How to dry car interior in winter

If your car's heat and A/C both work, it has everything it needs to dry itself better than anything we could come up with.

When you switch on your car's front "defroster" / "defogger" (the little windshield symbol), you are essentially running the heat and A/C at the same time -- the two basic components that make up a commercial dehumidifier.

You've probably seen that puddle that forms beneath running cars on a hot day. That's condensation from the A/C. That water came from the air inside the car -- human breath, sweat, air leaked in from outside. As air blows across the cooling coils, water condenses and drains outside.

However, as everyone knows, hot air is best for removing moisture from wet surfaces. A clothes dryer is a basic example.

Put these two concepts together and you have a dehumidifier -- cooling coils to pull water out of air, heating coils to re-heat the air so it will absorb water again, and a fan to keep it moving.

So, crank up the defogger, put the windows up, and come back in 30 minutes***. You'll be surprised how well it works. If you have an older car with the little A/C button, be sure it's on. If you can manage to get the heat coming from the main vents AND turn on the A/C button, that'll work even better.

***If it needs to be said, don't run your car for long periods in an enclosed garage. Someone could die in there.

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Last Updated on 4 days by Ollie Barker

Car seats are made from many different types of material: leather, vinyl, cloth, mesh, and others. This is an important consideration to make when determining how to dry car seats winter. Some materials will dry more quickly than others and some may be better suited for the weather conditions in your geographical location.

Drying car seats in winter can present a challenge as it can either take longer or faster depending on the type of material and how much snow or rain there has been.

Table of Contents

• How Long Does It Take To Dry A Car Seat?
  • Cloth
  • Leather
  • Vinyl
  • Mesh
  • Wet Car Seats With No Water In It:
• Methods to Dry Car Seats Winter
  • #1 Dry with Towels
  • #2 Vacuum It Out
  • #3 Drip-Drying Your Seats
  • #4 Leave the Fans On
  • #5 Try an Air Mover
• FAQs
  • #1 Does Baking Soda Draw Out Moisture?
  • #2 Does Borax Draw Out Odor?
  • #3 Why Are My Car Seats Damp?
• How to Dry Car Seats in Winter Conclusion:

How Long Does It Take To Dry A Car Seat?

The process of drying car seats won’t take too long if and only if you pick a warm sunny day to do it. Even after the seats have been completely wet on both sides, the time it takes to dry differs depending on how much moisture was absorbed by the seat’s material.

Find out: How often can you wash your car during winter?!

For instance, car leather will generally absorb more water than cloth, and it will be harder to remove it from the seat without a lot more effort.

To give you an idea, here is the time it takes to dry a car seat depending on the material it’s made from:

Cloth

Depending on how much rain or snow has been absorbed, cloth can dry in just an hour. If the moisture has already seeped into the vinyl over a period of time, then it can even more than one day to dry the car.

Leather

Car leather interior will take longer than cloth to dry because of its absorption rate and heavier structure.

Vinyl

It’s very fast to dry. Just give it a few hours of direct sunlight, and the water will be gone.

Mesh

The material is made from polyester, which can absorb liquid quickly, so it dries in one or two days (depending on the weather).

Wet Car Seats With No Water In It:

Wet car seats after a rainy day can be a big challenge because they are much more slippery and harder to clean. Wet seats can have obvious moisture on the seat’s surface, but it is still hard to determine how much of it there is without testing. This means that you must test each seat for this amount of moisture before putting it away. Always remember one dry car seat will not save you from mold or mildew.

To test your seats, pour a cup of water onto the seat’s surface and allow it to sit for at least an hour. That is a good amount of time to see how much moisture there is without having to take the seat apart. Take the cup of water out and dab it with a paper towel if you see spots or other signs of wetness.

Read more: The ultimate guide for PDR glue sticks you should know!

Methods to Dry Car Seats Winter

The best way to dry out car seats that have been soaking in rain or snow is by placing them in direct sunlight. However, if you don’t have the luck of the sun on that day, here are some methods you can use

#1 Dry with Towels

The first method is to use towels to dry out car seats. It’ll take a few hours, but it will get the job done.

You can use one of many different types of towels for this purpose. However, the type you should choose is not essential and can be anything like paper towels or cotton washcloths. Just remember that they must be soft since you are going to touch and feel them when they are damp so that you know if they are dry yet.

#2 Vacuum It Out

Another way to dry a wet car seat is by vacuuming it out. Make sure you get the excess moisture out of the seat and then vacuum it out. This is an effective technique to dry most types of car seats that have been soaked but still use disposable paper towels to take out small amounts of moisture.

#3 Drip-Drying Your Seats

If you’re going to hang out your car seats to dry in the sun or any other place, drip-drying is a good option. It’s a neat little trick that will save you money on heating and electric bills. Plus, when you drip dry your wet car seats, they won’t be sitting around for too long since the sun will only have to dry them for a few hours.

#4 Leave the Fans On

If you have a cold car seat, it’s best to leave the fan on overnight for safety. This is not an immediate method that will dry your seats in one night, but it is the safest way to ensure that they are completely dry in a few days.

#5 Try an Air Mover

The last thing you want to do is leave your car seats out and not have direct sunlight either. That’s why a great way to dry out your wet car seats is by using an air mover. It blows hot air around the seat and can speed up the drying process.

As with all methods, be sure to note the results of each method before moving on.

FAQs

#1 Does Baking Soda Draw Out Moisture?

Baking soda, a common household product found in many kitchens, uses baking soda to absorb water and help dry out wet items. In fact, it’s so effective that it has been used in the home for more than 100 years!

The dryer method can be done by sprinkling baking soda onto the seat and allowing it to sit for an hour. As with any other cleaning method, never use baking soda to wash your car seats, as they are designed to be cleaned with water only.

#2 Does Borax Draw Out Odor?

Most car seats are made from fabrics and plastics that are not very porous. However, if you do use any type of borax in your car seat, the fiberglass can absorb the leftover moisture.

This can lead to both bad odor and mold when you try to clean it. Although borax may seem like a good idea, better options include baking soda or even a vacuum pile with a wet sponge.

#3 Why Are My Car Seats Damp?

Snow and rain happen more often in winter, which means you want the temperature to be above freezing to avoid any water getting into your car’s seats. A good way to do this is by using a cover, especially if you live in a place that experiences a lot of snow and rain.

How to Dry Car Seats in Winter Conclusion:

As you can see, all car seats are different, so drying them requires more than just a few hours. If you need to dry out your car seat immediately, consider using paper towels and dabbing the moisture. However, make sure that it is completely dry before placing anything on it.

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