Keeping the interior of the car clean is important to maintain the condition and value of the car. If dirt and dust are scattered on the car floor or on the dashboard, driving comfort will be disturbed. If the car windows are too dirty, the dust will block your view so you can't see cars coming towards you. The cleanliness of the car is also important to the appearance and value of the car. Armed with a few simple tools, you can properly clean the interior of your car.
Step
Part 1 of 5: Cleaning Up Unnecessary Stuff
Step 1. Get rid of unnecessary items
You should remove valuables or items that can interfere with driving comfort, such as briefcases and gym bags, children's toys, books and magazines. Maybe this could be a good time to fix the things that have been piled up and forgotten in the car.
Step 2. Remove all recyclable items
Drink bottles, paper and cardboard should be placed in recycling containers.
If you are cleaning your car in the driveway, pull the recycling bin near the car to make it easier for you to dispose of the items to be recycled. Get everything out of the car and put it in the recycling bin
Step 3. Pick up trash and throw it in its place
Put all trash in trash bags. You may need to wear gloves to do this, especially if there is rotting garbage in the car. After taking out the trash, keep the trash bag as you may need it for the next cleaning process.
Part 2 of 5: Cleaning the Center Console
Step 1. Clean the center console with a rag
Wet a washcloth with a common household cleaner or glass cleaner. Work from the cleanest to the dirtiest, dealing with the sticky dust later. Clean the dashboard, steering and center console areas. Do not forget to wipe the gears and the inner door.
- In addition to using a cloth, you can also use a special cloth for cars.
- Remember to use a clean rag or you're just transferring dirt and dust from one area to another.
- If you have free time, use a cotton swab to clean dust in hard-to-reach areas, such as details on the steering wheel.
- You can use a rag or a special car rag to clean the dust in the place where you put the glass/drink bottle.
Step 2. Clean the buttons on the dashboard
Use a damp cloth to clean the buttons on the dashboard. Then, dry the buttons with a clean cloth.
You can also use a flat-head screwdriver. Wrap the screwdriver head with a rag. Then, sweep the rag along the buttons to remove any accumulated dirt and dust
Step 3. Clean the small details on the car using a toothbrush
Use an old, soft-bristled toothbrush to clean hard-to-clean details such as small bumps on the inside of doors and consoles. Textured surfaces on doors or steering wheel can be handled with an old toothbrush. Brush in a circular motion to remove dirt.
Part 3 of 5: Cleaning the Inside of the Window
Step 1. Moisten a microfiber towel with glass cleaner
Spray the glass cleaner on the microfiber towel. Microfiber towels are perfect for cleaning windows because of their ability to remove stubborn stains and prevent scratches.
- It's best to avoid ammonia. Do not use glass cleaners that contain ammonia as this can dry out the plastic in the car and damage the windows.
- Make sure the glass cleaner meets the recommendations set for dark windows.
Step 2. Scrub the window
Use a microfiber towel to clean windshields, side windows, rear windows, and skylights. Use a circular motion to clean the inside of each window.
Step 3. Polish the window in a firm circular motion
Flip the microfiber towel over to clean and polish the sides of the window to remove any scratches. Pay attention to the corners and edges of the window. If necessary, spray the window cleaner again and scrub a second time.
Part 4 of 5: Cleaning Upholstery and Upholstery
Step 1. Clean the floor mat
Before vacuuming, you should remove the floor mat so you can clean the dust underneath. If your car has a plastic floor mat, you can take it out of the car and shake off any dirt that has stuck to it. Then, spray it with a water hose and let it dry. If your car has a carpet underlay, you can either vacuum it inside the car or remove it first before vacuuming. Put the floor mat back on the car once you are done vacuuming the inside of the car.
Step 2. Vacuum all parts of the car, from top to bottom
Start by vacuuming the roof, then slowly work your way up to the floor. You must use the appropriate nozzles for handling various surfaces on the car:
- You will need special upholstery nozzles to vacuum up the upholstery, headliners and other fabric/leather-covered areas.
- To clean the gaps in the seats and seat pockets, you can use the flat-nosed nozzle on the vacuum cleaner.
- If you get to parts made of hard plastic and vinyl, use a dust brush.
- The floor brush can be used to clean car carpets.
Step 3. Slide the seat to access hard to reach areas
To clean the underside of the front seat, you have to push the seat far forward or far back. Then, use the flat-nosed nozzle to suck up any dirt or dust under the front seat.
Step 4. Clean the leather upholstery.
To prevent the leather from cracking or drying out, you'll need to clean and soften it. To clean leather seats, use a soft brush and a cleanser recommended for leather, such as saddle soap. Then, apply conditioner to soften the skin.
- If you are using a new cleaning product, try it on a small area in an inconspicuous location. If the new product works well, you can use it to clean the entire seat.
- If the leather is badly cracked and the color has faded, you may need to replace the upholstery/upholstery.
Step 5. Clean the upholstered seat
Check your car's manual for the recommended cleaner for upholstery. First, vacuum the upholstery. Then, use a foam or other cleaning product on the upholstery. Finally, do the vacuum a second time.
- You can also use a carpet cleaner to deal with upholstery. If you choose this method, you can clean the car upholstery and the carpet at the same time.
- Do not use window cleaner to clean upholstery.
Step 6. Remove stubborn stains with a stain remover
Candy, chocolate, crayons and other products can leave stains on car seats. You can use a stain remover product and a clean washcloth to remove the stain.
If you find melted candy or crayons in the back seat, stop the melting process with an ice cube. After that, you can get rid of it
Part 5 of 5: Finishing the Job
Step 1. Dry the car seat with the air
If you use a lot of cleaning products, there's nothing wrong with drying the car interior with air. So, if the weather is fine, you can open all the doors and windows to dry the interior of the car.
Step 2. Install the air freshener
If you like a car that smells good, you can spray or install an air freshener.
- If you smoke, look for air fresheners specifically designed to eliminate cigarette odors.
- If you want to get rid of the musty smell, use an extra-strength air freshener that contains a water-based deodorizer.
- Look for air fresheners that last a long time, especially if you rarely clean your car.
Step 3. Put everything back where it belongs
Place the mat back on the floor. Return the seat to its normal position. If you took something out to vacuum, put it back neatly in its place.
Tips
- Floor mats made of plastic are perfect if you tend to take your car to muddy, waterlogged places so that it can be carried into the car. All you have to do is remove the floor mat once in a while and shake it off or spray it with water.
- When you're done, spray the interior of the car with an air freshener to give it a clean scent.
- The more regularly you clean the interior of your car, the easier it will be and the faster you will get it done.
- If you live in an area with high rainfall and don't have a garage, you may need to do a thorough cleaning every few months.
- If you are using an electric powered vacuum cleaner, all you have to do is plug the cord into a wall outlet. Be careful when plugging and unplugging the vacuum cleaner.
