Not Fiero related but applicable to the Fiero also.
I picked up a 2006 Cobalt LS for super cheap and it needs major TLC. One of the "issues" is some major staining on all the seats. I have no idea what it is and have not even tried to clean it yet. I wanted some advice as to how and what to use to salvage the seats. Or is it even worth it? I can go buy some seats at the junk yard.
Here's what they look like after spending $50 at a local detailer:
I was amazed & very pleased to have found '84 seats in such excellent condition. (The car is an '84, not '85 as advertised.) Why anyone would have put whatever filthy stuff they did inside that car is beyond me. I got the almost perfect dash as well.
I've used Febreeze Tough Spot OXY stain remover for carpet & upholstery successfully as well. You just spray it on, let it sit for a few minutes & dab it off with a clean damp absorbent cloth like a wash cloth or towel.
[This message has been edited by David Hambleton (edited 03-22-2014).]
Whatever cleaner you use I have had good success using a lot of paper towels to blot the dirty moisture from the seats. It will take repeated applications.
I can't even grasp how a car can get this nasty... It's a 2006 with 140K Km (or about 85K Miles)... Hopefully I can get this car back to "like new" condition.
On cloth seatsI use any name brand upholstery cleaner. Foam them up good one seat at a time and use a soft scrub brush. Dont soak them down with water. On tougher stains, a good rich mixture of Dawn dish soap and HOT water does wonders. Let it dry thoughly and repeat as necessary. All the above work great keeping the off white seats and carpet clean in the motorhome. You cant imagine how filthy they get at a race track with people going in and out, especially on a rainy weekend. After a cleanup it looks good as new.
When I was repairing used cars for a few dealers, you should have seen some of the interiors. People are pigs in their cars. Ive found ground up fries and burgers ground into the upholstery and carpet that were years old, old dirty diapers, pools of oil, not to mention just plain old dirt. The worse thing I still remember about made me puke. Someone used the center console for a spit bucket for their tobacco chew. I dont mean a cup inside it, I mean they opened the lid and spit in it. Cars like that I put a trash bag on the seat, rubber gloves on and never open the door or window unless absolutely necessary. Odors were so strong, you almost passed out. Were not even talking junker Cavaliers and Civics, there were Cadillacs, Mercedes and BMWs too.
If you've ever seen the forensic analysis that they do on used car interiors on Top Gear you would want to wear a body condom! What they find is totally disgusting. A good friend of mine works at the Mannheim auto auction in New Jersey, he wears gloves to drive the auction cars thru.
I got a Bissil Little Green Machine at Home Depot for $129 (I think). Worked pretty well on the carpet and passenger seat of the '86 Fiero GT I just bought. Driver seat still needs to be replaced, but that's another matter...
