Seat covers...T6 seats get dirty too quickly!

[mchbiker]

6 months of ownership has seen our Ocean have plenty of service. I tried not to be too precious but occasionally my two children 5 & 7 have been exiled to the outdoors with their sticky hands. In spite of this the very nice but pale Moonrock fabric is looking quite grubby. Dog doesn't help either!

When ordering I looked at Alcantara but wasn't sure how well it would wear. I originally discounted the covers because as someone once said, it's your van, enjoy it! Contemplated reupholster in leather long term but pondering options.

However I now need to give them a decent clean (Any cleaner recommendations?)

I wondered how people had got on with T5/T6 Brandup second skin covers.

• How good do they look?
• Ease of fit?
• How well they wash?

Also I saw them on a Dutch Camper Van website, wondered how people got on buying in from abroad now Brandup had fallen out with VW UK.

Lots of questions but I need to sort. Showing people your van with grubby seats is not cool. Leaving kids and dog at home isn't a viable option before someone suggests it!

 

[WelshGas]

Autoglym Interior Shampoo.

 

[T6 CFO]

I'm having issues adding a link this evening but if you do a search for "cleaning" there is s good thread started by @chrissmit.

I've gone down the Alcantara Route and going to be applying protection to it as although no young kids with sticky fingers there is my wife's red wine habit and shaky hands
I also picked up a set of the Inka waterproof covers which will go on when I know things will get messy (mountain biking with sons)but have no experience of the Brandrup covers.
I have ordered Brandrup stuff namely the carpets which arrived from the NL site, eventually!
Hopefully someone will give you other sites where you can order.
I've ordered some stuff from camperv antastic (put in space or name gets blanked)and see they do stock the Brandrup covers.


Mike

 

[mchbiker]

I'm having issues adding a link this evening but if you do a search for "cleaning" there is s good thread started by @chrissmit.

I've gone down the Alcantara Route and going to be applying protection to it as although no young kids with sticky fingers there is my wife's red wine habit and shaky hands
I also picked up a set of the Inka waterproof covers which will go on when I know things will get messy (mountain biking with sons)but have no experience of the Brandrup covers.
I have ordered Brandrup stuff namely the carpets which arrived from the NL site, eventually!
Hopefully someone will give you other sites where you can order.
I've ordered some stuff from camperv antastic (put in space or name gets blanked)and see they do stock the Brandrup covers.


Mike

First place I looked had them in stock VW Camper Shop, dear do mind but perhaps there wouldn't be a long lead time.

 

[mchbiker]

Autoglym Interior Shampoo.

I've used their exterior stuff, thanks.

 

[GrannyJen]

I've used their exterior stuff, thanks.

I use autoglym shampoo as well, alcantara seats, and it scrubs them up brilliantly, including red wine stains. Not left by me I might add,

honest....

as if I would spill a drop .....

 

[Stoneybroke]

The trouble with so many upholstery shampoos is you rub it in, move the dirt around, but never actually remove it.
I use one of these
BISSELL-30K4E-Multi-Purpose-Compact-Friendly
A small shampooer which sucks away the dirt along with the shampoo - I couldn't believe the colour of the water when I cleaned our seats.
The seats do get a little wetter, but shut the van up with a dehumidifier running and it soon dries out.

 

[WelshGas]

The trouble with so many upholstery shampoos is you rub it in, move the dirt around, but never actually remove it.
I use one of these
BISSELL-30K4E-Multi-Purpose-Compact-Friendly
A small shampooer which sucks away the dirt along with the shampoo - I couldn't believe the colour of the water when I cleaned our seats.
The seats do get a little wetter, but shut the van up with a dehumidifier running and it soon dries out.

Or put the Diesel Heater on.

 

[Stoneybroke]

Or put the Diesel Heater on.

My Caravelle doesn't have one - our Beach (currently under construction - yippee) does!

 

[WelshGas]

My Caravelle doesn't have one - our Beach (currently under construction - yippee) does!

Opens a whole new world.

 

[Lewis]

First place I looked had them in stock VW Camper Shop, dear do mind but perhaps there wouldn't be a long lead time.

I bought them from here. Took 3months to deliver but now I think they're in stock (except for 5th swivel seat if you needed that one). I can vouch for their professionalism and quick delivery. If you're going down the Brandrup seat cover route I'd suggest ordering ASAP as when they do go out of stock you're looking at months of waiting as we head into the wet and muddy season!

 

[mchbiker]

I bought them from here. Took 3months to deliver but now I think they're in stock (except for 5th swivel seat if you needed that one). I can vouch for their professionalism and quick delivery. If you're going down the Brandrup seat cover route I'd suggest ordering ASAP as when they do go out of stock you're looking at months of waiting as we head into the wet and muddy season!

Which ones did you get?

 

[Lewis]

Second Skin Moonrock Grey - the standard T6 cover for front seats and the bench. I had them on back order (with 5th seat too) but they emailed 2weeks ago and said the front seats and bench were in stock so could they split the order and post them now. Don't have my Cali yet but the quality of the product is clear, they are identical to the T6 upholstery and will be nice to maintain the original look of the vehicle but also have an easy clean option in the washing machine.

 

[mchbiker]

The actual seats are ribbed, what are the covers like? Obviously it's the sort of thing that you can't see easily before you buy.

 

[Lewis]

The actual seats are ribbed, what are the covers like? Obviously it's the sort of thing that you can't see easily before you buy.

Covers are ribbed too!

 

[mchbiker]

Covers are ribbed too!

Cheers. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[DavidofHook]

We have second skins on our T5 Cali. I got them from SMG as soon as I got the van 4 years ago. They are literally a second skin, you cannot see the difference between the covers, once they are on, and the original seats.
Returning from France last month they looked mucho grubby, a mixture of sun tan cream and for some reason, red wine
Mrs DoH washed them, below 30 degrees I understand, and they have come out like new. Also, when off, the original seats could be seen and they look like new.
So, my advice is : get them if you can.
One thing though, make sure that you get the T6 ones as I have read on here, (somewhere) that the T6 headrests are bigger than some the T5 and so, if you get the wrong ones you cannot get them on

 

[andyinluton]

Totally agree re second skins - they don't look or feel like covers.

I sold my old Inka waterproof covers to a fellow member on here yesterday, the headrest covers for for 2015 model year onwards T5 seats fitted his T6 headrests perfectly.

As the Fabric designs changed for T6 I would have thought that any covers in Moonrock for example would fit a T6 as that design was never offered on a T5