If you drive a lot for work or have kids and pets, you know how hard it can be to keep the inside of your car clean. Here are 10 cleaning tips and tricks to make your car’s interior sparkle again.
Before you pull out the vacuum and cleaning supplies, clear out all the obvious trash. Check everywhere thoroughly. There will likely be trash on the floor, under the seats, and in the seat cracks. Toss out any wrappers, bottles, toys, and other objects that your vacuum can’t handle.
Pull the floor mats out of the vehicle and shake them out as much as possible. This will make vacuuming easier. Scrub them with soap and hot water or a foaming carpet cleaner and allow them to air dry completely before reinstalling them.
Vacuum both front and back seats, the floor, and, if necessary, the trunk. Vacuum every area of the vehicle where you can get the nozzle, including under the pedals and along with the side door panels.
Now that the car is vacuumed, grab a soft cloth or cleaning wipes to wipe up all that dirt, sticky stuff, and dust. You can also spray a small amount of car-specific cleaner over the console, steering wheel and the area between the seats to restore that new-car look.
Cup holders can harbor grime, spilled coffee, and dead hair and skin cells (yuck). Try using a cotton swab dipped in a little cleaning solution to reach those difficult areas. In some vehicles, the entire cup holder is removable for easier cleaning.
Spray a window cleaner solution on windows and wipe clean with a paper towel or microfiber cloth. You can also mix: one cup water, two tablespoons vinegar, and one cup rubbing alcohol for an effective homemade window cleaner.
If there are stains on the seats or on the carpet (and we guarantee there will be, especially if you have kids!) try this homemade solution. In a spray bottle mix two cups water, one cup vinegar and about a tablespoon of dish soap.
Spray on the stains and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then wipe clean with a wet cloth. If the stain persists, try a product like Spot Shot or Resolve. Spot-test in an inconspicuous area to make sure the upholstery fabric is colorfast.
If you have a dog, you know the pain of dealing with pet hair in the car. If the vacuum doesn’t remove all the fur, try using a rubber-dipped glove. Simply brush the hair away with your hand, and it sticks to the glove like magic! To protect your car’s interior from any future pet damage, try a waterproof seat protector like this one.
Grab a paint stirrer or two next time at you’re at the hardware store. Wrap an end with a microfiber cloth and use the stick to get into those hard-to-reach areas between the seats and around the center console.
Create a homemade car freshener with one cup of baking soda and five drops of your favorite essential oil. Place both the soda and oil in a sealable plastic bag or glass jar for 24 hours. Then shake it up, sprinkle on the car’s floor and let it sit for 20 minutes. When the time has passed, vacuum up the baking soda. The scent will linger, making your car smell fresh and clean! Planning on spending the afternoon cleaning your car?
Cleaning the interior of your car may not bring back the heady smell of new cars, but it will certainly improve air quality. Washing the windows, cleaning up trash and clutter, and cleaning the carpet and seats can make breathing easier and even improve your driving skills.
Professional detailing can be quite costly, but with just a few tools and cleaning supplies you probably have on hand, you can clean your car like the pros.
Floor mats are often some of the dirtiest items in a car interior. Remove all of them from the car for easier cleaning. Give each mat a good shake or vacuuming before you begin cleaning. Then place them on a tarp or other type of drop cloth rather than on the dirty ground.
For carpeted mats, use a carpet or upholstery cleaner and follow the instructions.
For rubber, vinyl, or silicone mats, use a hose to wash away excess soil. Mix a solution of warm water and a few drops of dishwashing liquid in a bucket. Dip a scrub brush in the solution and clean the mats. Rinse well and let them air-dry before placing them back in the car and continue cleaning the other areas of the interior.
Use a microfiber cloth and an ammonia-free commercial window cleaner (ammonia can damage interior plastics) in a spray bottle to remove the haze from interior windows. Make your own window cleaner by mixing a one-to-one solution of distilled white vinegar and water. Lower the windows slightly and start at the top of the window and work down so you will catch any drips.
The center console usually includes cup holders that can get messy. If the cup holder is removable, allow it to soak in some warm water and a bit of dishwashing liquid. Scrub it clean with a sponge. Finish by wiping it down with a soft cloth and rinsing well with fresh water. Dry and reassemble the console.
To clean the gearstick and other controls, use a clean microfiber cloth that is only slightly damp. To reach tight corners, use an old toothbrush, damp cotton swab, or wrap a damp paper towel around the tip of a dull knife or flat-head screwdriver.
Use a duster to remove as much dust as possible from the dashboard and cotton swabs to get into small spaces around vents and knobs. After dusting, use a slightly damp microfiber cloth to remove any grime and fingerprints.
Eliminate the build-up of germs and bacteria from your steering wheel and gear shift knobs with a disinfecting wipe. Buff dry with a clean microfiber cloth.
If you have leather car seats, use the vacuum crevice tool to carefully remove dust and grime from stitching and the area where the backs and bottom seats join. Wipe down each seat with a commercial leather cleaner or a solution of saddle soap and water.
After cleaning the seat, consider using a leather conditioner to restore suppleness and shine.
For cloth car seats, begin by vacuuming each seat well. Pretreat heavily-stained areas with a bit of upholstery cleaner or follow the guidelines for a specific type of stain. For dye-based stains like Kool-Aid, make a paste of powdered oxygen-based bleach and a bit of water. Apply the paste to the stained area and let it work for at least one hour before vacuuming away residue.
Once the heavy stains are removed, follow the instructions on the upholstery cleaner for the entire seat. Use a scrub brush to work the cleaner into the fabric and then use a microfiber cloth dipped in plain water to wipe away the cleaner and grime.
Repeat the steps if necessary and allow the seats to air-dry.
Vacuum the car’s carpet or floor as one of the last steps to suck away all the dirt and debris that’s come out of your vents and crevices. If there are stains on the carpet, use a commercial carpet cleaner and follow the instructions. Don’t forget to vacuum the carpet that’s in the trunk.
The door panels may be a combination of carpet and vinyl or leather. Use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe down the finishes and wipe out the pockets. Don’t forget to clean the back door or hatchback. Keep the doors open when cleaning so the dirt and dander land on the outside of your car.
Basic car detailing service should include a wash, wax, interior vacuuming, interior polish, window wash, mirror and trim cleaning, and tire cleaning. You can expect to pay $50 to $125 for an average-sized vehicle and $75 to $150 for an SUV or van. An upgraded package usually consists of much more attention to detail.
Rubbing Alcohol: This would be the best household cleaner for car interior, as it’s a very versatile household item for car interior cleaning. It can be used for cleaning different areas in the interior of a car such as hard surfaces, leather or vinyl seats, and fabric.
Choosing steam is an excellent choice when cleaning and disinfecting your vehicle because the high temperatures actually kill and denatures harmful bacteria and microorganisms. Since steam is airborne, the heat naturally kills any bacteria or viruses in the air.
The Pledge product is safe to use on vinyl, leather, and wood paneling, so you can probably use it on almost the entire interior of your car. The Lemon Pledge has long been a secret trick used by car dealerships to give their customers a clean, shiny finish that can be used to buy a home as well.
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Windex is a great cleaner for inside your car, getting rid of built-up gunk on windows, dashboards, steering wheel, and upholstery. It’s non-greasy, so it won’t leave everything slippery nor damage the upholstery and faux wood surfaces.
If your carpet is particularly dirty, you can use a steam cleaner or carpet cleaning machine to get an extra deep clean. Alternatively, use a portable carpet cleaner, such as the Bissell SpotClean with a small attachment to fit inside the car. These will apply water and shampoo deep into the fibers of the carpet.
How to Detail Your Car Interior at Home:
Try using white vinegar to spritz your car interior. Another method you can try for deodorizing your car is to make a mixture of equal parts of water and white vinegar. Spritz this mixture in the interior of your car, let it sit for some time, and then scrub the seats and carpet.
Detailing your vehicle is absolutely worth it, and not just because it saves you from washing your own car. Regular detailing will have valuable benefits for your vehicle, from classic cars to daily drivers.
Interior car detailing can range from simple tasks, such as vacuuming the floor mats and carpets, to full detailing which typically includes vinyl cleaning, dressing, carpet shampooing, and leather conditioning services.
Interior Car Detailing – Interior detailing involves cleaning the inner parts of a vehicle. Some of the components found in the interior cabin include leather, plastics, vinyl, carbon fiber plastics, and natural fibers. To clean the interior cabinet, different techniques such as steam-cleaning and vacuuming are used.
Steam Cleaner for Car Exterior easy use and the right approach. For cleaning car exterior with steam, you need to understand simple things: steam is not damage car paint, but dirty microfiber does, so to avoid any damage we decide to describe all steps in one place.
A better option is to simply keep the dash clean and avoid parking in direct sunlight (if possible); for those desiring a sheen on their dash top, some detailers recommend using Pledge furniture polish. Step one is cleaning interior glass.
Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner is also great for cleaning the interior of your car, including carpets, dashboards, upholstery, etc. The paint and interior surfaces of cars and trucks are safe because it is free of harsh chemicals.
It is safe to use on surfaces of vinyl, leather, stainless steel, and wood. Seats, steering wheels, dashboards, shifters, and door panels are common interior applications. You can use it on the exterior for anything chrome or stainless, as well as to clean and polish the outside walls of your tires.
Use any carpet cleaner or a mix of water, dish soap and white vinegar as your cleaning solution. Brush vigorously, before wiping away and removing the cleaner. The trick to carpet cleaning is the drying. We recommend buying or renting a wet/dry vacuum machine to extract the water and cleaning solution.
Is It Safe to Use Baby Wipes on Car? For the rest of us, baby wipes are perfect for wiping your car clean at a red light or even when you have a passenger in your car in a few minutes. The best part is that, unlike disinfectant wipes, wipes made for babies won’t leave a scent that will ruin your secret.
Vinegar is perfectly suitable for cleaning the interior of a car and is safe for all surfaces. It is important, however, to not let the vinegar dry on any surface, but to wipe it off with a clean microfiber towel immediately. Vinegar should not be used on car paint, as it will dull and damage the paint.
Car dealers’ cars are so shiny because they employ specialist staff known as detailers who use special auto detailing products and equipment to produce that shiny showroom finish. Products like: Auto detergent. Carnauba wax.
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