type of head, just a flat head.

Only just got in, grabbing some food and warm the steamer up.

It got hoovered yesterday so just needs steaming now, the carpet has never been wet vac'd so this is a good test.


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## Guest (May 25, 2009)

Rain stopped play.

However I did the drivers carpet, seat and heater (steam blasts it out of the way), still yet to get it right, and finding getting the steamer head up into the tight corners difficult, end up using nozzle and blasting it, brushing and then blasting and mopping with MF. 

Seat base has come up well and no odours, but will check in morning before work.


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## 3dr (Mar 1, 2008)

i cleaned what can only described as muddy focus seats yesterday with my vax 081, i lightly misted on some g101 at 50:1 to loosen the dirt then steamed the seats and then used a clean MF to sort of mop the seat afterwards, the seat were a little damp, but i'm confident they are nowhere near as wet as they would be if i had to use an extractor, in fact i think the next time i do it i might use my extractor instead of the mf and this i feel would leave the seat bone dry, i love my vax to bits and the owner (mate's misses) was over the moon, the car is 10 years old and is a rugby bus, and has only ever been "tidied out" and a "quick" hoover.


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## mattjonescardiff (Dec 12, 2006)

Here's a write-up from an interior steam clean I did a while back if it helps anyone:
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=79263


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