Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Do It Yourself Car Upholstery

You can create your own personal look for your car upholstery


Car upholstery can be simple to install and care for by the car owner. To create a unique, polished look to a vehicle, companies offer fabric, leather or vinyl for car seat covers. Personal preference, style and ability to care for the fabric should contribute to the upholstery choice. For busy lifestyles, a leather or vinyl choice is easy to wipe down; for comfort, fabric is preferred by most car owners.


Instructions


Car Upholstery Kits


1. Consider the type of upholstery that benefits the car owner. Make sure the upholstery matches the lifestyle of the people who use the car most often. For example, a vinyl car upholstery kit may be suitable for individuals with children, as the seats wash easily. A fabric upholstery kit works best for comfort. Finally, leather is classy, looks clean and is fairly easy to patch.


2. Make sure the upholstery kit has a guarantee. Most kits are guaranteed to fit specific cars, and a guarantee is a promise the product will work with the specified vehicle. If the product is not guaranteed, there is no promise from the company of a quality product, so the company does not necessarily have to back up their creation. Make sure the kit is guaranteed and recommended for the intended vehicle.


3. If possible, make sure the kit comes with detailed instructions. A kit with little to no help included is useless. To make the upholstery look professional and sharp, the instructions must be thorough.


Car Upholstery Care


4. Mending upholstery is easier and cheaper than most car owners believe. A simple upholstery repairing kit is available at many hardware or car care stores, and they are easy to use. Find a patch which matches your car's upholstery. Use a curved needle because a straight needle is difficult to manage. Make sure the thread is strong enough to endure bending and stretching. Carefully stitch the patch into the torn area. If the upholstery is leather or vinyl, apply upholstery gel to the repair, and the upholstery is fixed.


5. Methods of cleaning upholstery are differentiated by the type. Leather can be cleaned by an interior cleaning leather solution, followed by leather conditioners. Fabric can be steam cleaned or spot cleaned by a spray-on upholstery cleaner. Vinyl requires a simple soap and water solution.


6. Maintaining upholstery to keep the vehicle looking sharp requires daily attention. Remove trash as soon as the vehicle is vacated. Clean spills as they happen, if possible. Condition leather to maintain the look and reduce sun fading. Vacuum fabric often, and spot clean vinyl.







Tags: upholstery, leather vinyl, Make sure, Make sure, Make sure upholstery, most owners, sure upholstery, your upholstery