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Drying out the car seat?

2K views 22 replies 18 participants last post by  Tr4vis Ka1anick 
#1 ·
What's the best way to dry out the back seat in a car?

The story:

Ping request, pick up turns out to be a Teen Party breaking up early, around midnight. As I arrive, 15-20 cars parked on the street, 30-40 teens standing in the middle of the street, 3-4 U/L drivers trying to drive through. You know, typical cluster!

As I start to get through, the kid runs into the street, and walks straight at my car, into my headlights. He puts his hands on my hood, then goes to the door and tries to open it. I'm in the middle of the street so I just gas it, and park 3 houses down. My intention was to shuffle, but before I could get away, he's at my door again. I relent, he gives me his mom's name. I tell him next time to stay out of the street, and I drive him home.

When he gets out of the car, he sulks away. I check the back, and he's opened 2 bottles of water and poured them on the back seat.

The account has been permanently deactivated, but how do I dry the seat? Shop-Vac, but what about the padding? Uber is paying $20 (cheap bastards) so it must be simple, right?
 
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#4 ·
Shop-vac and open the doors to get some air flowing as well.

You might already be aware of this but if the seats are not not clean they will show some staining even with just water. If that happens you're going to want to shampoo the whole seat to get it clean.
 
#5 ·
the kid runs into the street, and walks straight at my car, into my headlights. He puts his hands on my hood, then goes to the door and tries to open it. before I could get away, he's at my door again. I relent, he gives me his mom's name. I

he's opened 2 bottles of water and poured them on the back seat.
Now do you understand why you do not haul minors?
 
#6 ·
add to the list of why I don't driver after dark. This one #1 now. Barf to #2.


ok now, a few RS gigs specialize in minors....
Uber could break into this niche market; just need to find drivers who are qualfied and and stand a much deeper background check and have child care experience......Certainly pays more, well Uber might keep the 'more' part.....
 
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#8 · (Edited)
Whenever I do seat cleanings I found this stuff works best to dry throughout the day and overnight. DampRid is at Target and Walmart among other stores. They're 10 ounce size around the size of a cereal bowl and around $5 for a 2 pack which 2 works better than 1 but maybe 1 will work.
Might still need a seat cleaning sometimes from a water spill. Getting $100-$120 portable carpet cleaners have been the best investment I've made instead of having to go to car washes. Currently have a Bissell Little Green ProHeat l clean the seats once in a while wotu. Also NeverWet Auto Interior spray and wipe on for car interiors protection (make sure you wipe it evenly no drips left or the drips look like something else white happened.) But some people have mixed results with it not working.
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damprid2.JPG
 
#10 ·
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What were you thinking?!? Lordy, lordy, lordy. Given a choice of picking up (a) teenage Satans or (b) The Grim Reaper, Regan from the Exorcist and Donald Trump standing together in a red curb no stopping zone, solo cups and aux cord in hand, arguing and screaming at each other outside a bar on the drunk shift at 2am with no surge and a 45+ ping, there'd be no contest. When you roll up and the pickup is a teen party, you keep on truckin', no matter what.

Anyway, to answer your question, car upholstery is made of open cell foam, not closed cell. Water goes into the seats and it will come out again. All you have to do is leave your car out in the sun with the windows cracked and the water will evaporate out of the seats. It may take a day; maybe two, depending on the heat available and the amount of water.
 
#11 ·
After drop off, don't end trip, park and call or go talk to the boys mother, also call the police for the vandalism, get a police report and then take mom to small claims for $500. If you do this, don't leave the location of dropoff untill the police arrive and take a report. Do not report to uber, they will deactivate you for TOS violation ( ie hauling minors ) as an excuse to avoid responsibility.
 
#13 ·
Uber is paying $20 (cheap bastards) so it must be simple, right?
$20 for someone Covid peeing on your seats?
$20 for someone's Covid filled bodily fluids on the seats?
Or did you actually tell Uber they poured water on the seats. DOH!
but how do I dry the seat?
After blotting up the bulk with towel (put your weight on it), spray Windex or some type ammonia product on it.
Ammonia will bond with water and make it evaporate quicker.
Also you can get a 12v hair dryer to speed the drying a bit.
 
#14 ·
Thanks for everyone's help. Some details that complicate the situation but didn't think were relevant to the quest:

I'm in California, in the El Dorado fire area. Stage 3 air quality warning today. Tried to get to the car and was having trouble breathing. The car is musty inside, steam. Sprayed Lysol.

Stain appeared from padding into cloth. But it was powdered and easily brushed away.

Went to my local Car Wash with good vacuums. Was using vacs and employee offered advice. Essentially said same thing as you guys. Vac excess, let it evaporate, and use environment safe mildew remover. I use Damp Rid in my house, didn't even think of it.
 
#16 ·
It might not be worth throwing any money at but technically all the car guys I’ve worked with we would rent one of those fans from Home Depot that really moves air over an area. Frankly though knowing how well my back seat handled one of the mean girls’ cider I’d probably do not all that much.
 
#21 · (Edited)
What's the best way to dry out the back seat in a car?

The story:

Ping request, pick up turns out to be a Teen Party breaking up early, around midnight. As I arrive, 15-20 cars parked on the street, 30-40 teens standing in the middle of the street, 3-4 U/L drivers trying to drive through. You know, typical cluster!

As I start to get through, the kid runs into the street, and walks straight at my car, into my headlights. He puts his hands on my hood, then goes to the door and tries to open it. I'm in the middle of the street so I just gas it, and park 3 houses down. My intention was to shuffle, but before I could get away, he's at my door again. I relent, he gives me his mom's name. I tell him next time to stay out of the street, and I drive him home.

When he gets out of the car, he sulks away. I check the back, and he's opened 2 bottles of water and poured them on the back seat.

The account has been permanently deactivated, but how do I dry the seat? Shop-Vac, but what about the padding? Uber is paying $20 (cheap bastards) so it must be simple, right?
Out on the Road

I used to wet & remove all " offending material" with windshield washing paper towels.
Then vaccum up ALL moisture possible!
( actually . . . vaccum up Bulk of " Offending Material" before wetting and shampooing)

Then put cracks in all windows . . . and Turn HEAT UP HIGH. crack in windows allows humidity to escape.
Usually in about an hour i was good to go
After " Field Dressing" my car.

Turn the heat on full blast.

By the time you finish dismembering and disposing of his body parts, it should be dry.
Gesture Font Terrestrial animal Event Art
 

Attachments

#23 ·
Whenever I do seat cleanings I found this stuff works best to dry throughout the day and overnight. DampRid is at Target and Walmart among other stores. They're 10 ounce size around the size of a cereal bowl and around $5 for a 2 pack which 2 works better than 1 but maybe 1 will work.
Might still need a seat cleaning sometimes from a water spill. Getting $100-$120 portable carpet cleaners have been the best investment I've made instead of having to go to car washes. Currently have a Bissell Little Green ProHeat l clean the seats once in a while wotu. Also NeverWet Auto Interior spray and wipe on for car interiors protection (make sure you wipe it evenly no drips left or the drips look like something else white happened.) But some people have mixed results with it not working.
. View attachment 507146
I am late to this thread but for future FYI:

Get the large DampRid (see below). It has a permeable sealed top for the dampness but won't spill like the smaller ones which have slats / vents . I live in a humid rainy area and keep one in the back passenger floor area when not running Uber.

Put the defroster on high fan / high heat as opposed to just the heater. The defroster runs the A/C which draws humidity out of the cabin of the car.

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