Stains on infant seats and fabric car seat covers are almost inevitable when you're carting kids around. Those often-mysterious spots linger on the back seats, only to be discovered when you remove their car seat completely, which - let's face it - doesn't happen often.

Countless online tips insist the best way to clean car seat stains is to do so with home-remedy solutions such as club soda or dish soap. Club soda is a popular option for dissolving liquid spills, but it won't help much when cleaning sticky stains or ground-in, greasy messes. On the other hand, dish soap might not work deep enough into the upholstery fibers to restore car seat fabric to its original color.

Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner is a cleaner, degreaser, deodorizer, and stain remover that powers out dirt and grime and removes stubborn stains on washable surfaces without discoloring or degrading them. The versatile formula can be used to treat individual stains or in a carpet cleaning machine for deep cleaning.

For further directions on how to clean cloth car seats, click here. To see how to clean your car's interior carpet, click here.

Directions for Cleaning Car Seats:

If you're unsure how Simple Green will affect your car seat, be sure to spot test before cleaning. If you aren't sure if Simple Green is compatible with a specific fabric, contact the item's manufacturer for confirmation.

Spot Cleaning

1. Vacuum. Start by vacuuming the car seat to remove dirt and crumbs sitting on the surface. Use the brush attachment to brush up any loose particles.
2. Wet the surface. Lightly spray the seat with water to help the Simple Green penetrate dirt and make it easier to wipe clean. Take extra care not to oversaturate the seat with water or cleaner throughout the process.
3. Apply full strength Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner. Spray on and allow the cleaning solution to soak in for about a minute. Work on one area at a time - try not to let the cleaner dry on the surface before step 5.
4. Scrub. Scrubbing with a soft drill brush, soft bristle scrub brush, or non-abrasive scrubbing pad provides agitation to loosen soils.
5. Rinse with clean water. Rinse by wiping with a damp microfiber towel.
6. Allow to air dry. Do not allow your child to use the car seat until it is completely dry.
7. Repeat if necessary. Heavy soils may require repeated application.

Carpet Cleaning Machine

1. Vacuum. Vacuum the seat to remove dirt and crumbs sitting on the surface. Use the brush attachment to brush up any loose particles.
2. Wet the surface. Lightly spray the seat with water to help the Simple Green penetrate dirt and make it easier to wipe clean. Take extra care not to oversaturate the seats with water or cleaner throughout the process.
3. Apply full strength Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner. Spray on and allow the product to soak in for about a minute. Work on one area at a time – try not to let the cleaner dry on the surface.
4. Scrub. Scrubbing with a soft drill brush, soft bristle scrub brush, or non-abrasive scrubbing pad provides agitation to loosen soils.
5. Extract. Use the extraction tool on a carpet cleaner and clean water to extract the dirty liquid.
6. Allow the cleaned area to completely dry. Do not allow your child to use the car seat until it is completely dry.
7. Repeat if necessary. Heavy soils may require repeated application.

Do not allow Simple Green solution to dry onto upholstered surfaces. If residues are allowed to dry onto the surface, use vinegar or a hydrogen peroxide and baking soda solution to remove.