Dirty Center Console

Since you are overwhelmed with replys (is anyone just whelmed these days?) I thought I'd chime in. I've had good luck cleaning the center console cover with a damp white washcloth. That gets most of the grime off.

In November last year, a parking valet brought the car back with ball point pen marks all over the side on the cloth. For that I successfully used Shout towelettes (from the grocery store) to just wipe away the stain. You could always try foam upholstery shampoo, too, but I bet the damp washcloth does the trick.

 

Long Term Solution

I rented an 05 Prius TRAC car with tan cloth upholstery for 4 months before I took delivery on my 06 Package 8. Dogs, kids, shopping bags; what a mess.

Bill is right about cloth being easy to clean, but I'd be concerned long-term wear and tear. An old seat cover on the TRAC car solved the dirty back seat seat problem for the dog visits (I'd buy one sized for the Prius) and my dealer installs matching vinyl center and side arm rests for around $150. Also, keep car mats in the car ALL the time. The TRAC car came without mats and the rugs don't have the same resilient type finish as the seats; some of the stains I picked up were impossible to get out.

If you're really bothered, shop around for after market leather/vinyl seats, which I've seen on this site at prices starting around $500, uninstalled.

Don't let the cloth seats keep you from enjoying your new Prius.

 

Oxy-Clean! The greatest advance for cleaning slightly-out-of-the-ordinary household dirt I've ever seen!

I used to use just ordinary dish soap and a sponge to clean the armrest cover on my earlier ('01-'02) Priuses. And that was good enough.

Then I broke down and bought a small tub of Oxy-Clean, after verifying in Consumer Reports that it is indeed something new, and indeed works. The stuff is amazing (as now testified to by the horde of imitators on store shelves)---and not cheap, compared to regular detergents. You mix very little of the powder with water. (They include a little measurement scoop and an explanation of how much to add to different quantities of water, for different cleaning jobs.)

I use it mainly for carpet stains/excessive dirt, but just a tiny bit of it will bring back the armrest cloth like new (unless it's something like India ink or red dye #9, etc.)

 

I have Robin's covers on the armrests and console, I chose black leather and they work great and look good too. She sells them on eBay and is a member of PC.

 

She also can make them in vinyl, though I appear to be the only person who would rather not have leather. I'm going with black even though I have the ivory interior - I think it will look good with the dash.

 

i got this center console cover with my GTcovers:

http://priuschat.com/forums/album_showpage...ll=&pic_id=1366

it cleans up so easily. a wet rag and a bit of scrubbing and you're set.

 

I have to say that the fabric on the seats etc is very easy to clean! I have been amazed at how well plain water does on removing stains including coffee.