Tired of sticky residue, pet hair and snack crumbs all over your car?

Then it’s time to give your vehicle some TLC. Refreshing your car’s interior is not only a gesture for your passengers, but it can also extend the life of the car. Since good car maintenance means taking good care of your car both inside and out, you can learn how to clean your car’s interior to care for your car and protect your investment. How to Clean Your Car Interior Like a Pro

Whether you use your car to transport pets, children, guests or just yourself, keeping everything clean will keep you and your passengers happy and satisfied. Plus, over time, dirt, dust and grime can build up and corrode the materials inside your car, causing even bigger problems than weird smells and unsightly stains.
Ready to start? We help you get your car’s interior fresh from the dealership. We’ve put together this guide to help you give your car’s interior the attention it deserves. Say goodbye to last month’s cracker crumbs and soda spills with these steps, tips, and products.
What you need
To get your car’s interior cleaner than the day you drove it off the lot, you need to know what things to use. While you can reuse many common household items for use in your car, you can also purchase cleaning products that are specifically designed to thoroughly clean your car while being gentle on the materials.

Keep in mind that some household cleaners may contain harsh chemicals that can damage your car’s surfaces over time. These chemicals can attack leather, plastic and fabric materials. Therefore, avoid them or dilute them to protect your car .
Recommended products for your car

Here’s what you need to remove stains, destroy bacteria and get rid of that unpleasant smell:

Disinfection wipes
Invisible window cleaner without ammonia
Leather cleaner
Carpet cleaner
Upholstery cleaner
Cleaning equipment
Equip yourself before you start.
Everything you need to keep your car in good working order is right here:

Microfiber cloth
Car vacuum cleaner with accessories
sponge
Scrub brush with hard bristles
Bucket
dust cloth
spray bottle
Injection tool for cleaning
dust cloth
Step by step: detailing a car interior
Once you’ve gathered your supplies, you’re ready to go. Follow these steps to clean every bend, crack and crevice in your car:

1- Remove the floor mats and clean them

Once you have removed all the debris from your car, take out your floor mats. If you choose to wash your floor mats with water and detergent, it’s a good idea to do this step early in the cleaning process so they have time to dry while you work on the rest of the car’s interior. When removing your floor mats, shake them out to remove large crumbs and other debris. Run the vacuum cleaner to suck up the dirt in your carpets.

If you have carpeted floors, apply a carpet or upholstery cleaner according to the product’s instructions. You can soak and scrub your carpets with a bucket of water and a few drops of product before rinsing and hanging to dry. Another option is to check if your floor mats are machine washable. If you don’t have a suitable place to hang the rugs, lay out a tarp or drop cloth instead of laying them on the floor.
For non-matted carpets, such as those made of rubber, silicone or vinyl, you can rinse off excess dirt and grime with a hose. For a more thorough cleaning, use a rubber floor mat cleaner. Another option is to add some washing up liquid to a bucket of warm water and use a brush to clean the carpets. After giving it a good rinse to get rid of any soap residue, let it air dry.

2- Vacuum the interior

Once you’ve removed the floor mats, run your vacuum throughout the interior of your car. Use the accessories to reach hard-to-reach corners, like your cup holders and the space between the windshield and dashboard. Don’t forget to run the vacuum over your chairs to pick up any dirt and crumbs.

3- Remove dust and disinfect the dashboard

While the vacuum cleaner is great for picking up some of the dirt and dust in your car, it may be too big to navigate the smaller areas of your dashboard. Use a duster or microfiber cloth to remove small particles from your dashboard and air vents. Feather dusters and microfiber cloths are soft enough not to scratch your vents, and they’re designed to catch dust instead of spreading it all over the car.

After removing dust from your dashboard, use disinfectant wipes to kill germs and bacteria living on your dashboard. Avoid using bleach-based products and always read product labels carefully before using chemicals in your car. Crumbs, spills, and daily use can cause bacteria to build up on your dashboard, especially on high-touch surfaces. Therefore, make it a habit to disinfect these areas regularly. Keeping your dashboard clean can help prevent the spread of disease and ensure the safety and health of you and your passengers. Sticky dashboard? No longer! Your passengers will thank you.

4- Clean the console thoroughly

Just like your dashboard, it’s important to remove dust, dirt and debris from your console. Be careful when cleaning areas such as gear shifters, infotainment panel and console controls. For example, the climate controls and radio buttons built into your console may be sensitive. Therefore, be careful when dusting and disinfecting them.

If your car has an infotainment screen, avoid using ammonia-based products to clean the surface. Since most manufacturers use plastic for infotainment touchscreens, ammonia-based glass cleaners can damage the surface, especially if it has an anti-reflective or anti-fingerprint coating. Instead, you can clean the touch screen with a microfiber cloth slightly moistened with distilled water.

5- Clean the cup holders, door panels and steering wheel

Take good care of your cup holders, door panels and steering wheel by dusting and disinfecting these surfaces. If you have removable cup holders, remove them and wash them in warm water with a little dish soap. Use a sponge or soft brush to scrub thoroughly and remove any residue. You can use disinfectant wipes to clean your door panels and steering wheel, both high-touch areas of your car. Nobody wants their car to act like a petri dish.

6- Wipe the interior windows

Use an alcohol-based glass cleaner, such as B. Invisible Glass, to wipe the inside of your windows and windshields. Never use products that are not suitable for cleaning glass. If you use glass cleaning products in your car, try using two microfiber cloths. Spray the product onto a cloth and apply the cleaner to the glass. This prevents particles from the cleaner from reaching other surfaces in your car and causing deposits and damage. Wipe the glass clean with the other cloth. This strategy helps reduce streaks, and a microfiber cloth protects your glass from abrasion.

7- Provide chairs

Clean your seats by first using the vacuum cleaner with a hose attachment to remove crumbs and other debris. Then clean your seat material with appropriate products. Wipe leather seats with a leather cleaner made specifically for cars. Follow the instructions on the product and consider finishing with a leather conditioner to keep the leather supple, soft and shiny. Who doesn’t love that clean leather scent?
On fabric chairs, look for stains that need to be removed. Choose a stain removal product and follow the instructions on the package to apply, set and rinse the product. Apply an upholstery cleaner to the entire seat. You can use a scrub brush to work the product into the seat for a more thorough cleaning. Rinse the product with a microfiber cloth soaked in water, but avoid soaking the seat as wet seats can promote mold growth (again, no science experiments please). If necessary, wipe off excess water with a dry towel before letting the chairs air dry.

8- Deodorize ring

Finally, eliminate the strange smell with baking soda, activated charcoal and air milling. As an example, you can use the baking powder or activate it with the drop of your favorite item in a plastic container with a lock. The a few openings in the lid and store the tea safely under one of your chairs or use a gel air freshener. Replace the contents monthly (or as needed if the odor becomes stronger) to keep your vehicle fresh. This can also be used as a commercial air freshener to rid your car of the smell of your last takeaway meal.

How frequently do you clean your car’s interior?

How often you should clean your car’s interior depends on your driving conditions and lifestyle. If you often transport messy passengers (eg children and pets), your car’s interior may need to be cleaned more regularly. In addition, a general rule is to carry out a thorough cleaning at least twice a year. To give you an example, you can take a look at the beginning of each spring to remove the mud and road salt that accumulates in the car during the winter. Clean it again at the end of summer so it’s ready for the colder months.
You can prioritize cleaning certain areas of your car more often. Clean the inside of your windows and windshields monthly or as needed to improve visibility on the road. Disinfect frequently touched surfaces, especially during cold and flu season. Remember: you want your car to move, but not your nose. Finally, be sure to quickly wipe up any food and drink spills to prevent germs and bugs from entering your vehicle.

How to keep your car interior clean
Maintaining a clean inside for your automobile can seem like an uphill struggle. With these tips, you can improve the cleaning of your vehicle’s interior and protect it until the next basic cleaning:

Buy car gel or putty and keep it on hand so you can easily clean hard-to-reach areas like your vents.
Use a small container to collect rubbish in your car or simply choose to buy a car waste bin to reduce waste.
Buy a silicone baking pan that you can use to line your cup holders to reduce the amount of residue that builds up.
Invest in an overhead organizer to store travel items, snacks and entertainment for children and other passengers.
While regular deep cleanings are important to maintaining your car’s interior, using some of these accessories can help reduce interior clutter and keep your car smelling better than the first day.

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