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Auto Detailing and AppearanceShare tips and tricks on how to make your Third Gen shine! Get opinions on products or how something tasteful looks on your Chevrolet Camaro or Pontiac Firebird.
I'm to the stage of putting our Camaro interior back in, and since it's had several years of highway patrol and autocross use, the interior could use some cleaning. I've started with the back seats since they really didn't look that bad. I'm using an old can of Turtle Wax spray upholstery and carpet cleaner, and some Griot's spray foaming upholstery and carpet cleaner, and getting the same frustrating results. After spraying the fabric with the cleaner, I'm scrubbing it with a soft brush, then vacuuming the residue with a Hoover CleanSlate Plus Portable Carpet and Upholstery Spot Cleaner.
The frustrating thing is, that after all this work, a red/orange residue is showing up as the fabric dries. I've attached a picture of the top of the rear seat back for an example. That's after two such cleaning attempts, with the last attempt followed by a dry towel. The towel is on the bench to show what it's pulling off the fabric.
I'm guessing that the foam under the fabric is dissolving and soaking through the fabric? Anyone experience this phenomenon? If so, what's the solution? I'm afraid to do any more 'cleaning' for fear we'll end up with orange stains on the seats. Thanks for any help.
Same thing happened to me after using that turtle wax cleaner. Carpet turned orange on the test area after couple years.
I also had that orange residue come off the seats before from mixing cheap foam cleaners. I'm pretty sure it's a reaction of the cleaner itself.
I think best you can do if it still looks orange to you, is get the orange to come up as foam and dry vac it off.
If it still looks messed up and orange, you can try using warm water on a white cloth or use a lil spray bottle to lightly moisten the area and then pull it off the surface by dry vacuuming or blotting with a dry, white cloth/paper towel. But don't saturate with liquids or else you'll be back where you started. Keep using a clean spot each time you blot. Repeat until the surface looks as uniform as you can get it and leave it alone. You will probably have to feather the area as you go to prevent orange outlines. Dry with low heat if that helps the appearance.
After I did the above, like 7 years ago, I left mine alone and it has been fine. I don't use cleaners anymore.
Sorry that happened to you, it can be pretty annoying to deal with.
Same thing happened to me after using that turtle wax cleaner. Carpet turned orange on the test area after couple years.
I also had that orange residue come off the seats before from mixing cheap foam cleaners. I'm pretty sure it's a reaction of the cleaner itself.
I think best you can do if it still looks orange to you, is get the orange to come up as foam and dry vac it off.
If it still looks messed up and orange, you can try using warm water on a white cloth or use a lil spray bottle to lightly moisten the area and then pull it off the surface by dry vacuuming or blotting with a dry, white cloth/paper towel. But don't saturate with liquids or else you'll be back where you started. Keep using a clean spot each time you blot. Repeat until the surface looks as uniform as you can get it and leave it alone. You will probably have to feather the area as you go to prevent orange outlines. Dry with low heat if that helps the appearance.
After I did the above, like 7 years ago, I left mine alone and it has been fine. I don't use cleaners anymore.
Sorry that happened to you, it can be pretty annoying to deal with.
It didn't take a couple of years, it's immediate! I've never had Turtle Wax cleaner do that, but I guess times have changed. The second pass resulted in removing some of the orange, so I'll try it again. Running a vacuum cleaner over it after it dried did remove some of the residue, but not all of it, so I went at it again with the foam. It seems just about everything that can go wrong with this 'refresh' project has.
And @BURD, I already have one of those. I have this:
BAah!.............hot water with a little 'awesome' cleaner. I run it until dirty color quits with our steam vac. Then run a pass with clean water. Then suck as much water out as you can, blot dry with towels, soak with lysol, turn fans on it until dry. I've done seats and carpet in probably 15 vehicles like that.
I squirted the affected area with water from the Hoover and mostly blotted it with a clean towel. That did a decent job on the spots that got wet. I'll grab a spray bottle with a finer spray pattern from the house and hit the area again tomorrow and see how that does. I'm using distilled water in the Hoover to side track any possible issues with the minerals in our well water. I may also try some 'That's Incredible' that we use when the pups have an accident on fabric that's been really good for that.
what burd said. need a good steam cleaner. I used a Bissell 3624. Brought them back to new! Used a combo of Zep carpet shampoo, Meguiars 10219 and probably a few other things. If I recall, I primarily used the Zep. Cheap, effective and didn't cause any problems. smells good too. test in hidden area first.
The second pass resulted in removing some of the orange, so I'll try it again. Running a vacuum cleaner over it after it dried did remove some of the residue, but not all of it, so I went at it again with the foam. It seems just about everything that can go wrong with this 'refresh' project has. 
