Content

• To step
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

In winter weather, chances are that the floor of your car will be covered with white salt stains. These stains are best removed after the last frost. Fortunately, this is not that complicated, although it is not the most exciting activity.

To step

1. Fill a spray bottle half with warm water and half with white vinegar. Vinegar is a natural cleaning agent that may have an unpleasant odor, but it works very well. If you don't have a sprayer, you can also use a bucket or bowl.
   • Don't have vinegar? You can also use dish soap, but this will probably be a lot less effective. There are also carpet cleaners and special salt stain removers, but if you had, you probably weren't on this page by now.
2. Spray the stain with the mixture. If you are not using a spray bottle, you can gently pour some of the mixture over the stain to allow it to absorb into the fabric.
   • If you have a brush, you can use it now. However, don't be too rough; the goal is to loosen the salt, not rub it deeper into the fabric. So brush gently over the fabric and bring the stain to the surface.
3. Press a dry, clean towel against the wet area. Gently pat the fabric clean, again taking care not to press the stain deeper into the fabric, but absorb the liquid and dirt with the towel.
4. Remove the wet towel. If your towel is completely soaked, but there is still liquid left, use a second towel to absorb the rest of the moisture.
   • You can also perform this step with a suitable vacuum cleaner. To do this, dab the area with the towel to absorb the moisture and then vacuum up the salt with the vacuum cleaner. This also prevents the vinegar smell from lingering.
   • If you cannot get the stain out, repeat the above steps a few times. Salt can be very stubborn, but with a little patience you can absolutely get it out of your car upholstery. If the vinegar isn't working (although it should definitely hit after a few tries), you can try a product formulated specifically to remove salt stains.
5. Don't forget to do something about the smell! Once you've applied the vinegar, your upholstery won't smell too fresh. It is therefore wise to give your car enough fresh air during and after cleaning so that you do not have to drive to work on Monday in the stench.
   • Are the salt stains mainly on your floor mats? Then take these out of the car, clean them and hang them outside to dry. Make sure you don't put them on the ground; then there is a chance that you will immediately cause new salt stains!
   • If the stains are on parts of the upholstery that you cannot remove, leave your windows open for a while to air out.

Tips

• Don't get discouraged if a stain doesn't come out right away; if you treat it with vinegar a few times, you will undoubtedly get this done in the end.
• If you don't feel like spending a whole day removing stains, you can also clean your upholstery on the go. Make sure you remove the towel in time and let the carpet dry well.
• You can also use a foaming carpet cleaner from a car dealer. Apply this with a soft plastic brush to cleanse the area.

Warnings

• Don't give in to the temptation to give the fabric a thorough brushing. This will not remove the stain and may damage the fabric.

Necessities

• Plant sprayer or bucket
• Vinegar
• Towel
• Wet and dry vacuum cleaner (optional)
• Brush (optional)