How to clean inside of a car
Cleaning the interior of your vehicle is important for maintenance, value, and appearance. Too much trash in your car could be dangerous. For example, dirty windows can prevent you from seeing outside.Furthermore, the clean car boosts your self-esteem. In this post, we have pulled together cleaning car interior ideas for you.
How do you deep clean the interior of a car?
How to clean car interior fabric
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With these easy steps, you will have your car interior looking almost brand new.
Part 1: Decluttering your car
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Step 1: Take out extraneous itemsRemove all your valuable stuff from the car which could hinder you to clean your car properly. Use this time to organize things that you could have forgotten in the vehicle. Extraneous items could include your bag, baby toys, keys, and the list is not limited.Step 2: Remove all the recyclablesPlace all recyclables which could be water bottles, paper and cardboard staffs in the recycling container. When cleaning the driveway, pull the recycle container over to the car so that it is easier to dispose of the recyclables.Step 3: Take out all the trashFor this step wear gloves and put all of the trash in the garbage bag. Preserve the garbage bag as you may require it after the cleaning process.
Part 2: Cleaning the central console
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1. If you do not have a rag, you can buy a car cleaning wipes.2. Always use a clean rag, otherwise, you will distribute the dirt on your car.3. For steering wheel, use a cotton bud to wipe out any grime.4. For cup holders, you can use a rag or car cleaning wipe to get the dust out of your cup holders.
Step 1: Wipe down the center consoleWet a rag with some household cleaner. Start cleaning from the cleanest areas and finish with the dirtiest. Clean the steering wheel, center console, and dashboard area. You can also clean the gear stick and inside door pockets. While wiping down the center console, use the following tips.Step 2: Clean the buttons on the dashboardUse a moist rag to clean the buttons on your dashboard. Use another clean dry rag to dry the buttons.To remove any dust and grim, wrap a rag around the top of the screwdriver and run the rag along the buttons.Step 3: Detail your vehicle using an old toothbrushFor the interior doors and console, you can use an old toothbrush-preferably soft to remove tough spots. Brush the toothbrush in a circular motion so that you can easily remove the dirt.
Part 3: Cleaning interior of car windows
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Step 1: Wet a microfiber towel with window cleanerMicrofiber are great for cleaning car windows because they remove tough stains and prevent streaking.Spray the microfibre with window cleaner. Do not use window cleaner which has ammonia as this could dry out the plastic. Ensure the window cleaner is suitable for your window if tinted.Step 2: Scrub the windowUsing the microfibre towel, wipe the windshield, side windows, rear window, and sunroof. Always clean in a circular pattern.Step 3: Brush in a firm circular patternPolish the microfibre towel to the clean side and polish the windows to get rid of any streaks. If the streaks are tough to apply the cleaner and polish a second time. Remember to polish the corners and edges of the windows.
Part 4: Cleaning the seats and upholstery
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1.Use dusting brush for hard plastic and vinyl.2. The carpet on the floor of your car can be polished with floor blush.3.For the crevices in the seats pockets and seats, you can use the crevice tool on your vacuum cleaner.
Step 1: Clean the floor matsWhat you should first do when cleaning car seats is remove the floor mats, this will make it easy for you to grin underneath.For plastic mats, first remove them outside and shake them to remove the dirt. Then, use a garden hose to hose them down and leave them out to dry.For carpet mats, you can either vacuum the mats in the car or remove them outside to vacuum.You can return the mats in the car after you are done vacuuming the interior.Step 2: Vacuum from ceiling to the floorWhen vacuuming uses the right nozzles for different surfaces of your vehicle. Start vacuuming the ceiling of the car and then gradually move to the floor. The following tips will guide you in vacuuming.
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Step 6: Removing tough stains Some stains such as candy and chocolate can not come out easily not unless you use a stain remover. For candy or crayons which have melted on your seat, you can use an ice cube and remove the item.
Step 3: For better cleaning move the seatsWith the sits intact you will not be able to clean under the front seats. Thus you will have to push the seats forward and backward. Use the crevice tool to remove debris beneath the front seats.Step 4: Cleaning leather seatsTo prevent your leather seats from drying out, fading and cracking you have to wash and condition them.To clean leather seats you will need a soft brush, cleaner suitable for leather seats, and a soft rag.In case your seats are worn out and the color is faded then it is time to replace them.For new cleaner-one which you have not used before it is good to try it out on a small area, which is hidden.Step 5: Time to clean your upholstered fabric seatsFor this, you can use your vehicle manual to check the recommended cleaning agents for your upholstery. Start by vacuuming your seats, then use a cleaning agent to clean your seats. Finish by vacuuming your seats for the second time.Avoid using window cleaner on the upholstered fabric seats. Carpet cleaners are also recommended for upholstered seats.
Part 5: Finalizing
Step 1: Airing out the seatsIf you cleaned your seats on a sunny day, you can open the windows to air out inside your car. It is also important to air your seats if you used many cleaning products.Step 2: Put an air freshenerIf you love air freshener then you can install one at this point.You can also use an air freshener if:
- You smoke in your car-it will help to get rid of the odor
- If your car is old
- If you do not clean your car regularly
Step 3: Put everything back in placeAfter you are done cleaning you can return the mats on the car floor, and return the seats in their places. Just place everything in an orderly manner.
What is the best way to clean car upholstery?
How to clean inside of car seats
Keeping your car upholstery is good for your health and it also makes you enjoy your car ride. Luckily, cleaning your upholstery does not have to be this hard, you just have to follow the steps below.
Removing Stains
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Step 1:Test the stain remover before usingJust to be sure the stain remover will not destroy your upholstery, it is good to test on an inconspicuous spot.Step 2: Pretreat tough stains on leatherFor the tough stains on leather upholstery, pretreat the material with leather conditioner. After applying the conditioner you can apply a leather stain remover on the stain and polish it. Leave it for about 30 seconds and rub it off.Step 3: Work on ink stainsFor ink stains, you can use a hairspray or alcohol mixed with water. You will have to rub carefully to avoid spreading the ink on the upholstery.
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Step 6: Remove vomit stains. If someone gets sicks in your and vomits, it is important to clean it immediately to avoid it getting into the upholstery. Use dilute warm water with a mild soap to wash the area. You can use air freshener after removing the stain, or baking soda to absorb the smell.
Step 4:Remove the greasy and oily stainsFor greasy stains use a watered-down paint to remove them. Paint thinner can be used in small amounts, put it in a cup and add the same amount of water. Soak a cotton in the solution and use it to rub into the stain.Then sprinkle the stain with salt and let it rest for a night. You can now vacuum that section.Always remember to test any cleaning agent before you use it, and that includes the paint thinner.Step 5: Removing coffee stainsFor coffee stains, you can remove them using cold water and paper towel. Avoid scrubbing so that you do not spread the stain further. Rather, dilute the coffee with cold water and bolt with the paper towel.If after this the stain is still visible, polish the upholstery with dish washing liquid and rinse with warm water. Then dry the hair with a hairdryer.
Cleaning Vinyl Upholstery
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Use the glass on vinyl upholsteryFor vinyl seats spills and messes usually just wipe off and so they are the easiest seats to clean. To clean a vinyl upholstery, spray an all-purpose glass cleaner on the seats and use a soft cloth to polish it off. To avoid the glass cleaner dripping onto the floor, work on one seat at a time.Baking soda and waterAlternatively, you can use, mix baking soda with water to make a cleaner for washing you vinyl upholstery.Rub the paste over the upholstery then rinse the seats off with mild soap and water mixture. Remember to wipe your seats using a dry cloth. Avoid oil-based cleaners as they will harden your vinyl seats.Cleaning seamsFor dirt which has been trapped where upholstery has been sewn together, you can use a toothbrush to get at these areas. Scrub softly.
Cleaning Leather Upholstery
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Use a leather cleanerUse a soft cloth to polish the leather cleaner on the upholstery. Then rinse off the cleaner with clean water.Dry the leather upholsteryAfter cleaning the upholstery, ensure you completely dry the seats before applying the conditioner.r your text here.
Use a leather-cleaning kitLeather material is prone to aging and fading, hence it requires more careful care than fabric or vinyl. This necessitates the need to clean leather upholstery with cleaners specifically made for leather, such as cleaners and conditioners. They are easily available. Use a heaterIf you are doing the cleaning during summer or just during a relatively warm day then you will not need to use a heater. However, if you are cleaning during winter, then a heater is necessarily- to warm up the car before cleaning.Pre-treat tough stains on leatherFor tough stains, retreat the leather with a conditioner specifically made for leather and then apply a leather stain remover on the stain. Polish and allow it to rest for about 30 seconds and wipe it off.
What can I use to clean the interior of my car?
Car interior cleaner homemade
Shopping for commercial cleaners can be time-consuming and expensive too. The good thing is you can avoid this by making a homemade cleaner. The following are cleaners you can make by yourself.
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Use toothpaste on stainsStains on car seats can easily be removed by toothpaste-you just need to rub softly the affected area with toothpaste.To test your cleaner, try it on a small inconspicuous area.Using alcohol as a cleanerIf toothpaste fails to remove the stains rub the area with alcohol. Do not use a lot of alcohol as you are likely to breach the product.You can also prepare a solution for cleaning the interior of the car using alcohol. Mix equal water with alcohol, then spray the hard surfaces with the mixture. Wipe the cleaner with a soft fabric.Vinegar cleaner Mix vinegar with linseed oil, this is a great solution for removing dirt and grime. The best part is this cleaner will leave your interior shining especially leather seats.Baking soda cleaner This can be used as an air purifier. To use baking soda as an air purifier, sprinkle it in your car’s ashtray, and leave it to rest. It will absorb the smell leaving your car fresh.Use a baby wipe on the glove compartmentRemove any garbage that may have accumulated in your car. Mostly trash is forgotten and may make the car seem messy.Vinyl and hard surfaces using a homemade protectantMix fresh lemon juice and two parts olive in a small bowl of your choice. Do not apply this solution to anything you need to drive. The protectant makes any area smooth and thus you can easily slip away.