Here’s how to maintain your neoprene car seat covers

Once you have invested in a set of premium neoprene seat covers for your car, you will find that the comfort and fit, along with the stylish look of the material, are characteristics that you want to maintain for a number of years to come. Luckily, it is easier than you might think. Follow these simple tips, and your car seat covers will maintain their “good as new” look.

Clean the covers on a regular basis

Keep your neoprene car seat covers in top condition by cleaning them regularly. We recommend the vacuum for getting rid of dirt and dust, brushing the covers down with a clean soft cloth (not a bristle brush), and spot cleaning with a damp cloth when necessary.If required, use warm water and a mild household detergent (your neoprene car seat specialist will be able to recommend the right product) and wipe down with a clean cloth. Organic residue and salt deposits can deteriorate neoprene over time so make sure that all dirt and stains are cleaned off immediately. Once you have used the shampoo, take a clean cloth and rinse the seats off with fresh water.Leave the seat to dry naturally and don’t be tempted to get out the hot hair dryer to give it a blow dry. Excessive drying will not help the material and could lead to cracks and ageing over time. You can also use a clean towel to towel them dry and leave the car door and windows open to help dry off the covers before you use the car again.Because neoprene seat covers are waterproof and extremely durable, you do not have to worry about regularly putting them in the wash. In fact, we suggest that you only wash your car seat covers when they are very dirty.

Avoid spillage of chemicals

Neoprene car seat covers are resistant to a number of organic compounds that are commonly used day to day. However you should avoid some of the more common chemicals that could cause the neoprene to degrade. Acetic acid is found in vinegar, for example, and while it is very diluted, it is best not to spill vinegar on your seat covers.Other chemicals found in the first aid kit might also cause a problem if they get onto the neoprene, including iodine, which is used to clean cuts and grazes. With young children there is bound to be the odd “accident” but uric acid does have quite a corrosive effect and has to be cleaned up immediately.The same goes for household items such as bleach, chemical cleaners, turpentine, alcohol, eucalyptus oil and citrus oil cleaners. Avoid letting these come into contact with your seat covers as they can dissolve the glue that is used to laminate the knitted fabric to the inner neoprene rubber. Make sure that when grocery shopping, these items stay in the boot and not on the seat.

Stay in the shade where possible

The sun’s UV rays can damage your car seat covers if you leave them overexposed. Parking the car in the shade or putting it away in the garage is one way to avoid this overexposure, and there are also products on the market that act in the same way that sunscreen does on your skin.Fortunately, all of our premium neoprene car seat covers here at Dingo Trails are made of OEM-spec’ed neoprene that is UV-stabilised, which means they have been designed to withstand the harsh Australian sun. Nevertheless, parking your car in the shade will increase the lifespan of the seat covers, not to mention preserve your car’s paintwork, so do try to stay in the shade where possible, especially if you are parking somewhere long term.Our seat covers are also resistant to water damage, dirt and mud, so even though this does not mean that you won’t have to take care of the covers and maintain them, it does mean that when it comes to quality and keeping your car seat covers looking good for longer, you’re already ahead of the pack! 

Dingo Trails are experts in designing and manufacturing premium neoprene car seat covers for a wide range of vehicle models. Click on the relevant Make that matches your vehicle model to find out more![text-blocks id=”30910″]