When people think of a ‘shampoo’ service normally people envision a moisture-saturated process similar to when you take a shower. The fabrics are saturated with cleaner to refresh the carpet or upholstery that has been soiled.
In short, a shampoo service can provide you the same results if you were to remove all the fabric articles of the interior and throw them into the washing machine.
There are a few different names this service falls under. Carpet extraction, stain removal, seat rejuvenation, and steam treatment. For the remainder of this article, I will refer to shampooing as extraction
Step by step process
To achieve the best results, you have to prep the surface for the extraction process. Start by
- Vacuuming the area
- Agitate the fabric to remove and additional loose dirt with a stiff bristle brush. This stands up the fibres so that moisture travels through
- Vacuum again
- Prepare your hot water extractor or steamer
- Spray your carpet cleaner of choice (Super Clean degreaser is an example)
- Agitate cleaner into the material
- Begin the extraction process with your tool of choice (steamer or carpet extractor)
- If you don’t have either tool, mop up as much solution as you can with a microfiber towel
- Rinse and repeat until you get the desired results!
Can I 'shampoo' my car to like new?
Every scenario is different. Not all spills are the same. Factors include dwell time, what was spilled, your tools and skillset, the type of material you’re working on, etc. Every stain cannot be removed
Fear not! If done correctly, even if the stain still appears to be visible, you can extract until there is no more transfer coming off from the surface. Leaving your seat or carpet clean to the touch.
How long does it take?
Here at Autodetail DMV, the average time it takes to do a full interior service takes anywhere between 2-4 hours. If extraction is all that is needed, the completion time is halved. Temperature is a large variable.