How To: Removing Seat Covers from VW Golf Mk4 for Cleaning/Washing



The rear bench seats in my VW Golf Mk4 TDI were getting rather dirty so I decided it was time to give them a proper clean.  It is a similar process to remove the headrest covers for washing as shown in the video below:

Removing the seats from the car is quite easy with 2 hook clips under each seat that need to be unclipped to release the seat.

Once done the seat base can easily be removed from the car.

You can see the hook clips on the base of the seat in the photo above. To remove the seat cover you need to remove the plastic clips that hold the cover onto the metal frame. If you feel underneath the edge of the seat material you will feel a plastic rod that needs to be pulled out from under the metal frame.

Repeat this process around all sides of the frame and the main part of the cover will come off in one piece.

The seat cover above is almost off and is just retained by 4 metal rods clipped into the foam.

The metal rods clip in at each end via a hook of metal. If you unclip one end the entire rod can be removed. The rod threads through a pocket in the fabric and can be slide out of that pocket so the seat cover has no metal retainers left in it.

Repeat this process with the other 3 metal rods and the seat cover fabric can then be removed from the foam base. With the larger wider bench seat there is an additional rod which also needs to be removed.

Once the metal rods are removed from the seat fabric you will be left with the cover and the seat base with metal frame and thin black foam liner as in the photo above.

The seat base with the fabric cover removed. You can see one of the metal rods removed showing on the left hand side of the foam base.

What temperature do car seats need to be washed at?

The seat covers can then be washed in a normal washing machine at 40 degrees with detergent. They come up brilliantly afterwards and look like new - much better than trying to Vax them insitu.

To refit the covers is the reverse of the procedure above. Reclipping the metal rods can be a little tricky but is easier with a second pair of hands to assist.