Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover Review: The Household Staple That Works in Cars
Our Verdict
A water-based, solvent-free, odor-free spot remover in a 32 oz ready-to-use bottle. You spray, agitate and blot, and Folex says no rinsing or vacuuming is needed. It is rated for colorfast carpet and upholstery that can be dampened with water, so it suits cloth seats and mats. It is a spotter, not a shampoo, and it is not for leather or Alcantara.
Folex is not a detailing product. It is a household carpet spotter that has earned a place on a lot of detailers' shelves, because the things that make it easy at home matter even more in a car: no rinsing, no machine and almost no smell. Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover is a spray, agitate and blot product, and that is the entire process.
What you get
A 32 oz trigger bottle of ready-to-use spotter. Folex describes the formula as water-based with a non-ionic surfactant. It is non-flammable and contains no solvents, VOCs or petroleum, and the company says it is odor-free and safe around children and pets when used as directed. It is rated for carpet, upholstery and any colorfast material that can be safely dampened with water, which takes in most cloth seats, floor mats and trunk liners. The maker's stain list covers the usual car problems: coffee, grease, food, ink, dirt and pet accidents.
How it's used
Spray a hidden area and let it dry to check for color change, since Folex says to use it only on color-stable materials. Then apply a generous amount to the spot, agitate gently with a fingertip or soft brush, and blot with a clean absorbent cloth. Folex says no rinsing, vacuuming or waiting is required, and that spots will not reappear after cleaning. In a car, blot thoroughly, because seat foam holds liquid far longer than household carpet does.
Where it falls short
It is a spot remover. It handles a stain the size of a hand well, but cleaning an entire seat by spraying and blotting leaves soil behind in the fabric and can leave tide marks on generally dirty upholstery. For whole seats, a shampoo like Foaming Citrus Fabric Clean with a Bissell Little Green is the right approach. It is also only for water-safe, colorfast fabric, so leather, Alcantara and anything that fails the hidden-spot test need a different product. With no fragrance, it won't mask an odor either.
Who it's for
Every owner of a car with cloth seats or carpet. A large bottle goes a long way on spills. Check price on Amazon
Pros
- No rinsing, vacuuming or waiting
- Water-based with no solvents or VOCs
- Odor-free and non-flammable formula
- Large ready-to-use 32 oz bottle
Cons
- A spot treatment, not a whole-seat shampoo
- Only for colorfast, water-safe fabric
- No fragrance to cover lingering odors