How many times do we have car covers that end up looking like old rags? Not giving the appropriate maintenance to your car cover can affect your car too. The fabric can wear down and let rainwater, bird droppings, and dust, just to name a few enemies of your car's paint, in. In this post, we will cover the easiest ways to wash a dirty car cover and the mistakes to avoid.
- Machine wash on a delicate cycle in cold water, in a commercial washer.
- Rinse an extra time, then air dry. No hot water, softener or dryer.
- No machine? Wash it on the car with a hose, mild soap and a cloth.
- Dusty between washes? Shake it out or vacuum it.
Wash a car cover in a washing machine
Check the tag
Make sure your car cover is machine washable. Most are, but check the tag to be extra sure.
You may not be able to use a domestic washing machine to complete the task because some have a central agitator. Instead, pay a visit to a laundromat and use a commercial washer.
Cold water
Let the washer fill with cold water.
Mild detergent
Add the recommended amount of a delicate laundry detergent, such as Woolite, or around ¼ c. of Simple Green diluted in 1 c. of water.
Delicate cycle
If the washer has cycle options, press the one for delicate clothes.
Extra rinse
Once the cycle is over, rinse an extra time.
Air dry
Air dry the car cover.
Avoid using
- AvoidHot water.
- AvoidDomestic washing machine.
- AvoidClothes softener.
- AvoidAggressive detergents.
- AvoidClothes dryer.
How to clean a dusty car cover?
In case you have already washed your car cover but you notice it gets dusty quickly, you can keep it clean by using any of these options:
- Option 1Shake the cover. Check the wind direction so you won't get all the dust on yourself.
- Option 2Use a vacuum cleaner.
Wash a dirty car cover at home
If you are wondering “how do I clean a car cover at home?” here is the easiest way to do it:
Cover on the car
Put the cover on your car.
Soap and water
Fill a bucket with cold or warm water and mild soap.
Hose it down
Wet the cover with a hose to take off any residues, like dust or bird droppings.
Scrub with a cloth
Soak a cloth with the soap solution in the bucket and then scrub the car cover.
Rinse with the hose
Once it's clean, rinse it with the hose two or three times.
Turn it inside out
Turn the cover inside out and repeat the previous steps.
Air dry
Let it air dry, extending it on your garden or hanging it on a clothesline.
Avoid using
- AvoidHot water.
- AvoidClothes softener.
- AvoidAggressive detergents.
- AvoidColorful piece of cloth since it can stain the car cover depending on the fabric.
Read the full cover care instructions
Clean bird droppings and sap from a car cover
If you park your car under a tree, expect any of these elements to dirty your car cover. To remove them, you can use a washing machine or clean it by hand following the steps already explained before.
The only extra step you should include is soaking the cover in warm water first so the particles of poop and sap can loosen before you start washing the cover with soap.
How to clean a stained car cover?
If you haven't cleaned your car cover in a long time, you may notice that even after washing it, the fabric looks stained. To make your car cover look as good as new, use these tips to clean:
- Bird poopFill a bucket with warm water, add detergent and vinegar. Use a cloth to rub the solution on the stain until it is removed.
- SapUse a cloth and rubbing alcohol to rub the stain of sap. Once it has softened, scrape the sap with a spoon.
Machine washable, and matched to your exact car.
Our covers are machine washable and include the AllGuard Protection Warranty. The AllGuard Platinum Shield is breathable, water-resistant 300D polyester (D is denier, a yarn weight) with a fleece liner.
Sources (13)
- Machine wash on the delicate cycle in cold water, with the recommended amount of a delicate laundry detergent such as Woolite or around ¼ c. of Simple Green diluted in 1 c. of water, and rinse an extra time. carcovers.com
- Our covers are machine washable. Avoid hot water, fabric softener, harsh cleaning agents and the clothes dryer, and hang to air dry. The care page also says to avoid a top-load machine with a center agitator. carcovers.com
- To hand wash, put the cover on the car, hose it, scrub with mild detergent and a cloth, rinse, turn it inside out and repeat, then hang to dry. carcovers.com
- Cleaning a car cover is essential to its longevity and continued protection. carcovers.com
- Most covers are machine washable, but check the tag. A commercial laundromat's front-loader is better than a domestic top-loader, which can spin too harshly. Shake off dirt and debris, and hang a washed cover on a clothesline. Grime can degrade a cover's breathability and water-repelling. jalopnik.com
- Presoaking a stained item in warm water before laundering can help. tide.com
- Warm water, a soft cloth and some soap, rubbed gently, lift sap and bird droppings. mwg.aaa.com
- Dishwashing liquid and white vinegar in water treat bird droppings on fabric. sunbrella.com
- A spoon or dull knife scrapes excess sap off fabric, and rubbing alcohol on a cloth treats the rest. tide.com
- Rubbing alcohol on a cloth is the first line of attack on tree sap. Avoid parking near sap-producing trees. consumerreports.org
- Dye from a darker or brightly colored item can transfer onto a lighter fabric when they are wet together. tide.com
- Our covers include the AllGuard Protection Warranty. The AllGuard Platinum Shield is breathable, water-resistant 300D polyester with a fleece liner. carcovers.com
- Denier (D) is a measure of yarn weight: grams per 9,000 metres of yarn. en.wikipedia.org
