I know I should read the manual but what the heck
Ok I got a piece of chocolate rubbed into the drivers seat. So I rubbed it with a damp cloth, with water nothing else... Now I have a water stain and a faint chocolate stain. What shoudl I use to clean this seat properly?

Didn't think a little chocolate would be a problem....I'd try brushing it and maybe a vacuum?

I did something dumb a few weeks after we got our E, I used a spray cleaner on the seats and the side of the passenger seat was slightly discolored by the spray.

I was trying different cleaners each time I cleaned the interior of my E and a few weeks later I tried Murphy's Oil Soap.... and it did the trick, I really is nice on the plastic panels, the entire interior and it got the discoloration out of the passenger seat. The smell is very nice as well.

Joan

Yes, I had the same problem! I was just wiping down the inside with a sponge and diluted cleaner and the next day I noticed the driver's seat was discolored, like it was still wet! I rubbed it with plain water a couple of times and it looks better now.
jnes: did you dilute the Murphey's?

Yes I diluted it according to the instructions. I had repeatedly tried to get my discoloration out. It is now gone after Murphy's.

There is a line of cleaner products called Carbona Stain Devils. They have a special formulation for each type of stain (chocoalte, red wine, gum, etc) They are in small yellow bottles and i found mine at laundry care section at Walmart. I have used them on many types of stains and the results are always very good. Good Luck!

SO FAR ARMOR ALL CLEANING WIPES ARE DOIN PRETTY GOOD FOR ME BUT I HAVE BEEN HEARIN GOOD STUFF ABOUT THAT MURPHYS SOAP SO I WOULD TRY THAT!

This has probably been addressed somewhere but I haven't found it.

What do folks recommend for removing a stain from a seat?

My daughter got something on a seat -- not an awful stain, but an area about the size of a silver dollar that is now a bit darker than the surrounding material.

So far I have only ever wiped down the seats with water -- before I start using a cleaner I want to be sure it's not going to discolor the material or do anything else weird. I've scrubbed at this stain using just a wet cloth, but that didn't do the trick.

I know these seats are supposed to be stain resistant, but I guess they're not stain proof!

Thanks for any advice.

- Steve

Somebody posted that shout wipes work really well (but the spot will take a long time to dry, so it will look a little darker for a while).

Is there a way to wash the seat covers? I don't rememeber what Honda suggest...... cold, warm, hot water, gentle cycle, normal ???

Thanks

Sorry I did not get back to this earlier.

I tried a Shout Wipe on the stain, as suggested, and it works great! Those little things do put out a lot of soap, though, so you have to be prepared to spend some time wiping up the suds with water. (I assume that it would not be good to have the stuff dry on there.)

Later, after removing the mystery stain, I discovered where my daughter had spilled some milk that ran all down the side of one seat. It had had several days to dry but was quite visible and unsightly. Wiping with water accomplished nothing. A Shout wipe took it right off.

Good recommendation. Thanks!

- Steve

"RESOLVE" is a great product and removes stains from the seats easily.

Shot Spot.....the VERY best stain remover I have ever used!

Okay I have calmed down a bit.....so I have a problem, it was my friend's 30th birthday, and everyone in the E (except for the driver) was pretty ummmm well wasted....well in my altered state of mind I said that it was okay for people tosmoke in my car, something that I would not have ever said had I been sober, well no can to use for ash and buts, so everyone was ashing and throwing their buts out the back side windows, well drunken birthday girl's but came flying back into the car and went in between the back of the driver and my E's driver seat.

Well, the driver noticed that it was getting hot, but not before my seat got a little smoke damage....there is no hole....and it doesn't feel like there is any damage to the seat (to the touch), just some black tar residue/smoke damage.....so any suggestions on how to clean this???? The spot is small, and I am probably the only one that notices, but if there is a way to fix it at all I would love top do so!

Any suggestions would be helpful!

I will be buying some shout wipes today when I was out and about. I have Orange Clean and Simple Green here at the house, and will use those if the shout wipes don't work....as they are a bit harsher and will try to use them as a last resort!

Oops, I got a small stain on my seat fabric and need reccomendations on how to remove or fade it. I belive it is a grease type stain. I installed my keyless entry and had a little grease on my hand from a steering wheel part down there and.... well you can guess the rest.

I want advice on good products to try before I go making it worse.

Thanks

Pete

I ended up using some Dawn dishwashing liquid mixed with a little hot water and swirled that around on the stain followed by a couple of good clean water soaking and wipe ups.

This worked great. It got the stain out and did not leave any visable residue or color change. I am amazed at this fabric. I thought after I rinsed and wiped up that I would have to wait a while for the damp seat to dry. In fact, I wiped up with a dry towel and the seat seemed almost totally dry right away - like it wouldn't allow the water to absorb in too much.

Try the dish soap first, then maybe the heavier solvents (always test any solvent in a hidden spot first).

Pete

I had to go pick up the Thanksgiving turkey and one of the turkey's leaked allover the backseat. I got some 409 and Paper towels and it cleaned right up.

Hey Folks!

The best stuff I've found to use on seats, carpets and clothes is FOLEX Instant Spot Remover. This stuff works GREAT!!! Works on pet accidents, grease, ink, red wine, coffee, BLOOD, rust, food (turkey), cosmetics, dirt and most old stains. No rinsing, vacuuming or waiting to see results. Safe for any colorfast carpets and upholstery. Non-magnetic, non-toxic, non-flammable and oder-free. Simply apply a generous amount on the spot, agitate with finger tips and blow with absorbent cloth. SPOTS WILL DISAPPEAR INSTANTLY!

I got all of that off the bottle. I found it at Ralphs Supermarket. They also have a website, www.folex.net .

As a follow-up to any stain removal that uses detergent or solvent of any sort:

1. Get a wet/dry shop vac.
2. Get some warm water.
3. Pour warm water on the spot you just cleaned.
4. Immediately suck the water out with the vac.
5. Repeat steps 3 & 4 until you're confident you've gotten out the detergent/solvent.

Why? The detergent/solvent residue will attract dirt/dust.

I use this process all the time on car/sofa/carpet/whatever (hey, with two kids, two dogs and three cats, I get a lot of practice!).

In fact, just this process alone gets out just about everything except a petroleum by-product (e.g., grease).

Great idea Jsc.

Is Folex considered a detergent cleaner?

PS I found Folex at Home Depot. :D

Coming back from ski trip this weekend, cherry blew off my bowl and by the time I realized a second later and put it out, it melted a small crater on my drive seat. :evil:
Anyone know if vinyl seat repair kit would work on the seat fabric surface?

Ouch! :shock:

No, you're SOL. Vinyl repair kits work by bonding with the... well... vinyl. There's no vinyl in our seats (at least not in the traditional sense). The E's seats are a specially-coated fabric.

But even if just for curiosity's sake you might try, 'cause if it doesn't work or even makes things worse, you were probably going to end-up replacing the seat cover anyway.

:?

Edit: Seat cover is $81 from Majestic. Replacement yourself is not impossible but is a bit of work; you will need upholsterer's pliers to install the new cover.

contact Stacy Walker @ Milliken & Company - the manufacturers of the material - if anyone would know - it would be him -- tell him i said hello!


Stacy.Walker@Milliken.com
Director, Marketing Communications
MILLIKEN & COMPANY
Milliken Automotive
920 Milliken Road, M620
Spartanburg, SC 29304
stacy.walker@milliken.com
p: 864.503.6297
f: 864.503.6303

Can you just hose the rear seats?

Stacy was kind enough to reply with pertinent info:

First, there should be two materials which make the covering for your
Element seat;

1. fabric (FXC) applied in the center (or what the industry calls the
"insert")
2. a rubber-like vinyl on the sides (industry reference word "bolster)

If the crater is on the fabric covering the seat center (insert),
unfortunately, there's no method to repair a burn mark in fabric. The only
suggestion would be to have the area re-upholstered with additional FXC
(Fabric for Extreme Conditions)tm material. You may be able to contact
your Honda dealer and have them order service parts for this application.

If the crater appears on the vinyl material covering the seats edges, you
should be able to use a vinyl repair kit. However, I cannot assure you that
it will work as this is not a product from Milliken. We only supply the
waterproof fabric.

If you have the EX, you can sponge them. Not sure about the DX, they don't use FXC material in the back seats on those.

And don't hose out your element...

-brendan

Thanks... I do have an EX.

Hey LMN_OP why not simply buy the honda 'all weather' Element seat covers. I noticed they are not all that expensive and once on who would know about the cherry burn!

I think they even add a rugged look to the seats!

Check them out at Honda.com

That is exactly what I am gonna do. Just wish I had it before. :(

Just remember: the seat covers can be installed only on E's that have no side-airbags.

-brendan

Got a question. We let our Mastiff ride in the E all the time and as you know with Mastiffs, come LOTS OF DROOL :shock: :shock:

My question is, what would be the best way to go about cleaning the drool and the hair up. We vacuum the E with the shop vac, but still not all the hair comes out.

Any help appreciated.

I just take a bucket and sponge wipe the seats & floor.. and dry with a sponge.. and i am done..

I then use some armor-all to clean various other areas of the interior..

good luck!

My passenger seat got really wet after a friend sat in the seat with wet shorts on. The seat dried up, but left a little area where you could see where water was, like a dryed up line...
Anyways, if anyone has any suggestions on how to bring the mark off the seat I would appreciet it.
-pdub

[quote:02b8da1682=" "]My passenger seat got really wet after a friend sat in the seat with wet shorts on. The seat dried up, but left a little area where you could see where water was, like a dryed up line...
Anyways, if anyone has any suggestions on how to bring the mark off the seat I would appreciet it.
-pdub[/quote:02b8da1682]

Was the water seawater or poolwater? Or perhaps the person's shorts were wet due to sweat (from running, etc.)?

In that case, you've got a salt or similar residue. A warm wet cloth should get it up, or even a little bit of very dilute soapy warm water in case there are organics in there as well.

-brendan

Use Shout wipes.I had the same problem on the headliner and it worked like a charm>Let me know how it works out.
James

I used the wet cloth with some diluted soapy water. It worked! Thanks for the good feedback. I was just about to buy some seat covers so I didn't have to stare at the mark on the seats. Glad I didn't! I need to save every penny I can.
:P
-pdub

People + dog + lots of outdoor activities + chicken wing grease = stained, dirty seats..

Help!

http://www.elementownersclub.com/uploads/files/fxc%20care%20instructions1.jpg

Here you go trainer wheels. Barley wine is nice but I do believe you had mentioned Guiness. Oh well a freebie is a freebie ... Good luck with the cleaning.

Here you go trainer wheels. Barley wine is nice but I do believe you had mentioned Guiness. Oh well a freebie is a freebie ... Good luck with the cleaning.

OK, OK, I owe you one or two. If I ever want to get blood or urine out, I'm all set. HOWEVER it doesn't mention dog drool on the seats or how to get puppy snot off the windows.....

Remember those Jelly Belly menus when you were a kid. Mix A with B to get C ... Well with doggy poop I would recommend Urine (D) as a based with either Berries (D) or Salad Dressing (S&D or Pro) depending on consistency and runniness of poop at hand. :P

[quote:1577e1dcd4=" "]Well with doggy poop I would recommend Urine (D) as a based with either Berries (D) or Salad Dressing (S&D or Pro) depending on consistency and runniness of poop at hand. :P[/quote:1577e1dcd4]

No, I said dog DROOL.... you at least got the two "o's" right....! One comes from the dangerous end, one doesn't. (Our last Rottie was the one who put the "ROT" in "Rottweiler" so which end was more dangerous was open to conjecture....)

[quote:362d8442d9=" "]People + dog + lots of outdoor activities + chicken wing grease = stained, dirty seats..

Help![/quote:362d8442d9]

Man you should have bought seat covers at least that way you could toss them if they got to bad.

"Chicken wing grease" are you kidding me???? I would be put in jail for murder

-SS

Man you should have bought seat covers at least that way you could toss them if they got too bad.

I know, but I'm not the original owner of the vehicle. For the dog, I usually put a blanket or towel down, and that does the trick.

"Chicken wing grease" are you kidding me???? I would be put in jail for murder

I had a container of wings sitting on the seat, while I was on my way to work and the damn things leaked...... I didn't see it until I picked it up...

I had a container of wings sitting on the seat, while I was on my way to work and the damn things leaked...... I didn't see it until I picked it up...[/quote]

Boy that's gotta be NASTY is there anyway to get that out. I think I would probably replace the whole seat.

-SS

Hi, everyone. I am a fairly new Element owner, and I want to clean my seats. What should I be using to do this? I can't find this info anywhere but don't want to use a cleaner until it's safe. Thx.

Get a bucket mixed with water and soap.... throw a rag in the bucket for about a min... then squeeze out all large amounts of water.... then clean the seats.. Get another dry rag and wipe after done.

I do the same bucket thing, I use Oxy Clean. Works great on all interior parts. Smells good as well!!

Could also vacuum with a wet/dry vac.

I've got to agree with the forum. I managed to get ground in chocolate out of the rear seats without blood, sweat or tears....maybe of joy that is...could there be a more perfect vehicle?

The weather was finally above 40 (not much, though) yesterday, so I decided it was a good day to thoroughly clean and detail my E. For the first time in a year and a half, I took the seat covers off. They've held up well, but are showing a few marks which I'd like to take care of. The care instructions say to rinse them in cold water only. Not quite sure what this is supposed to do, other than make stains cold and wet until they dry and return to their former condition. I tried the cold water rinse and hung the seat covers out to dry...they now look exactly the same. Atleast some of the marking on the seat covers is just mud--there's got to be some way of taking that out, right? Are there special products out there for use on neoprene that someone's had luck with? It won't kill me to just slap the seat covers back on, stains and all, but I'd like to hear some suggestions before I do.

Thanks!

-Sara

I have washed mine many times in the washing machine. Delicate setting and one at a time. Then drip dry. The label on the OEM's actually say machine wash - gentle.

They look like new after a wash.

Thanks! I'll do that, then. Glad to hear from someone who's done it successfully.

I have a small hole in the fabric of my driver's seat. It's located on side of the seat cushion. It could be a result of a snag. I don't know. Is there a way to repair before it starts enlarging? Also, would this be covered under warranty? I have 23,000 miles.

My friend's dog pooped all over the front seat when we weren't paying attention. I cleaned it up the best I could with soap and water, but I have to park the car tomorrow in 100+ degree heat and I am afraid of what that will do to anything left over. Does anybody have any suggestions as to how I can save my seat (and the rest of the car) from the potential smell?

Thanks,

NATURE'S MIRACLE - you can get it at Petsmart or Petco & it even comes in jugs. Just follow the directions - it has saved many surfaces in my home and car!

Frabreeze :grin:

My friend's dog pooped all over the front seat when we weren't paying attention. I cleaned it up the best I could with soap and water, but I have to park the car tomorrow in 100+ degree heat and I am afraid of what that will do to anything left over. Does anybody have any suggestions as to how I can save my seat (and the rest of the car) from the potential smell?

Thanks,

Not to get into too many details, but when my dog poos, it is pretty much a solid material unless he is sick. Given that you picked it up and removed it, then followed up with soapy water, you should be fine.

Use a little nature's miracle, or other fabric safe cleaner/soil remover and I can't imagine it would leave much of an odor, if any. Fabreeze doesn't seem to work well on pet odors; it just covers them up temporarily.

Also, you could ask the dog to go in the floor next time..but i guess he finds the seats as comfortable as we all do.

Good luck getting it out, but I have to ask why are YOU cleaning it up. Have your friend do it :) Any friend who won't clean up their dogs poop is not a friend of mine (unless she's hot).

Good luck getting it out, but I have to ask why are YOU cleaning it up. Have your friend do it ...

:grin: A good way to encourage responsible dog ownership I say!

I would recommend leaving the car windows open to allow a breeze.
Theres nothing like stale air with an aroma.

My friend's dog pooped all over the front seat when we weren't paying attention. I cleaned it up the best I could with soap and water, but I have to park the car tomorrow in 100+ degree heat and I am afraid of what that will do to anything left over. Does anybody have any suggestions as to how I can save my seat (and the rest of the car) from the potential smell?

Thanks,

No fear! That EX model Element came equipped with FXC Fabric for Extreme Conditions. I would think that fecal matter falls under the "extreme" category.

Thought something scared you. Good to hear it was the dog. :-o

Thread title of the year! A hundred things ran through my head before I read the first post.

Maybe "Aaaaah! Dog-Poop on the Seat" would have saved me some joyful confusion.

If you're worried, and it's a back seat, you can just take it out!

Thanks for the laugh.

FX

just poop ? No big deal, I had to rush my dog Joe to the emergency room this morning, He was attacked by a large dog,the large dog ripped most of the skin and hair from his back legs, it was gross, blood and guts on the front seat, good thing for the towel. He is still in recovery, but is coming home tonight...So poop on the front seat is no big deal.

I have washed mine many times in the washing machine. Delicate setting and one at a time. Then drip dry. The label on the OEM's actually say machine wash - gentle.

They look like new after a wash.

Hey jamyzrnu did you just put the seat covers in the washing machine with no detergent or did you add some? Anybody else that has washed their OEM all season seat covers your input is welcome too! Thanks!

Hey jamyzrnu did you just put the seat covers in the washing machine with no detergent or did you add some? Anybody else that has washed their OEM all season seat covers your input is welcome too! Thanks!

I used Tide Cold .. one full cap per seat cover , cold / cold / full load settings on the washing machine.

No fabric softner and no dryer ... just drip dry. ...

Washed about 9 times so far .. still good and waterproof ...

forgive me if i seem a little dumb here, but are you guys talking about the actaul factory covers that come on the seats or the ome accessory all weather covers that you can get from online stores like handa.com. and if you are talking about the factory seat covers, how hard are they to get back on after you have washed them?

thanks

forgive me if i seem a little dumb here, but are you guys talking about the actaul factory covers that come on the seats or the ome accessory all weather covers that you can get from online stores like handa.com. and if you are talking about the factory seat covers, how hard are they to get back on after you have washed them?

thanks

Hello .. Was talking about the optional OEM Neoprene seat covers. Easy to take off or on and the factory covers underneath still look like showroom clean and new....

As a FYI... it's been forwarded to me that the chemicals used in some aftermarket vinyl cleaners and protectants can leave vinyl seats in ’03–06 Elements prone to cracking. Apparently the chemicals loosen the PVC material’s molecular bond, making it softer and less durable. This action, combined with wear from heavy seat usage, can cause the material to crack.

As a FYI... it's been forwarded to me that the chemicals used in some aftermarket vinyl cleaners and protectants can leave vinyl seats in ’03–06 Elements prone to cracking. Apparently the chemicals loosen the PVC material’s molecular bond, making it softer and less durable. This action, combined with wear from heavy seat usage, can cause the material to crack.
What should we use to clean the seats":?

Heh... good to hear from you Wilyumm. You'd never believe it, but Honda has a product that they sell that apparently does not cause this problem. :)

It's from a Honda service bulletin, I think.

Does it state specific chemicals on this list? Could you post them?

Hot water, and a little dish soap. Clean cotton cloth, and a good wipe.
I've yet to have anything, including grease, not come off.

Hot water, and a little dish soap. Clean cotton cloth, and a good wipe.
I've yet to have anything, including grease, not come off.
Yep, that there stuff does the job.

When I was in Austin 9 months ago, a guy warned me about the cracking seats. I think I'll be using soap and water for now on.

My drivers seat is already cracking, I wonder if I will have any luck geting it fixed under warrenty?

I doubt warranty would cover cracked seats. Good luck though. I have always used just water/bit o' soap and it has always worked

The guy I referred to earlier said that his dealer wouldn't cover it.

Baby wipes work the best. Proof positive is my child slipped a sippy cup of chocolate milk under the car seat and it busted open after it fermented, 1 baby wipe removed it after 4 weeks.

No big deal, I will mention the cracking seat bolster to the dealer for the heck of it, you never know. I have to go on the 30'th anyway for suspension noises. If they don't fix the seat, majestic honda has the new cover for around $100.00. I will swap it out befor the St. Louis trip this summer.

The best thing I found to work on my seats was regular Lysol disinfectant spray in the metal can. It doesn't leave any marks at all.
L.

The best thing I found to work on my seats was regular Lysol disinfectant spray in the metal can. It doesn't leave any marks at all.
L.
You use Lysol to clean your seats? I highly discourage this practice.
I would suggest using a water based cleaner/protectant and you will be fine. I have been cleaning my cousins Element since day one and it is still like new.

You use Lysol to clean your seats? I highly discourage this practice.
I would suggest using a water based cleaner/protectant and you will be fine. I have been cleaning my cousins Element since day one and it is still like new.

Just curious why? It got everything off.
L.

Just curious why? It got everything off.
L.
Well, for one it is a disinfectant spray and not a cleaner let alone an automotive seat cleaner. ;) You never know what long term effects something like that is going to have.
;)

i use armor all oxy magic. sprays the stain and let its settle in for 30 seconds and wipe it out. its great plus also smells fresh and clean!

I'm glad I found this thread...hubby accidentally smeared some of his chocolate chip cookie on the passenger seat the other day, and I have yet to clean it off. Water and dish soap, or maybe a baby wipe, here I come!

which is the BEST way to clean the seats?

and can anybody me what type of fabric it is?

Mild soap and water. It's in the MANUAL.:)

and can anybody me what type of fabric it is?

FXC.
.......

F = Fabric for
X = Xtreme
C = Conditions

Acronyms, gotta love em.

Mild soap and water. It's in the MANUAL.:)

What is considered mild soap?

Bump for continued discussion.

I'll have to clean my seats eventually. What have ya'll used to clean your seats?

I have had luck with a cloth and hot water. Not boiling hot, just hot as it gets out of the faucet.

I have had luck with a cloth and hot water. Not boiling hot, just hot as it gets out of the faucet.

Thanks for that. But do you feel that it truly cleans the seats?

I got some grease/dirt stain on the side of my seat where the side airbag would be if I had side airbags and I took it right off with some eagle one auto fabric and carpet foaming cleaner. I sprayed some on the spot itself, let it sit for a minute and rubbed it off with one of my old holely socks. Hope that helps.

Hey, my seats need cleaning too. My dogs have gotten them pretty dirty and I don't think mild soap is going to do it. Also, it would take forever to clean all four seats that way. I was thinking about having them steam cleaned when I get my carpets done. It always worked in my old cars. What does anyone think?

Thanks for that. But do you feel that it truly cleans the seats?

That seems to lift the stains. Sometimes I use a mild apohlstry cleaner with the hot water

Okay, I'll definitely have to give that a shot. Thanks!

Hi I'm new here. I got my Element around Moms day. It's a kiwi green 2006.
Don't know much technical stuff about it but I do like it. I got it to accomadate my 2 Yellow labs, which it does nicely. Because my dogs are water dogs any puddle they can find they do. Needless to say my seats are suffering. I did have them treated but decided to clean them today. What do you use on them and can you just hose them off? I have heard that you can take a hose to the inside of the car. Is this true? Any advice would be appreciated. I did see the thread about the neoprene seat covers. I will look into them but meanwhile I need clean seats! Help please :-)
Aloha
Karen

Welcome Karen!

If you scan down to the bottom of your screen you will see that the site has listed a number of similar threads for you to look in relation to your cleaning questions.

The alleged "hose out" qualities of the Element are a TOTAL urban myth - do NOT try this at home or anywhere else!

Sponge out is as close as you should get.

Thanks for telling me about the hose I probably would have tried it. :rolleyes:

Well I did get them clean with some water and a little detergent, although they still looked a little dirty. I did go down and order wet okole seat covers, just for the back seats since that's where my dogs stay. I got black with charcoal gray inserts. I wanted black and their green Aloha print but it would be to hard to keep clean. The black and gray will go with the interior of the car so it should look OK.
Aloha
Karen

Does steam cleaning hurt the waterproof fabric?

Hi,

What type of cleaner do you use to remove dog slobber from the front seats. It's mostly on the back and side of the passenger seats on the rubber material. It's gross ;)



Thanks
T.

I just use a bucket of warm water with a wet cloth and dry it the best I can with a cotton towel.

Nature's Miracle - after you clean the area with mild soap and water spray with Nature's Miracle. Wipe and re-apply as needed. Works on glass, wood, plastic, carpet, vinyl - pretty much on every surface. It will remove the stain and also remove the smell. Works on anything "organic". I usually remove the heaviest saturation 1st - just allows the spray to penetrate/work better.
I have 2 dogs and 3 cats and I buy it in in gallon jugs - could not live without the stuff at my house!

Nature's Miracle .... available where?

Nature's Miracle .... available where?
Petco, Petsmart - any decent pet store. Online lots of places as well! It's awesome stuff inside the house AND in your E.

I just use a bucket of warm water with a wet cloth and dry it the best I can with a cotton towel.

Ditto. I use an old wash cloth. The main point of slobber in my E is the driver side suicide door.

I just purchased a new 2007 LX and I cannot find anywhere in the Manaual about how to care for the seat material (is it waterproof????) it looks like cloth. Any help would be appreciated!

That doesn't sound right because the front and rears are identical material????

That doesn't sound right because the front and rears are identical material????


On the LX only the Front have the FXC material and the EX's have it on both front and rear.

The manufacturer of the FXC material (Milliken) uses the same technology to make floormats now. Available for the Element too.

http://www.yesessentials.com/yew/floormats

It's too bad they haven't made them for the 07 model... I have a feeling if I bought for 06, they wouldn't fit just right.

Appreciate the advice on cleaning the cloth seats!! :cool:

My Factory honda element seat covers are looking pretty dirty
Has anybody actual washed them ? and got them back on the seats? Because it toke me 2hrs the first time i put them on theri i couldnt imagine how long it would take if they got smaller from the wash
Post your thoughts and comments
Thanks
_Ace-

I use shout to clean mine.I have not taken them off at all.:D

I need to clean the seats of my new (to me) 2005 Element. There are some stains on one of the seats and I'm not sure what product to use safely on them. Any input would be appreciated!! Thanks!

I need to clean the seats of my new (to me) 2005 Element. There are some stains on one of the seats and I'm not sure what product to use safely on them. Any input would be appreciated!! Thanks!

Tuff Stuff. Look for yellow can with red labels.

NO! - don't use any solvent-based cleaner on your seats. The manufacturer of the water-resistant fabric expressly states that will do more harm than anything. Do a search of the forums and you'll find several threads that talk about the same thing.

I've used it many times without any problems. Not using ANY solvents is just a catch-all for liability concerns.

Also, since water is the "universal solvent", what does that say?

I'm just sharing my proven method that works well for me.

It's effective and keeps my at time extremely filthy interior looking clean and new.

Non-chlorinated brake cleaner worked for me. It got out a grease stain that even a steam cleaner couldn't get out and I haven't had any problems.

How easy is it to remove the front seat covers on my 07 EX? Also, can someone tell me the washing instructions? Thanks in advance.

How easy is it to remove the front seat covers on my 07 EX? Also, can someone tell me the washing instructions? Thanks in advance.

Its not an easy job at all....the seats have to be taken apart to get the covers off. If and when they need to be cleaned it would be easier to just get them steam cleaned.

Are you saying I can steam clean them while on the seats. I do have an attachment on my steamcleaner for furniture, autos, etc. That would be a lot easier.

Are you saying I can steam clean them while on the seats. I do have an attachment on my steamcleaner for furniture, autos, etc. That would be a lot easier.

Thats actually how my detail shop does it.

The Honda salesman made that a part of his pitch. Those people will tell ya anything to make a sale, hehe.

I would think that the steam penetrating the seat cover would be tough on the foam cushion beneath.

Give Tuff Stuff a try.

You'll be amazed.

I would think that the steam penetrating the seat cover would be tough on the foam cushion beneath. ...

This shouldn't be a problem if you don't overdo it. Just don't saturate the seats and you should be fine.

This shouldn't be a problem if you don't overdo it. Just don't saturate the seats and you should be fine.

Exactly......use the proper machine and there won't be any problems.....i have seen some clowns actually take a pressure washer and wash the seats,carpets and door panels of a ca.

The fabric used on the seats is called FXC. It is designed to resist dirt and other such crud. For most spills (pop, chocolate, sandwiches), they recommend using 1 part clothes detergent to 9 parts water. It is truly amazing how those seats clean up. I would wet the whole seat panel or you may get some water marks between the cleaned and uncleaned part of the seat. After washing, rinse well with a wet cloth (don't soak it though unless you want to wait quite a while for it to dry).

I have an FXC data sheet that explains how to clean different kinds of spillsl. I will try to find the source so I can direct you.
Perry
Proud owner of a Galapogos Green 2004 EX

Thanks Perry.....I appreciate your input. I still have not tried to clean the stains. I bought my Element used, so I'm not sure what is on the seat. It only seems to be on the driver's seat. I really want to get it cleaned up. It's left a kind of white-ish faded looking stain. Thanks for any help...

I've been using Blue magic with excellent results. I have a 90lb dog that loves to swim and get muddy. The seats look almost new after clean-up. And this stuff really does clean out coffee. I use a dry terry cloth towel - no special micro or brushes needed.

It dries pretty quick and inexpensive too...

I use Tuff Stuff. It is good for cleaning the door jambs too.

These are the FXC fabric cleaning instructions I finally found elsewhere on the forum:

http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9788

For the life of me, I can't find official instructions from the manufacturer, although you may be able to email them. Milliken makes FXC.

The instructions in the above link look like the real deal though. I've only had to clean up minor stuff so far, but these instructions worked great.

Resolve carpet cleaner

I've been using Blue magic with excellent results. I have a 90lb dog that loves to swim and get muddy. The seats look almost new after clean-up. And this stuff really does clean out coffee. I use a dry terry cloth towel - no special micro or brushes needed.

It dries pretty quick and inexpensive too...

A good recommendation. Costs $5 and change at Walmart.

The fabric used on the seats is called FXC. It is designed to resist dirt and other such crud. For most spills (pop, chocolate, sandwiches), they recommend using 1 part clothes detergent to 9 parts water. It is truly amazing how those seats clean up. I would wet the whole seat panel or you may get some water marks between the cleaned and uncleaned part of the seat. After washing, rinse well with a wet cloth (don't soak it though unless you want to wait quite a while for it to dry).

I have an FXC data sheet that explains how to clean different kinds of spillsl. I will try to find the source so I can direct you.
Perry
Proud owner of a Galapogos Green 2004 EX

what (s)he said. Seriously, this is how I clean my seats, and if that will take care of the mess the dogs make of mine, it will clean yours.

A bucket and a rag are your best friend for cleaning the E inside and out.

Cross-posting instructions in case someone misses them in the old thread:
http://www.elementownersclub.com/uploads/files/fxc%20care%20instructions1.jpg

i managed to cut, albeit cleanly, a rear seat. i'm going to autozone to see what they have to repair this sort of thing, but i'd appreciate any ideas.

thanks

i managed to cut, albeit cleanly, a rear seat. i'm going to autozone to see what they have to repair this sort of thing, but i'd appreciate any ideas.

thanks


I just did the SAME THING:-x Am trying to find a solution as well. I'll check back for any posts about how to fix the rip.

They make a heat activated cloth tape that you slide under the tear and use an iron set on low to melt the tape one the back side of the seat cover. Drew:)

I'm trying this:

http://www.leatherworldtech.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=30-039

I'll let the post know how it goes.

im in the process of swapping my interior to orange ans black leather.... i have the stock seat skins of you are willing to put them on.... its alittle work, but it will look like new... skins ore out of a 2006 TM exp... they are dark grey.. if you need instructions i can print out the service manual on how to change them
-Greg
... still have a set of leather SEATS that will match a RR or sop nicely (ordered wrong ones for my tm, ended up getting 2)

The fabric used on the seats is called FXC. It is designed to resist dirt and other such crud. For most spills (pop, chocolate, sandwiches), they recommend using 1 part clothes detergent to 9 parts water. It is truly amazing how those seats clean up. I would wet the whole seat panel or you may get some water marks between the cleaned and uncleaned part of the seat. After washing, rinse well with a wet cloth (don't soak it though unless you want to wait quite a while for it to dry).

I have an FXC data sheet that explains how to clean different kinds of spillsl. I will try to find the source so I can direct you.
Perry
Proud owner of a Galapogos Green 2004 EX

Hi Perry,
Liked your info here...I just purchased a GGM (Galapagos Green Metalic) 2003 EX....I was complaining that i was sorry I didn't get the black one...but the color is growing on me. Does the 2004 have the grey & green interior as well. It's hard to dress up...Pictures??
Fieldcat

Anybody find a good way to prevent dog hair from sticking to the bottom of the rear seats? I installed some leather material over the bottom of the seat, but it's sort of a pain.

sticking dog hair is a problem?? :)

I wish I did, the only way I can get rid of it (yea, like I ever get rid of dog hair in mt E..) is to use the shop vac with the round brush on it.

Let me know if you actually ever find something.

I found the best way to get rid of the dog hair is to drive around a few friends at night. That way they can't see the hair and they take it with them.

My son got gum on BOTH of my rear seats. Nothing seems able to get the gum off, so I think I'm just going to replace the bottom seat covers. Where can I get factory seat covers for my 05? My dealer wants to charge significantly more for everything than I can usually find it elsewhere.

Have you tried Goof Off? That stuff has (so far) gotten everything off for me.

http://pics.drugstore.com/prodimg/81953/200.jpg

I didn't try it because I was afraid it would hurt my seat. I guess if I'm going to replace them anyway I might as well give it a shot.

I'd try the Goo Off, or the other brand Goo Gone. I use Goo Off at work and it stinks like paint thinner but man does it do a good job!

The Goo Gone I used on the E when I swapped decals, and it had a citrus-E smell. :)

Well I used the Goof Off and it is amazing! As far as I can tell it didn't hurt the seats in the least and all the gum is off after a VERY little goof off. This was OLD gum as well that had been exposed to everything I could think of and countless rearends. Thanks all.

Great to hear, I keep a can of this stuff on my go-to shelf in the garage.

Hello all,
This is a great site that I just came across!! I was just wondering if anyone has come across a product that cleans the seats without leaving any marks.
Any suggestions to making my seats look new again??
Thanks:smile:

I've been in the auto detailing business for over 25 years, and the best thing I have found to clean your seats is a machine called the EUREKA ENVIRO STEAMER, you could find them on line for under a $100 bucks. How it cleans is the steam that it gives off as you run it over the fabric turns what ever soil there is into a residue that you simply rub off with a towel (preferably a micro fiber towel). It also works great on the vinyl as well, and all with out using any kind of shampoo. Although if your looking to add a clean smell, using a aerosol type interior shampoo (the aerosol type dries quickly when used with the steam). I've been using this process for years, it works quickly and without soaking the fabric. Hope that helps you.

Try just plain ol' mild detergent and some water.Most non-stubborn messes will come right off with some light scrubbing.I wouldn't use any harsh chemicals on the FXC fabric or you may regret it.

my dog stepped in some "stuff" and then jumped into my Element (because he's good like that). i wiped it off with a wet paper towel. i'll follow that up with some mild detergent just to be safe. but all i gotta say is these seats are amazingly stainproof!!!

After searching for a thread on this, I couldn't find one. So I apologize if it's been discussed before. My wife spilled lamp oil on the front seat yesterday! Does anyone have any experience/advice on removing something like that? The stain is about the diameter of a softball. Thanks in advance for any tips, I'm desperate.

edit: so after checking with my wife again, it's not oil, it's liquid parrafin, Northern Lights Pure Liquid Paraffin lamp fuel to be exact.

I got oil from a Sonic tot on my seat a year ago (needless to say I don't order those anymore) and still haven't gotten it out. I'm looking for a solution also.

At the risk of sounding like Billy Mays, have you tried Oxiclean? I used that stuff to get petrolium jelly (among other things) out of my scrubs.

Yeah, don't ask how it happened I'm still dealing with it myself.:twisted:

Skruffy,

As you prolly know, the seat covers are removable. So that helps. My main concern is you need to do something soon, as lamp oil is somewhat caustic and will deteriorate the fabric and underlying foam eventually. Call someone who cleans fabric for a living and get some advice! JMO

Take it to a pro detailing shop. They will have the commercial stuff to get it out.

I would second taking it to a detailer, they know how to handle it. However I have always had good luck with dry laundry detergent (Tide) removing motor oil from carpets and hands. Just make a past with it and rub it in. Though I would be careful with doing it on your upholstery.

Now that I have more time, I'll add to my "take it to a detailer". Had a car into the shop a few yrs ago, came back with a major black engine oil stain from the mechanic's coveralls on the fabric driver's seat, where he forgot to put a protective cover down. Complained, and they called in the local detailer. 30 minutes later - the seat looked like new.

I have taken the seat covers off. They don't just "come off", they are wired into the foam with rings and springs and straps and things.

try this out

I need advice on cleaning my seats. I have a 2004 lx element, I don't know exactly what you would call the seats, but the are standard, some synthetic woven fabric, trimmed with some synthetic leather fabric. Everytime I wipe something up on the woven fabric, usually with just water, or a little dish soap, I get a water ring when it dries. Anybody have any tricks for cleaning these? -THanks, Enjoy- Zach.

Ripped seat covers can be repaired at an auto upholstery shop. At my upholstery business, we remove the panels that are ripped and put in place the same exact material so the seat will look brand new. Often it is the vinyl that cracks. In that case we don't use the same vinyl because it would crack too. We use a match up cloth that is the same in color and texture. If your car in in warranty still, ask the dealer to repair or replace the cover.

They make a heat activated cloth tape that you slide under the tear and use an iron set on low to melt the tape one the back side of the seat cover. Drew:)

Often tears and slits are in the vinyl panels of the seat cover. You can't iron vinyl, it melts. Also vinyl has a thick backing that won't allow the seam to come together.

Another idea is replace seats with some from the auto wreckers.

We use Simple Green on our seats. We had an '04 up until 3 weeks ago when it was totaled. Just bought an '08 and plan to use the Simple Green on it too.

:)
Diana

I'll share this little trick with you. I bought a used car several years back and asked the owner (who was also the detailer) how he got his interiors so clean with no visible cleaning marks. It wasn't until the day before we left the area he shared his secret. Soak a high quality paper towel with rubbing alcohol and wring out, leaving it damp. Lightly rub the surface to be cleaned without pressing hard and soaking the fabric. Just repeat with new towels until clean. It works great. I even cleaned cranberry juice (my wifey spilled) off of light tan carpet in my truck successfully.;-)

I'll share this little trick with you. I bought a used car several years back and asked the owner (who was also the detailer) how he got his interiors so clean with no visible cleaning marks. It wasn't until the day before we left the area he shared his secret. Soak a high quality paper towel with rubbing alcohol and wring out, leaving it damp. Lightly rub the surface to be cleaned without pressing hard and soaking the fabric. Just repeat with new towels until clean. It works great. I even cleaned cranberry juice (my wifey spilled) off of light tan carpet in my truck successfully.;-)
That sounds like a good idea! I just recently tried to clean the upholstery in my E a couple weeks ago with Blue-Coral Upholstery cleaner Dry-clean plus. Which I thought would have done the job. Made the interior smell good but didn't clean very well. I'll have to try this the next time I clean and see how good that works.

I just bought my first E 2 weeks ago. I bought the very last brand new 08 EX on the lot. I'm really beginning to love this car. However, there is one not so small problem-the seat material!

Its raining today and I opened up the passenger door to put my purse in and a few rain drops landed on the seat. I'm thinking " No big deal" because these are supposed to be water resistant seats. Clearly, they not. There are now spots all over my seats and they are completely dry! What gives! I mean this is a brand new car that already has flaws. How do I clean these seats? The specialty seat covers that you have to buy online are ridiculously expensive and I don't feel that I should have to go to that point yet considering I've only had this car less than a month. I can't find anywhere in the manuals about how to clean it or what not to do.

I love my E and I want to keep it looking nice for a long time. Please help!

You’re seats are supposed to be treated. If the rain left spots I would take to the dealer. I have a dog with wet and often muddy feet on my seats every week and they clean up with warm water and a sponge.

Carvingbarn- thanks for the info. I have just sent an email to my sales guy to see what he has to say. He said to contact him with any questions or problems- let's see if he was telling the truth.

I too have a dog and she was the SOLE reason for buying this car. I want the seats to look nice and stay nice for a long time.

My dear cmiddl01, have no fear.
The Element seats are truley in a class by themselves.
Yes they will stain, but also YES they will clean;-)
They are "weather resistant".
Recently both my rear seats, got a little "messed up". The right was the worse of the 2. I almost threw them out, but said, "what the heck, I'll give cleaning them a try".
I'm glad I did.:D

If you don't want to clean them often, throw on a cheap seat cover.

Hi Jojo-

How exactly do I clean them? Again, I'm concerned about the spots the rain left. Is there a certain type of cleaner or soap I should be using? Instructions please!! :)

Soap and water is fine, you can also use foam upholstery cleaner. I used the foam carpet cleaner on my rear seats. Just spray on then a light scrub. Or in my case a STRONG scrub!

Mr. Jojo was constantly leaving a water ring on my passenger seat from holding his drink between his legs. I got tired of cleaning it, so I just bought some $15 covers from wal-mart, and every now and then I'll use the carpet cleaner and give them a once over.

... so I just bought some $15 covers from wal-mart, and every now and then I'll use the carpet cleaner and give them a once over.

You don't have side air bags... 07 and up come with side air bags standard. That's one of the reasons why seat covers are so expensive for 07+ Elements.

You don't have side air bags... 07 and up come with side air bags standard. That's one of the reasons why seat covers are so expensive for 07+ Elements.

My 03 came with side air bags.

Jojo, I love those seat pictures. It gives me hope this summer. With the two kids my rear seats are pretty nasty and in need of a deep cleaning. Just waiting for some nice weather to really wash them.

Jojo, I love those seat pictures. It gives me hope this summer. With the two kids my rear seats are pretty nasty and in need of a deep cleaning. Just waiting for some nice weather to really wash them.

Also the seats sat for over a week, when I started I powered sprayed them with a water hose. It took them about a week to fully dry out.

It's okay, give the kiddo's the cheetos!:D

Ummm, Jojo- a little messed up? :rolleyes:

The seats are one of the main reasons I love the E- I don't think my kids could mess them up even if they tried!

If I ever get a little mud on my seats, I'll now have the motivation to get them SUPA clean. Nice work Jojo. This tread screams Before and After Dirty Elements.

Jojo- I took a look at the seat covers at walmart the other day and they looked like they would cover the sides of the seats which would cover the side air bags. Is this not true? If you have a pic of the seat covers you are using, it would be greatly appreciated! I really can't afford to buy $235 seat covers from Wet Okole now that I have a new car payment. I did just order a black and gray seat cushion from Amazon that should help some. But real seat covers would be better!

You guys have been so helpful! I love this forum!

Wholly crap, looks like your rear seats have been sitting out side under the birdcrap tree, what is all that crap on them. Looks like Crisco on the bottom of the seat. What is all that ???? If thats from your kids, you need to take them to the country and let them go! :lol:

Wholly crap, looks like your rear seats have been sitting out side under the birdcrap tree, what is all that crap on them. Looks like Crisco on the bottom of the seat. What is all that ????

I took the seats out to have more room to pack stuff when we evacuated from Ike. The seats were in the house......Ike shat on them! The seats were saturated by salt water (totally submerged--thats why I power sprayed them with a water hose, when we finally got water again, I was hoping to get all the stinky bay water out of them. I did.) They also had contaminents in them from the water, oils, pesticides, and paint. I could not get all the paint off from the bottom, since it was that furry type of material, so I spray painted the bottom black, and now you can't even tell.


Jojo- I took a look at the seat covers at walmart the other day and they looked like they would cover the sides of the seats which would cover the side air bags. Is this not true? If you have a pic of the seat covers you are using, it would be greatly appreciated! I really can't afford to buy $235 seat covers from Wet Okole now that I have a new car payment. I did just order a black and gray seat cushion from Amazon that should help some. But real seat covers would be better!

You guys have been so helpful! I love this forum!

These won't cover the sides and they hold up well, I've had these for a year and 1/2 now.

Those are similar to what I just ordered on Amazon for $35 for the pair, so hopefully those will work.

I actually got a panicked call from my salesman today and he is baffeled. He as spoken with the parts and service people, the detail people, etc and still can't figure it out. A rep from Honda (from the manufacturer) will be at the dealership tomorrow and they plan on addressing this with him to see what is going on. My sales guy has also spoken with the sales manager trying to figure out what he can do for me. I was so happily surprised at his eagerness to help!

So, its sounds like I will have a solution soon! Thank you to everyone who provided the good tips and photos. I'll keep you posted letting you know what the final results are.

Jojo-I can't believe you got your seats that clean after Ike- that is AMAZING!

Jojo is an amazing woman! You should see what she can do with power tools.;-)

Your post really surprised me as, like others, I find the seats to be especially easy to keep clean. Just yesterday I had the 2 kid's carseats out finding a lovely layer of juice/crumbs/something I can't recognize outlining where the seat bases were. Damp rag and 10 minutes later, completely clean again.

I know, I think its so crazy. Why don't they put cleaning instructions anywhere in the manuals?!

Anyway, I'm waiting to hear back from the Honda rep to see what they have to say. I'm sure I'll have to take it in for them to see this issues. I'm just glad they are taking it seriously.

Everyone has provided such great advice. I'm glad I joined the forum!

Just as a follow up, the cushions I ordered from Amazon arrived today and they fit the bottom of the seat great so this will hopefully temporary solve my problem until Honda figures out what is wrong with my seats.

http://www.amazon.com/RACING-SEAT-CUSHION-SPORTS-LUMBAR/dp/B001AA94PQ/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1241656757&sr=1-21

I got these in black and grey and they look good with the color of my car. So, if anyone else is having the same issues that I'm having, I would recommend these.

I bought a 07 E last year and it had a previous owner with small children. It has the "platimun" colored fabric seat covers....well, they were platinum until the kids (and messy adult) got involved....now they are dirty. I have no idea what the dirt is from, but, I want to get rid of it...as in...clean the fabric. What works well on the fabric besides new covers? Proven suggestions would be helpful. Thanks..... rw

I had similar seats in my Titan. Even water will leave a stain. You have to clean or "coat" the entire seat with soap and water to give it an even "stain" for lack of a better word. That's the only way I've found to give them a uniform clean look.

I actually have partially solved the problem myself. I let more rain get on my seats today and the new rain has wiped away the previous spots and did not leave new spots! Fabulous!

Now, I just need to get the dirt off the center of the seat. For anyone interested, I have instructions that someone from Honda emailed to me and I have attached here for your convenience!

The inside of my E gets VERY dirty. I haul around two drooling mastiffs as well as an occasional bale of hay for the horses. The best thing I've found to use to clean the entire interior, including the seats, is Simple Green or other similar cleaners (Mean Green, Power X Green Cleaner). It's cheap, bio-degradable and works great! If I have a bad stain, I spray it on straight and scrub with damp clothe. For general cleaning, I dilute it with a little water and spray in on and wipe with a damp clothe. It also works as a deodorizer.

Unless there are obvious stains, try a good quality foam type upholstery cleaner in a test area.

This is probably one of the best posts ever in these forums...

I had stubborn milk stains (courtesy of our toddler) that wouldn't come out with the normal stuff on the fabric. Who would have thought 10% laundry detergent would do the trick?

i got a honda care kit (from shmoozing the service desk rep) that has 3 diff solutions in it, one for tinted glass, one for plastic/leather, and one for vinyl/leather. they plastic leather cleaner works great at getting off dog slobber from the plastic around the windows.

Slobber is easy, vomit is harder, grease is hardest to clean.

If you have grease on the seats, work on removing it first, then after the fabric has dried, work on the dirt.

Mineral spirits may get out the grease, but they will leave a ling-lingering odor and will scum up your windows. They aren't on the list, but baking soda and cornstarch each do a good job at absorbing grease, oil and odors, and they are water soluble.

Rent a carpet cleaner with upholstery tool from Home depot or do what I did and asked a carpet cleaner I saw doing my neighbor's house if he would do it for $20. He did the carpet and all the seats, it cam out really clean.
Good luck.

A simple soft bristle pot scrubber type brush with basic soap/water and a shop vac to suck up stuff as it breaks loose will do the same thing. Yes, it's the voice of experience with small kids. :rolleyes: An EX has the FXC rear seats so not much I've heard of sticks permanently. You just have to find the right tool to get in there and free it up. Strong detergents are usually not required.

Even dad can do some damage. I was drinking cokes & eating Hershey bars to stay up on a long late night drive. A piece of chocolate broke off and ended up under my shorts. It melted into the seat and I didn't clean it up 'til I returned a week later. Came up in no time.

If you have them, start with baby wipes to get any of the surface stuff up first. Those things are miraculous in what they'll get off E seats.

I always turn to windex for windows. It got my dog's nose prints off the windows

Slobber is easy, vomit is harder, grease is hardest to clean.
.

Has anyone tried a small amount of "zout"? It is a stain cleaner for laundry and takes tough grease stains out.

I had an unfortunate incident, dog paw through grease spot in parking lot, dogs next stop, my front seat. (not my dog)

When I got home I put zout on it, and then washed the fabric (whole seat bottom fabric) with car washing soap and water from my wash bucket, then just water, then shop vac extracted the water. Amazing results!!!!

On a recent road trip I used some baby wipes to clean my seat. I think I need a bib to catch my snacks...

UGH, it doesn't seem any of your stains or spills can compare to what I found today. I pack my dogs with me everywhere... have been for years and since the purchase of the Element. Always have to deal with the typical stuff: dirt, sand, hair, drool... well today my worst nightmare came true. Sick dog + me stepping away for an hour = diarrhea wonderfully place down the back of the driver's seat, ending in a pool right where I'd be sitting.

I have soaked, sponged and even took it to a car upholstery shampooing station (the DIY kind) and foamed the heck out of it. I repeated this several times while vacuuming what moisture I could. I can't say I really smell the nastiness YET... but what bothers me is that while the fabric seems to have come clean, I KNOW there is stuff lurking in the cushion underneath (let's face it, the seats are moisture resistant, not moisture proof). This is the worst! I have half a mind to tear the seat out or sell the car. OK, so I'm overreacting slightly, but I need to do some research as to HOW you can clean the interior foam/cushion of these seats? Sounds like some of you have removed the coverings before?

This is NOT how I wanted to spend my Sunday. Can dogs be given Imodium AD?

The textbook dose for Imodium (loperamide) for dogs is 0.1 mg/kg. A 2 mg tablet will treat one 44 pound dog. You can fudge a little up and down on the dosage. Treatment would be once every 12 hours.

Hope that helps. Consider Nature's Miracle (available at PetsMart, etc.) to clean up the seats.

Good luck,
Sludge :-)

People + dog + lots of outdoor activities + chicken wing grease = stained, dirty seats..

Help!

My dog pulled my coffee mug out of the cup holder(I never figured that one out!) and spilled a bunch of coffee on the passenger seat-a real mess, especially by the time the dog hair on the seat..........All I could do was wipe the excess coffee up with towels. When I got home several hours later, I bought some Turtle Wax Oxy Interior1 multipurpose cleaner(for fabric, vinyl & carpet)at Walmart and it did a fantastic job cleaning the mess up. I'm going to go over all of the seats with the stuff, now that my dog is confined(hopefully!) to the back seat, which I have covered with a waterproof pet hammock.

So, just thought I'd share that a mixture of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide and water (I tried a 50/50 mixture) produced AMAZING, no, MIRACULOUS results in cleaning the front seat after my poor sick dog blew out his back end. Prior to the Hydrogen Peroxide, I had shampooed the area and washed it with regular soap and water followed by the usual antibacterial cleaning spray. To my dismay the smell still remained. So last night I remember that Hydrogen Peroxide is a miracle worker when it comes to organic stains, and sure enough, it solved every last ounce of my issues.

I'm not sure if I'm entitled to offer this advice, but for dog drool, poo, vomit or anything remotely organic... spare yourself the cost of buying expensive cleaners. Just use hydrogen peroxide!

Cheers all.

I believe you've more or less found the secret to Oxy Clean :D

Glad to hear you got the stains out!

My wife wants to remove the seat covers on her '08 EX (with side airbags) so she can put them in the washing machine. I'm afraid they might be difficult to get back on correctly. Has anyone done this?

haven't, but i'd be careful not to shrink, may be better getting them dry cleaned... http://smiliesftw.com/x/nose.gif (http://smiliesftw.com)

If your talking about the upholstery, it's put on with hog rings and would be a major undertaking. Why does your wife want to was the upholstery? If you do go to the trouble to remove the upholstery you might as well replace it with leather. Leather will be much easier to clean than the factory material. I reupholstered my seats with leather because they were very hard to keep clean and I in my E about 4hrs a day. Drew:)

If it were me, I wouldn't. Too big a job and I'd put money on them not coming out the same shape/size to get back on.

If they're that bad, have you tried diluted Hydrogen Peroxide? There several threads on here about this. I've always been able to clean them well regardless of how bad my toddlers try to prove me otherwise...so far anyway. :rolleyes:

My wife washes the covers on my E about twice a year but Id recommend using and industrial washer at a landromat

Unless the seat material has changed the manufacturer of the material recommends to only use water and nothing else.

I was reaching for a pen to write down a phone number and didn't realize that the pen had leaked all inside the cap. When i pulled the cap off, ink splattered all over the passenger seat.
I know that there's supposed to be a way to get all manner of stains out of the special spiffy seat fabric, but I'm afraid anything I try is just going to spread them from small splatter spots into big stains.
Any suggestions?

My boss buys the cheapest pens at work and I always wind up with pen all over me, all over my hands, up my arm and then of course on my sleeves and then all over the desk.

I clean the desk up with just some rubbing alcohol or even Purell - which ever is closest. Since the seat is not a hard surface, regular rubbing alcohol may not work or maybe smear. For all of my shirts I keep Shout Advance (blue bottle) next to my hamper and spray and they come clean.

I know they make Shout wipes which may be a little better than spraying too much and soaking. What you might have to do is spray, blot with a towel, spray again, blot again, and keep doing this until the stain keeps coming up into the towel and no longer in the seat. If the Shout doesnt work, try rubbing alcohol.

I fear it may be a lost cause.
In addition to the splatter on the seat, I got one drop of ink on my jeans.
I've tried acetone, WD-40 and 99% alcohol, and the ink didn't budge.

Next step is replacement seat covers, I guess.
:-x

I use a stain remover by Tech. I've had it remove all kinds of stains, including ink. Here's a link to the website:

http://www.techstainremover.com/

good luck :-)

Take it to a good Auto Detailer. They will have commercial stuff that works, and know how to do it without damaging the seat, or spreading around the stain. Years ago had a friend trip in my driveway, while juggling a hot oil filter he had just taken off his truck. Darn thing sailed right through my open passenger window and onto the seat. Made a huge oily mess of the seat. Was Sunday. Blotted up what we could with paper towels, but looked for sure the fabric seat was totally ruined (Jeep Cherokee). Monday after work the friend drove it over to an Auto Detailer. 15 minutes later - seat looked like new.

I'm a carpet/furniture cleaner and the best advice I could give you would be to bring your car to someone in our industry.

Ink is one of the harder things to remove ever for us. We do have special solvents that can break the ink down and we also have the ability to extract the ink with a furniture cleaning tool properly.

You are running the risk of spreading the ink more working on it yourself and making it harder for one of us to get it out completely. Find a good furniture cleaner opposed to a car detailing shop. They will be more experienced and educated in fabric care.

My company has a $100.00 minimum and I'm sure you could find a company nearby that is in that neighborhood. Most likely they could clean all four seats and work on the ink spots for around this price.

I could give you some home solutions that would break down the ink but since you don't have the tools to extract it correctly it would do more harm than good.

Hope that helps!

Thanks for the advice.
I haven't tried to do anything about the stains on the seat for fear of making it worse.
I just tried to get out the one damned spot on my new jeans.

Hey guys, I'm a photographer and I get pretty dirty on shoots sometimes when I'm rolling around on the ground or handling equipment. Last Saturday I ended up getting some tree sap or some other sticky plant material on the back of my pants which in turn, got on my seat. I also managed to get grease on the seat from some of my equipment. What's the easiest way to clean this off without ruining or bleaching the seats?

try soap (like dawn or other) and water first with a sponge or clean towel and blot it out. If it's really crud ed on their try agitating it a bit. If that dosent work try a mild cleaner (like rug doctor upholstery cleaner) mixed with hot or worm water.I get most of my stane's out with that stuff, like grease oil and so on

stickey plant material??? you can do beter than that, well first if it was on your pants then try to see what disolves it, spit,soap,wd40, then try it on your seats where you cant see it if no problem you found the answer.

If it's realy cruded on their try agitating it a bit. If that dosent work try a mild cleaner (like rug doctor upolstry cleaner) mixed with hot or worm water.

That may be hard to find, how expensive is it?;-):grin:

I used carpet cleaner & goo gone on mine after my Ike catastrophe, also used a magic eraser and some spray paint;-)

(Ya I no I FU#@ED the word up) , Rug Doctor cleaner is available at most rental or grocery stores and goes for 6 or 7 $ a Quart. I work at a rental store in Clarks Summit so I have a steady supply if anyone wants to try it out..

stickey plant material??? you can do beter than that, well first if it was on your pants then try to see what disolves it, spit,soap,wd40, then try it on your seats where you cant see it if no problem you found the answer.

Lol I know what you're thinking, but it's really gotta be some kind of plant material or something. I was shooting a couple in a local park and I was sitting or laying on the ground to get some shots. Thinking nothing of it, I climbed into the E and left. I made a stop on the way home and when I was getting back into my car I saw something on the seats that was sticky and sap like. Then I felt the back of my pants and noticed it had adhered itself to one of my pant pockets.

I tried warm water and dish soap and scrubbed at it a bit, but it hasn't come out.

I was researching how to fix the rubber/vinyl part of the seats and the cracking problem. Has anyone tried spraying on a flexible coating? I tried the vinyl repair with the iron etc. and it held but not for long.

I found this website. I wonder if these coatings would work on seats? Could even do some custom coloring...

http://semproducts.com/Catalog.asp?prod=190

hot water carpet extractor with the detailer tool...get anything out.....the machine can also be used, too apply soapy water too the floor, you scrub with brush, and use machine too vacuum up the dirty water....

Well it is paint, not a bondo/filler type of product/ So it would probably freshen up the color but the cracks will still be there and the paint will probably soak down into the foam padding of the seat cushion. Not being a wet blanket, but paint is paint.

Probably better for dash boards or center consoles but not seats

Has anyone had experience with taking the factory seat covers off and machine washing them or other kind of cleaning? I noticed all of the zippers around the seats but haven't read the owner's manual to see. Just wanted to know how hard they are to get off, or better yet, how hard to put back on after cleaned.

Anyone wish to share their secret for cleaning these Honda items which are on the two front seats?

I'm a new E owner, had my 2010 EX for about a week and a half and am loving it. I just noticed an ugly half inch stain, which is thankfully on the passenger headrest, so I can take it into my house to work on it. Just scrubbing a little water into the stain helped a little, but it's still plainly visible. How can I clean my upholstery without hurting the fabric? Thanks!

UPDATE:

My roommate, who is an expert at all things cleaning, combined Shout with Simple Green in a cup with hot water and used a clean cotton kitchen rag to erase the stain in less than a minute. Just FYI.

glad you got the stain out,,,i was going to tell you to buy a can of tuff-stuff.i use it and its great,,any auto store has it,,its about $ 4 a can

Wanna hear a horror story about seat fabric? I gave mine the acid test... Um, no wait. I didn't try acid yet. Next time maybe.

Due to circumstances beyond my control, the following materials were spilled on the seat and lower back of my front passenger seat:

Yellow mustard - a long patch about 8-9" long and 1" wide. Was allowed to dry for nearly a week before being noticed.
Coneydog sauce - right next to the mustard, same time.

A LONG wide smear of Mobil-1 0W-20 motor oil from a punctured bottle - allowed to soak in to the seat bottom for the same time period.

A muddy athletic shoe footprint complete with crushed grass - I'm told when somebody tried to reach higher up on the roof with the door open.

And last but not least, a waxy deodorant type stick of a product like Ben-Gay, which the sun melted and it then flowed in to a big puddle covering much of the seat bottom before soaking through the fabric.

---------------------

So much for the test materials. The crew responsible for applying them are (hopefully) still running and looking over their shoulders.

---------------------

Everything except the melted Ben-Gay came out with a good soapy wet cloth and surprisingly little scrubbing. I used plain old Dawn dish detergent and the seat cleaned up like a miracle. What kind of fabric IS that stuff?

The Ben-Gay was tougher, being melted and solidified in the weave, but more HOT water and soap and scrubbing, accompanied by a good shop vac sucking the stuff back out of the seat again, got out everything but the overwhelming aroma of menthol, which finally aired out on its own after about a week of hot weather.

To answer your question, I strongly recommend Dawn dish soap and would love to know what that seat fabric is made of. I'd like to have a set of work clothes made out of it.

I'm pretty sure it's just coarse-weave polyester or nylon. In any case, the car was advertised as "stain resistant" at the dealership. I'm relieved we got the stain out, will confirm in the morning when I have good light.

I've tried using automotive interior cleaner but when rain drops get on the covers little marks are left behind. I followed the instructions the Honda seat covers came with and it worked like a charm and no more spots left when rain gets on them when getting in and out of the E when it's raining. The instructions say to use water only, after scrubbing with water and a clean rag I use my Shop-Vac to suck all the water out and let dry in the sun for an hour with the doors open.

Bringing back this old thread after a search, does the 2004 element share this same seat fabric? I just bought my E and am looking to clean the seats. I will try to soap and water technique when I get some time...

The soap and water system on the seats seems to work the best for me. I use the car washing soap for the exterior in warm water and a clean wash mit to scrub the spot/seat, then use the shop vac to pull out the soapy water, re-apply clean water to remove as much of the soap as possible and hit it again with the shop vac.

(note: careful not to use so much liquid that it's running down the back of the seat... just enough that you get the seat wet. There are wiring connections under the seat and probably should try and keep those dry)

With the right flavor soap, it'll also give you a clean car smell afterwards.

I have found that commom baby/bathroom wipes are great for removing a vast amount of different stains and dont leave any water circles on the seat fabric.
However, a small amount of dishwashing soap and water applied with a small fingerbrush will work too.

It helps if you have a EX with the stain resistant back seats too.

I have found that commom baby/bathroom wipes are great for removing a vast amount of different stains and dont leave any water circles on the seat fabric.
However, a small amount of dishwashing soap and water applied with a small fingerbrush will work too.

It helps if you have a EX with the stain resistant back seats too.

^+1

I carry around a small box of those in the cars and use them to wipe off anything that could stain ASAP. Usually that is all it takes!

Okay so I had the smart idea to take a bunch of my rugrat friends out to the lake; completely oblivious to the fact they would get mud ALL in my nice CLEAN Element....

After a good thorough cleaning job, I still can't seem to get the mud stains out of the front seats?

I scrubbed them down with Turtle Wax Apolstry (SP) cleaner, but it didn't phase them at all.

I think the stains are from the "clay-mud" from the lake and they're on the fabric part of the seats (in the middle). The mud might have been ground into the fabric?

Any ideas how to get these ugly mud stains out?

I use this.. Works great..
http://www.bissell.com/little-green-deep-cleaner/