Alcantara safe cleaner advice

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SHMIKOS14A

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Hi guys,

I am an enthusiast detailer looking for some advice. I have never worked with a car that has alcantara seats before and want to give them a deep clean using an extraction machine and warm water.

But before I extract them, I want to know of a good alcantara safe cleaner that I can spray liberally directly onto the surface and lightly agitate the whole alcantara area with a soft bristle brush. Every product I look at seems to say "dont spray directly onto fabric".

Any recommendations would be good.
 
My advice, watch Matt Morman of Obsessed Garage on YouTube. He made a video of him cleaning Alcan tara

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This is the method I want to follow:

YouTube

I just want some advice on what cleaning products are safe to spray directly onto the surface of alcantara so I can agitate and wet vac.

The other guys just spread the dirt around on the surface and think its clean. I want to spray a product all over the seat, properly agitate and then wet vac.
 
I’ve had great results cleaning alcantera using Folex. Except I wouldn’t recommend scrubbing with any brush nor using a wet vac as the method of removing the dirt from the surface.. When using Folex I’ve learned it’s best to follow the directions. Spray on, gently rub with fingers into the fabric and immediately wipe up/blot clean with either a terry cotton or microfiber towel. Scrubbing is counterproductive.

Before:

d4b75412ef57737311e5fc32b0e0dda4.jpg


After:

305b5600ff8e69281af66fa11e4b5f23.jpg


Those seats were in a Dodge SRT.

It might work with an extractor.. But I dunno about a wet vac.. And even if I had an extractor available I still think the simple directions would yield better results.
 
SHMIKOS14A said:
I just want some advice on what cleaning
products are safe to spray directly onto the
surface of alcantara so I can agitate and wet vac.
Click to expand...
•I’m going to suggest either of these two
Alcantara cleaning products. (Afterwards:
use the LM-Protectant from the LM Kit).

D0DD43D9-A050-4710-9538-ED24B7EAB048.jpeg
528E1384-6A50-4068-BEF1-D10F9F0AEDB2.jpeg


•I’m also going to suggest that if you’re going
to agitate Alcantara: don’t go all ape-xxxx on it!

•And I, personally, would be inclined to not
wet-vac Alcantara material while it is still
attached to the overall seat assembly.


Bob
 
The sonax cleaner is amazing. Helped me with my Alcantara that was stained with coffee from past owner and just helped refresh it overall. Just follow directions on the bottle and you're golden!
 
Another vote for Sonax, however with as much Alcantara as is in my 08 Cayenne GTS, one pump bottle isn't enough lol.
 
I see, so the method used by the guy in the video I put up, who is a professional detailer, is not safe for alcantara? Because thats the way I want to clean the seats, thoroughly. I dont want to clean one small area of the seat, I want to clean every inch of the material.
 
SHMIKOS14A said:
I see, so the method used by the guy in the video I put up, who is a professional detailer, is not safe for alcantara? Because thats the way I want to clean the seats, thoroughly. I dont want to clean one small area of the seat, I want to clean every inch of the material.
Click to expand...

I didn’t watch the nearly 19min. video in its entirety... He lost me when his 1st step after vacuuming was to saturate the entire seat with an enzyme odor elimiator spray. I wouldn’t do that 1st, that’s supposed to be done last.
 
The enzyme odor eliminator is also acting as a fabric cleaner/stain remover because the seats are filthy. He's not using it purely as an odor eliminator.
 
SHMIKOS14A said:
The enzyme odor eliminator is also acting as a fabric cleaner/stain remover because the seats are filthy. He's not using it purely as an odor eliminator.
Click to expand...

Alright, it seems like you’ve made your mind up to follow the exact steps shown in that video. Good luck, if it worked for him you should be good.
 
My original question was never about the method, it was asking for some recommendations on a cleaner that I can spray liberally onto the surface to agitate before using an extractor machine.

So I will try to ask again, are there any products that I can spray all over an alcantara seat so I can agitate before using an extraction machine to pull all the muck out?
 
SHMIKOS14A said:
My original question was never about the method, it was asking for some recommendations on a cleaner that I can spray liberally onto the surface to agitate before using an extractor machine.

So I will try to ask again, are there any products that I can spray all over an alcantara seat so I can agitate before using an extraction machine to pull all the muck out?
Click to expand...

SHMIKOS14A said:
My original question was never about the method, it was asking for some recommendations on a cleaner that I can spray liberally onto the surface to agitate before using an extractor machine.

So I will try to ask again, are there any products that I can spray all over an alcantara seat so I can agitate before using an extraction machine to pull all the muck out?
Click to expand...

Looks like alot of people (including Mike) answered Sonax. Is that not good recommendation?

Also if alot of people here (some pro’s) are not recommending JP’s method why not email JP or ask in comments of video? Sounds like most don’t agree with you tube video’s so maybe ask the random pro?

I personally have use griots interior cleaner. I feel it’s not to heavy and may work in that method but have never tried


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I would be happy to use the Sonax stuff, but the recommendations on this product say not to saturate the seat. I think this product is only designed for spray on and pat dry.

Maybe I will just have to resort to spot cleaning them instead of doing the full deep clean I was planning.

Cheers for the replies and sorry for my stubbornness, I just feel like the only proper and thorough way to clean fabric is by light agitation followed by warm water extraction machine.
 
The only thing I’m left to assume is that these seats are absolutely thrashed? What kind of vehicle is this? Year, make, model?

Also, you’ve used the terms extractor and wet vac as part of your plan of attack in this thread.. Which exact machine are you going to be using?
 
SHMIKOS14A said:
I would be happy to use the Sonax stuff, but the recommendations on this product say not to saturate the seat. I think this product is only designed for spray on and pat dry.

Maybe I will just have to resort to spot cleaning them instead of doing the full deep clean I was planning.

Cheers for the replies and sorry for my stubbornness, I just feel like the only proper and thorough way to clean fabric is by light agitation followed by warm water extraction machine.
Click to expand...
•Before you saturate the seat assemblies...
please keep in mind what all else the seat
assemblies are made with.

(One example:
It’s daggone near impossible to totally
extract all of the water/cleaning solution
from foam. End results: mold/mildew/etc.
and all of the accompanying heinousness.)


Bob
 
FUNX650 said:
•Before you saturate the seat assemblies...
please keep in mind what all else the seat
assemblies are made with.

(One example:
It’s daggone near impossible to totally
extract all of the water/cleaning solution
from foam. End results: mold/mildew/etc.
and all of the accompanying heinousness.)


Bob
Click to expand...

Yeah i work with mattresses and yes you should never use a extraxtor or wet vac to clean them. If tou don’t get all water out your car will stink from the mildew.

I would assume same with seats


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Seats are from a Toyota 86 2017 model. They are in good condition and not thrashed at all, just wanted to give them a deep clean not a surface wipe. I have been using an extractor machine for many years to deep clean car seats and carpets, never had any of the issues you all are talking about.

The machine I will be using is a Karcher Puzzi 100, it's a professional grade machine made in Italy.

I have already done the back seats and will be doing the front ones on Sunday. The back seats are currently sitting in a room with an airconditioner set to max heat. Should dry them out by morning.
 
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