Can I use Pine Sol to wash my car?

A: Yes. PINE-SOL® MULTI-SURFACE CLEANER-DISINFECTANT is a registered disinfectant, reviewed and approved by Health Canada. The registration number is 02407140. This disinfectant when used as directed full strength. When used according to the instructions on the product, it kills 99.9% of germs, household viruses and bacteria on hard, nonporous surfaces. It disinfects against Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Influenza A virus (Hong Kong strain).

A: No, Pine-Sol ® Cleaners do not contain ammonia.
A: No, Pine-Sol ® Cleaners do not contain phosphorus.

A: A Pine-Sol ® Cleaner’s shelf life is two years. After that time, the color will change, but the product will still clean.

A: Yes.PINE-SOL ® MULTI-SURFACE CLEANER-DISINFECTANT is a registered disinfectant, reviewed and approved by Health Canada. The registration number is 02407140. This disinfectant when used as directed full strength. When used according to the instructions on the product, it kills 99.9% of germs, household viruses and bacteria on hard, nonporous surfaces. It disinfects against Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Influenza A virus (Hong Kong strain).

How to Use Pine-Sol® Cleaners

A: Pine Sol ® products were not designed to be used in steam cleaners.

A: Yes, it is very effective at removing grease and heavy soils from your laundry. Simply rub it full-strength on grease spots or heavily soiled areas before washing. For extra cleaning and deodorizing power, you can also add 125 ml (½ cup) to the wash load. Pine-Sol ® Cleaner should be used only on white or colorfast fabrics; if you’re not sure about a particular article of clothing, it’s always a good idea to test the fabric in an inconspicuous area first.

A: Pour 125 ml (½ cup) of Pine-Sol ® cleaner into the bowl and brush thoroughly, including under the rim.

A: Apply Original Pine-Sol ® full-strength on hard, nonporous surfaces with a clean sponge or cloth. Wet the surface, let it stand for 10 minutes, and then rinse. For heavily soiled surfaces, precleaning is required.

A: You can use Pine-Sol ® cleaners on hard, nonporous surfaces, including floors, sinks, counters, stoves, bathtubs, shower stalls, tile, toilets, garbage cans and diaper pails. For tough jobs, use full strength and rinse immediately. On wood surfaces, do not allow puddles of product to remain. Pine-Sol ® is not recommended for use on marble, aluminum, or unsealed, waxed, oiled or visibly worn wood.

A: We do not recommend using Pine-Sol ® Original Multi-Surface Cleaner on aluminum, copper or marble surfaces. We also do not recommend using Pine-Sol ® Cleaners on cars, on dishes or as a pet shampoo.

A: We do not recommend using the products on carpet; they could possibly fade or otherwise damage some types of fabric used for carpeting.

A: The cap is a push/pull–style closure. The user pulls the top until they hear or feel a pop/click. The user can then invert the bottle and squeeze the contents out. To close, push down until you hear/feel a pop/click.

Pine-Sol® Cleaner Safety

A: Yes, all Pine-Sol ® products are recommended for use in pet areas. Please note that we do not recommend using Pine-Sol ® products as a pet shampoo.

A: All of our registered disinfectants, including this one, undergo full review at federal regulatory agency (Health Canada) including formula review and in most cases extensive efficacy data review. As a general rule, you should keep all cleaning products including disinfectants out of reach of children.

A: We do not recommend mixing any Pine-Sol ® product with other cleaning products or chemicals. Mixing cleaners can result in the release of hazardous gases.

A: Yes! Following the recommended use of any Pine-Sol ® product will not harm your septic system.

A: Yes! You can use Pine-Sol ® on wood floors, though it is not recommended for use on unfinished, unsealed, unpainted, waxed, oiled or worn wood.

A: We do not recommend using Pine-Sol ® on dishes. It is not approved to be used on food-contact surfaces.

A: We recommend testing a small inconspicuous area before using a Pine-Sol ® cleaner on any painted surface.

A: We do not recommend using Pine-Sol ® to wash a car, as it could damage the car’s finish.

A: Yes! Pine-Sol ® can be used all around your home, from your playroom and dining room to your bathroom and kitchen. A list of surfaces that Pine-Sol ® cleans and how to clean them are here.

Cleaning stains in car seats and carpet with Pinesol

This whole inspiration came from my best friend. She came up with this to use for her own car and told me about it. This girl has been my best friend for literally half my life and hasn’t let me down yet. This hack is definitely no different from her! We’ve went from living less than 10 miles from each other to over 600. We’ve been through a lot together and even though we’re so far away, we’re still together in this thing of raising children in messy cars.

1 spray bottle
1 part Pinesol (your choice of fragrance)
2 parts water
A bowl or bucket of water
A cleaning rag
A toothbrush or scrub brush

When I first wanted to try this cleaning hack I was just planning on using it on my seats and carpet. There are plenty of stains from spilled coffee to ice cream to only God knows what. I was going to wipe everything down, but all I had with me was the pinesol concoction and quite frankly I was being to lazy to walk inside.

I sprayed it on my dashboard, doors, middle console and scrubbed away with Maggies help. I’m not sure what the particular name for the part where the seatbelt comes out of the door, but it was pretty nasty, so I took a picture. Then I cleaned it, woah y’all! I took another picture. So luckily I got before and after pictures.

It was getting dark on me so I’m going to clean the carpet and seats tomorrow. I can’t wait to see the results.

The directions are in the video.

Middle floorboard in the backseat – Before / After

Passenger seat – Before / After

Maggie’s drink holder / ice cream disaster – Before / After

Backseat floorboard – Before / After

Coffee stains passenger floorboard/middle – Before / After

After (There was a little stain that wouldn’t come out.)

Pinesol will definitely be my go to for stains in my car for now on! I hope this was helpful. Happy car cleaning.

Posted in How Tos Tagged with car, carpet, cleaning, pinesol

7 thoughts on “Cleaning stains in car seats and carpet with Pinesol”

Chase says:

Thanks so much! Just got a 2007 Mercury Grand Marquis (I’m only 16 and it was cheap!!) to find out it had cloth seats and MAN they are dirty. I’m going to try this soon!

The Biggest Mistakes You’re Making When Cleaning With Pine-Sol

Since it first came on the market, Pine-Sol has become a practical go-to for deodorizing and disinfecting. Whether you’re washing walls, wiping down counters, or mopping, Pine-Sol proves to be a multi-purpose cleaner, as per Simple at Home. You can use it to disinfect surfaces, especially when spraying it onto a tabletop or an appliance. The product eliminates almost 99.9% of germs; plus, it’s safe to use on stainless steel. Another idea is to spray Pine-Sol onto carpet or furniture to keep a cat away, though you’ll need to test a small area first to make sure it doesn’t stain.

However, like with any other cleaner, you might make a mistake when cleaning with Pine-Sol. While you can safely apply it to many types of surfaces, there are a few that you’ll need to avoid. Pine-Sol is also unsafe for certain types of flooring since there’s a risk of rubbing off the floor’s finish. Here’s what to avoid when cleaning with Pine-Sol, so you don’t make cleaning mistakes that cause more mess than order.

Mixing bleach when cleaning with Pine-Sol

Combining Pine-Sol with bleach puts you in a potentially hazardous situation. According to HomeSteady, this is one chemistry set you don’t want to play with. Ethoxylated alcohol counts as one of the components in Pine-Sol, and when it mixes with bleach, it produces chlorine gas. If you’re unfortunate enough to get exposed to these fumes, you might suffer from eye issues, namely some unpleasant irritation. Also, you might start vomiting. In addition to these symptoms, your breathing becomes difficult and painful if you’re exposed to the gas for a more extended period of time.

Even in a well-ventilated area, this situation can pose a problem, so your safest bet is to avoid mixing these two cleaning agents. Besides, you’re not increasing any disinfecting properties, as each type of cleaner works well on its own when it comes to killing germs, nixing mold, and getting rid of mildew.

Mixing other solvents with Pine-Sol

As noted by Prudent Reviews, the manufacturer’s recommendations warn consumers not to mix Pine-Sol with any other household cleaners. Not only is it dangerous, but you’re not maximizing the germ-killing power of the product by mixing it since it already kills 99.9% of germs. Pine-Sol already consists of two agents, propylene glycol and benzoic acid, that are instrumental in eliminating stains and odors while knocking out bacteria and mold. Therefore, if you’re looking to do a deep clean, you can use undiluted Pine-Sol to utilize its full strength. Only do this if the formula doesn’t react harshly with what you’re planning to clean and if the area where you’re working is well ventilated.

With that in mind, also note that these chemicals interact with other solvents like vinegar and ammonia by emitting fumes. This is why the manufacturers recommend against mixing Pine-Sol with other cleaning solutions because these fumes can be dangerous.

Not measuring correctly when cleaning with Pine-Sol

You may have heard the rule that you should add no more than 1 tablespoon of bleach to 1 gallon of water when diluting it for cleaning purposes. Pine-Sol works differently because you would need at least 1/4 of a cup of the solution to 1 gallon of water, as per Pine-Sol. You can then either pour it into a bucket or a spray bottle. Specifically, this measurement pertains to cleaning countertops, stovetops, laminate flooring, wood flooring, and sinks.

The ratio of Pine-Sol to water is important. When we often try to clean up quickly, we can get sloppy and add too much or too little cleaner to the water. This can easily happen if you’re pouring Pine-Sol straight from the bottle to the container of water. To avoid that, keep a measuring cup near the bottle that can measure up to 1/4 of the solution to maintain the mixture’s potency.

Cleaning the wrong surfaces with Pine-Sol

Another mistake you might make when cleaning with Pine-Sol is using it on the wrong surfaces. According to Pine-Sol, you should refrain from using undiluted Pine-Sol on metal surfaces, such as copper or aluminum. However, it does not harm stainless steel. Instead, you can try using Pine-Sol diluted in water on a small spot that’s not visible to test how it reacts with the metal. But your safest option is to use a different cleaner.

Additionally, you should avoid cleaning marble tile or countertops with the solution, as well as surfaces that are covered with acrylic, enamel, or oil paint. They will be stripped of their coating if you wipe them down with Pine-Sol (via Hunker). One other mistake people make when cleaning with Pine-Sol is applying it to cars or dishes. Pine-Sol contains sodium secondary alkyl sulfate, propylene glycol, and benzoic acid, which has a corrosive effect on these materials (via SmartLabel).

Cleaning vinyl or linoleum floors with Pine-Sol

When considering which surfaces to avoid when cleaning with Pine-Sol, add linoleum and vinyl floors to the list. SheKnows warns that you might damage your vinyl or linoleum floor’s finish with each Pine-Sol wash because of the solution’s acidity. This can lead to anything from fading to cracking. The strong cleaning agents in Pine-Sol will definitely remove germs and odors, but in this case, it will also remove the flooring’s protective coating with repeated use.

If you have these floors, you might consider using a steam cleaner to disinfect the area. However, if you’re deadset on disinfecting with Pine-Sol, make sure you use the recommended ratio to keep your floors intact. Use no more than 1/4 of a cup to 1 gallon of water. When in doubt, you can also refer to the label on the Pine-Sol container to see which surfaces are recommended to avoid.