Gromit lives under a carport, and it amazed me how dirty he got just sitting there for a day or two. I recently bought (used) an OEM outdoor car cover, which does a great job of keeping the MINI clean, but over time it has become dirty. In addition to the dust and stuff that gets on it while parked in the carport, I have noticed dirt and brake dust where it goes over and around the wheel areas-as a matter of fact, I have a perfect outline of "Goodyear" on one side where the cover fits over the tire.

I searched the forums and didn't find anything to cover the topic of which soap/cleaners to use to clean the cover(mainly any stains and such that show up). I don't have a big area to lay it out(only the carport, which isn't paved)-and I don't think it needs to lay on the ground to be cleaned then put on the car with any grit it may have picked up.

Any ideas or recommendations?

 

I would just wash it in the laundry, by it's self, gentle soap and wash cycle. Don't add any softeners. Then tumble dry.

If it won't fit in your washing machine at home, go to a coin-op. It will fit in their big tumble washers.

Mark

 

I take mine to a dry cleaner. Yeah it would fit in a coin-op laundry "large" washer but some how the dry cleaner gets all the dust and sand out of it. The cover is over a car which drives on a dirt road and lives in a dirt world. So it's almost always covering a dusty car. Hence, lots of dust in the cover.

 

My cover is waterproof on one side and soft cloth on the other. After a few weeks under our Aspen the silver side get very sticky so I just wash it with car soap while it is on the MINI and let it dry. Then I flip it inside out on the MINI and rinse with just water. Then I vacuum it and let it dry.

 

I would try a mild soap in my washing machine, the factor cover is not real bulky. IF I were to try some spot type cleaners, pre-washes, I would try it out on the bag the the factory cover comes in. I wouldn't be upset if I goofed up the bag but would not take a chance with spot cleaners, pre washers till I tried it on the storage bag first. (Hint, hint)

 

Speaking from experience now are we?

I guess I should count myself lucky to have a garage.

 

I always want to take care of my goodies, and go a little over board not to mess something up. Depends on how one looks at it, garage at home, car cover at work. Always keep my good toys covered when not at home.

 

The instructions that came with my Mini OEM cover recommends to machine wash with Simple Green I tried it, works good and smells even better