Washing car cover

[Simms]

Factory cover. Can you wash these things?

[01sapphirebob]

There shouod be instructions on the sticker on the cover. I just did this this past fall with kne of mine. Industrial sived washing machine, FANTASTIC cleaner, and air dry.

[Junkman2008]

A car cover has to be washed specifically as directed by the manufacturer. This is critical. Washing one wrong can render it useless as you can destroy the technology built into the cover.

[VIPER BAZ UK]

Dropped mine off at the dry cleaners came out like new ... not cheap at about $90 ..

[plumcrazy]

dry cleaners is fine

[Junkman2008]

Again, not all covers can be washed the same way. There is a lot of technology that goes into the design of a car cover to make it do what it does. Improper washing can destroy that technology.

Now if you cover your Viper with some crap car cover that was made in China, wash it anyway you want because those covers are crap anyway. But a quality cover sold by a company like Covercraft is another story. In my writeup located here, I have included a chart that shows the MANY different types of covers that they sell. There is technology built into each cover that makes every cover they sell effective for the application that it is designed for. So if you are not going to follow the manufacturer's washing instructions, you may as well go down to Auto Zone and buy a crappy, made in China car cover and save yourself the money AND the headache. It won't protect you car from anything but at least you can wash it any way you please.

[Simms]

Thanks!

I'm referring to the factory cover on my 96, so I'll take a peak and see if I can find a tag.

[Junkman2008]

I cringe to think of where the factory cover comes from. Companies usually don't go out of their way to give you a quality one, unless you're buying a top of the line Lambo or something.

[VIPER BAZ UK]

Mine is like a quilted material with VIPER and sneaky pete on the hood ..

[Junkman2008]

Mine is like a quilted material with VIPER and sneaky pete on the hood ..

Aftermarket?

[Simms]

I cringe to think of where the factory cover comes from. Companies usually don't go out of their way to give you a quality one, unless you're buying a top of the line Lambo or something.

I couldn't find a "made in X" statement, but the tag says "made with evolution 4 fabric from Kimberly-Clark." So who knows.

Machine washable without an agitator, air dry only.

[Junkman2008]

... Machine washable without an agitator, air dry only.

It said that somewhere on the cover?

[plumcrazy]

mine was a factory 97 cover. no problem at dry cleaners

[Simms]

It said that somewhere on the cover?

Yes Sir! It also said light dust could be removed by spraying the cover while on the car... I'll pass on that. I'll use a duster instead.

[daytonprowler]

My factory covers for the Prowler and Viper say wash with a cup of Fantastic and then air dry.

[VIPER BAZ UK]

Came with the car ... I'll get a pic

Aftermarket?

[Junkman2008]

Yes Sir! It also said light dust could be removed by spraying the cover while on the car... I'll pass on that. I'll use a duster instead.

My factory covers for the Prowler and Viper say wash with a cup of Fantastic and then air dry.

You can see that those directions are VERY specific, especially the part about NOT using an agitator. Whoever designed those covers obviously put the time and research into washing and testing them in order to provide you with care instructions. You can't just dump these things into the wash and then into the dryer. That's how to destroy them and worse case scenario, have them screw up the paint on your car.

[PaulB]

Mine came with the 13 Viper and has a CoverKing tag on it. Oddly enough, their website says to put the cover on the car and wash it with a sponge and gentle soap and rinse. Then for the underside, put the carcover on inside out and rinse it with no soap. Then hang it to air dry. What do you think about that, Junkman? Not much liking the idea of putting the cover on inside out.

[Junkman2008]

... What do you think about that, Junkman? Not much liking the idea of putting the cover on inside out.

The instructions that they are giving you are for a certain group of people who care for their paint in a specific way. I would be one of them. Here's why.

The instructions about washing the cover on the car make perfect sense, since they don't want you to get any soap on the underside. I would follow that instruction, making sure that I did not scoot the cover around on the paint as I washed it. Their instructions for the INSIDE of the cover are very interesting. They are basically saying to rinse the inside off. If the inside of the cover is dirty, then washing it with no soap will do absolutely no good. Thus, you may as well not wash the inside at all. To ME, that's kinda what it seems that they are saying. OR, they are saying that the inside of the cover shouldn't be dirty to begin with. That's the same opinion I have. The ONLY time I cover my car is right after I wash it. If I have driven the car, it is now dirty. The LAST thing that I am going to do is cover a dirty car, pushing around and grinding in that dirt that has landed on the car while I was driving it.

Because this is my practice, the INSIDE of my cover is spotless. Before I REMOVE my car cover off the car, I dust it off with the CA Duster. That keeps me from rolling up dust and dirt when I uncover the car. Because of this, the outside of my cover still looks new after 6 years of use. So their instructions are perfectly fine in my eyes because of the regime I follow. For someone who has a dirty cover inside and out, they're screwed.

Here's more info on my car cover practices.

[PaulB]

Thanks Junkman. My car cover has only been used indoors and is clean, like new clean. But we have quite a bit of dust here in West Texas and I worry about dust getting on the outside of the cover and then when I take the cover off some of the dust getting to the fleece side of the cover as I roll it up. Like you, I only put the cover on after a fresh (2 bucket) wash, never after I drive it. Good tip on using the California duster. Pretty sure that will address my concerns. Thanks!