How to properly wash and clean Alcantara material

October 1, 2019

Alcantara is an artificial composite fabric that, in appearance and texture, replaces natural suede. It is characterized by increased strength and wear resistance, which makes it an excellent material for car interior trim. Alcantara car covers are also popular among car owners. They decorate the interior and are durable. However, during use, the covers inevitably become dirty and stained. Therefore, to maintain their appearance, periodic cleaning is required, which must be performed taking into account the characteristics of the material.

How often to care

What the Alcantara manufacturer (Alcantara SpA) advises you to do:

1. Remove dust every day with a vacuum cleaner, brush and dry cloth.
2. Every week after dry cleaning, do a wet cleaning using a clean cotton cloth soaked in water.
3. Wash covers every year. The material only needs thorough washing twice a year - after winter and summer. You need to wash the covers by hand (in warm water) or in the washing machine, selecting “delicate wash”. After this, the fabric is dried and ironed.

Whatever type of material you buy from Gorod Ltd (catalog and prices on the website), the principles of care are the same.

Special Moments

1. The upholstery cannot be removed, so you have to be content with a vacuum cleaner and a damp sponge. If the stains are not removed, you can use detergents, but not aggressive ones.
2. All-purpose cleaners are not an option. They can not only damage the upholstery, but also cause skin problems.
3. Do not use carpet cleaners! They settle on the villi. Since Alcantara is similar to faux suede, you can buy products for this type of material.
4. Do not use chlorine bleach or trichlorethylene.
5. Do not allow Alcantara to come into direct contact with steam appliances. You can remove stains using the device only at low temperatures.
6. After cleaning with water, the Alcantara should dry well, after which it is necessary to comb out the lint.
7. If pellets appear (during long-term use), use a fabric trimmer and the problem will be solved.

Alcantara fabric - what kind of material is it, is it worth using it for upholstered furniture and car seats?

Alcantara fabric has the texture of natural suede and is essentially its analogue. In the automotive and aviation industries it is used for upholstery of seats and interiors, and in the furniture industry for upholstery of sofas and armchairs. Some types of Alcantara are suitable for sewing clothing and accessories.

Replica or original?

Initially, this premium material was produced only by the Italian company Alcantara SpA. Later, Chinese and Turkish replicas appeared on the market, which are significantly inferior in quality to the original, but attract buyers at a low cost. The price per meter of Alcantara starts from $70, while a fake can be bought for only $10.

Since third-party factories do not have the right to produce fabric under a brand that belongs to another company, all replicas have their own brands. For example, Dinamica or Fanta. However, the common people call any artificial suede Alcantara, which often leads to misunderstanding. When purchasing fabric, you should always check who and where it was produced.

Varieties

There are 7 lines of original Alcantara:

• Relax (with backing);
• Master (without backing);
• Avant (features increased fire resistance);
• Goffrato (canvas covered with various patterns);
• Pashma (two-color fabric);
• Starlite (has round perforations over the entire surface);
• Domino (with backing and square perforation).

The color scheme has more than 100 options. The most popular colors are black, beige and grey, while buyers also often choose orange, blue, white, red and brown.

All types of this material are 68% polyester and 32% polyurethane.

The manufacturer does not separate Alcantara for cars and furniture. The upholsterer or production technologist independently determines what type of fabric is suitable for a particular product. In this case, they focus on the indicators of thickness and resistance to tearing.

Benefits of Alcantara

Alcantara has gained worldwide fame thanks to its durability. It can last even 10 years with constant use of the product - this is a fantastic period if you take into account the fact that most replicas require replacement after a year and only a few manage to maintain good condition for 3 years.

This fabric has other advantages:

• It does not burn through point contact with fire. Of course, a fire will not spare Alcantara, but if a spark from a cigarette falls on the seat, it will not leave any trace.
• Easy to care for. To maintain cleanliness, you do not need to spend money on dry cleaning; it is enough to treat the material with household cleaning products.
• High elasticity. Alcantara is easy to cover objects of any shape. This greatly simplifies the work, since when reupholstering furniture or a car interior, there is no need to make an exact pattern for each part.
• Ecological cleanliness. All the components from which this fabric is made and the dyes are not capable of causing harm to human health even with constant contact.
• 10 year warranty. If Alcantara loses its properties before the expiration of the specified period, the manufacturer will assume obligations to compensate for the loss.

Reviews

It is impossible to find bad reviews about this material on the vastness of the global network. The only thing that causes dissatisfaction is its high price, which, however, is completely justified.

Employees of automotive and furniture companies also unanimously agree that this is the best option for those who value reliability, comfort and quality.

General instructions for weekly care

Caring for Alcantara in a car is based on the use of:

• suitable fabric cleaner;
• 2 brushes;
• vacuum cleaner;
• microfiber cloths.

Steps on how to clean Alcantara covers:

1. Dry clean.
2. Apply cleaner to brush.
3. Spray the cleaner onto the surface of the Alcantara so that it does not become too saturated (it takes a long time to dry).
4. Clean small sections of material at a time, using a circular motion. Immediately blot dirty foam with a napkin.
5. After cleaning, take a vacuum cleaner with a flat attachment and remove any remaining dirt and moisture. This will also help straighten out the lint.
6. Go over the Alcantara with a dry, clean brush.

Do not press on the fabric, otherwise its velvety structure will be damaged!

This instruction is also suitable for areas covered with Alcantara, when it cannot be removed and washed the required number of times a year.

Cleaning the machine with dry ice

Kinetic energy combined with the low temperature of the granulate (-79 °C) causes loss of elasticity and cracking of the contaminant layer. Subsequent particles penetrate into the formed cracks and pass into them from a solid state to a gaseous state. This process loosens dirt but does not damage even very delicate surfaces. This method also allows you to clean materials that are sensitive to corrosion and contact with water.

Dry ice is not water, but solid carbon dioxide CO2.

From what I was able to deduct, cleaning the underbody of a car without disassembling it costs £450 + VAT. The dryest ice used was almost 250 kg. Usually done on expensive cars (and rare ones like this Honda NSX) before applying a protective layer

PS. These are normal recommendations. Of course, I understand that you have to be in love to clean your car, but strawberries?

How to wash Alcantara covers

Hands

The water temperature should be no more than 30 degrees. You can use soap. Pre-soak the fabric, gently wash and rinse. It’s good if the whole procedure does not last longer than 30 minutes.

If the stains are severe, regular soap may not work. Use faux suede products because they have a foamy texture.

In the typewriter

1. Make the water temperature no more than 30 degrees.
2. Add or fill with neutral cleaning agent.
3. Do not set the spin mode, as Alcantara cannot be wrung out in the machine.
4. Place Velcro, if any, on the product in special cases.
5. After washing, very gently wring out the material without pulling it in different directions (in fact, there should be no wringing as such).

Choosing the optimal material

Today, materials for reupholstering car interiors are presented in huge quantities on the market, so there should not be any particular difficulties with the choice. However, it is still worth considering some features, namely: ease of processing, price and quality.

List of proven and high-quality materials:

• artificial leather (a wide variety of colors, density and texture - all this makes this material very attractive);
• genuine leather (reupholstering the car interior with leather will require not only high costs, but also high professionalism);
• Alcantara (versatile and durable artificial suede).

Of all the proposed options, Alcantara is the most suitable fabric for upholstering a car interior. However, processing this material is not as easy as some amateurs believe. Before working with Alcantara, you should have an understanding of its behavior on curved surfaces, and also know when to steam or heat it.

In addition to its low cost, Alcantara has other advantages:

• high wear resistance;
• strength;
• uniform stretch and optimal thickness;
• attractive appearance;
• ease of maintenance.

To reupholster individual exclusive elements, you can use more expensive materials: nubuck, leather, suede or denim. That is, everything that can realize your plans.

It is recommended to cover plastic interior products with durable and relatively comfortable carbon fiber, and specialists use special Imeris materials. They can emit carbon, wood or metal and are suitable for any type of coating.

This video shows what Alcantara looks like:

Drying and ironing

Regardless of whether you wash the fabric by machine or by hand, dry the cover outdoors. Gently smooth the material with a brush (soft bristles only).

Before ironing, check that the iron temperature does not exceed 110 degrees. Since the iron may stick to the fabric, damaging it, place a piece of fabric (undyed only!) between them.

Constriction technology

Cover for the gear knob
Reupholstering the car ceiling begins with dismantling the old material. For ease of work, the front passenger seat can be removed. You can also remove the ceiling by removing the glass. First of all, additional roof elements such as handles, visors, lampshades, and plugs are removed. Then remove the material and remove any remaining glue and foam using a hard sponge and solvent. After this, it is advisable to treat the surface with sandpaper. This will allow the material to be tightly glued so that it does not come off or sag.

Next, the ceiling of the car begins to be covered. The glue is applied in the center in a strip 10 cm long. The central part of the fragment of material should be glued to it. Continue gluing to the sides, applying strips of glue every 10 cm. During the work, you need to monitor the bends of the working surface. You should glue the fabric as firmly as possible so that the ceiling does not sag in the future. In this case, bends and recesses are places that require special attention. One stretches the fabric, and the other smoothes it. The edges of the material need to be folded and glued to the back side, and the excess is cut off. Finally, you need to make holes for the bolts of additional elements. After this, the ceiling is installed in the salon.

Exposure to moisture can cause the material to sag. Therefore, you should check the tightness of the roof. It is often mentioned that the ceilings of cars with a sunroof sag. If the material is sagging but not damaged, you can use it for reupholstery. In addition, you can make a ceiling with a starry sky effect. Most cars do not have this option.

To create a starry sky, you will need the following materials:

• some kind of fabric (usually dark);
• glue;
• LEDs;
• wires;
• capacitor;
• stabilizer;
• resistors;
• switch;
• diode.

Cutting devices and clothespins are used as tools. When creating a starry sky, you can choose materials at your discretion (type and color of fabric, size and color of LEDs). The above is just a general list of materials for the starry sky ceiling.

Making a starry sky is much more difficult than covering the ceiling with new material, since this will require electrical engineering knowledge. The starry sky must not only be created, but also carefully calculated to ensure durability. However, this is a very rare and spectacular accessory that gives the car exclusivity. It is enough to note that the Rolls Royce Phantom is equipped with a starry sky ceiling. This type of car ceiling lining provides a wide range for creativity.

Some workshops create starry sky ceilings to order, and some users make them with their own hands, selecting the parameters they desire. Therefore, everyone has the opportunity to receive or make a unique starry sky. So, you can cover the ceiling with any material, vary the number of LEDs, their brightness, size, color combinations and operating mode.

How to clean different stains

How to clean Alcantara seats in a car if a stain appears? Much depends on its origin and several other factors.

The peculiarity of Alcantara is that almost all fresh stains can be quickly removed. Ordinary wet wipes can save the day, but they are not always at hand. The funds from our table will come to the rescue.

Special Spots

How to clean Alcantara in a car if the stains are persistent, old and unknown? If the stain is stubborn, don't give up. If a trace remains, repeat the procedure described in the table. Even those stains that do not dissolve in water should be washed off well at the last stage of cleaning.

If the stain is old and you don't know what it is from, still use water. The main thing is that it is slightly warm. Treat the dirty area with water and wipe with a cotton swab. If you can see that the stain has begun to dissolve, dry the area. If necessary, wipe it with ethyl alcohol.

Now you know how and with what to clean Alcantara in a car. The main thing is to do it carefully. Caring for this fabric does not require much time or money. During long-term use and regular cleaning (according to all rules), the material does not lose its characteristics, because Gorod Ltd is the exclusive distributor of Alcantara SpA, which means you are buying real Alcantara, not a fake.

Enjoy your trip in a car interior made of pure and amazing Alcantara from Gorod Ltd!

Alcantara: what kind of material, properties, advantages, disadvantages, care

Alcantara fabric appeared on the market less than half a century ago. This is a technological material that looks like suede. It is used for finishing car interiors, when decorating the interiors of houses, and as upholstery fabric. Technological textiles have found application in the jewelry industry and in the manufacture of accessories.

What it is

The name Alcantara is a manufacturer of artificial materials. The Italian brand has developed a unique fabric, which is still in demand in the automotive industry. Its quality has been tested under extreme conditions, and its performance characteristics are better than those of natural suede. Alcantara material is resistant not only to mechanical stress, but also to sunlight. An analogue of the original Alcantara, originally from Italy, was the “Fortune” fabric. This is artificial suede, which replaces velor or Alcantara in car trim.

Now let’s take a closer look at what Alcantara is: in Italy, the fabric is produced using proven technology - the two-component fiber is finished, impregnated with chemical compounds, and dyed. What kind of material is obtained using this technology can be judged by where it is used. It is used in finishing the interiors of yachts, helicopters, and for upholstering furniture. This suggests that the material is the best among microfiber upholstery fabrics.

Which is preferable: Alcantara or leather? Both materials are wear-resistant, have a presentable appearance, and are easy to care for. But the price of the synthetic analogue is lower, and the rich colors and wide design possibilities speak in favor of technological fabric.

Elite varieties of Alcantara will cost more, but buyers are confident that this disadvantage is fully compensated by quality. The most affordable are Chinese and Turkish Alcantara, which can be bought at half the price. Korean-made material is famous for its optimal price-quality ratio.