When was the last time you cleaned the interior of your car? Like, really cleaned it, not just throwing away the old receipts and fast food wrappers littering your floor?
If it’s been longer than a month, cleaning experts say you’re behind schedule. In a perfect world, every month, you’ll give the interior of your car a thorough cleaning.
Not sure where to begin when it comes to cleaning out the inside of your car? Explained below is an effective car interior cleaning routine you can follow to ensure your ride stays spotless all year round.
The Importance of Car Interior Cleaning
There are lots of reasons why you ought to make it a priority to keep the interior of your car clean. The following are some of the greatest benefits that come with regular interior maintenance:
Avoid Wear and Tear
When you clean the interior of your car on a regular basis, it helps to minimize wear and tear. There’ll be fewer stains, fewer lingering odors, and dirt and dust will be less likely to cause lasting damage to the fabric or floor mats.
Prevent Health Problems
A dirty car interior can actually contribute to a lot of health problems. If you have dirt and dust floating around on a constant basis, you could end up triggering allergies, asthma, and other respiratory problems, as well as things like headaches and migraines.
Stay Safe on the Road
If you don’t clean your car’s interior often, you might end up having a harder time driving safely, too. If your windows and windshield are dirty, for example, it’ll be difficult for you to see in as clear a way as you need when you’re out on the road. As a result, you could be putting yourself in a dangerous situation whenever you get behind the wheel.
The Perfect Cleaning Routine
Are you convinced now that you need to give the interior of your car a good cleaning? If so, here are the steps you should follow to get every nook and cran as clean as possible:
Gather Your Supplies
Start by gathering all of your cleaning supplies. The following are some basic supplies you’ll need to address the interior of your car:
- Microfiber towels
- Cotton swabs
- An old toothbrush
- Carpet brush
- White vinegar
- Dish soap or degreasing product
- Glass cleaning spray
- Vacuum
Once you’ve collected all these supplies, store them in a bucket or other portable container for easy transport. This will simplify the process in the future when you need to clean your car’s interior.
Prep Your Space
Take some steps to prepare your space, too. Make sure you have enough space while cleaning your car (consider backing out into the driveway, for example, so you’re not confined to your garage).
Don’t forget to check that the cord for your vacuum can reach all the way from the outlet to your car as well. If it doesn’t reach, grab an extension cord before you begin.
Start with the Floor Mats
A good starting point when cleaning the interior of your car is the floor mats. If you clean the floor mats first, they can dry in the sun while you work on the rest of the car.
Fluff your car mats with the carpet brush, then use the vacuum to pick up the loosened crumbs and dirt. Then, spot-clean them with a solution of water and white vinegar before setting them out to dry.
Focus on Exterior Facing Surfaces
While your mats dry, turn your attention to the exterior facing surfaces in your car. This includes often-overlooked areas like the interior ledge below your seats, as well as the car’s door jambs. These spots tend to collect a lot of dirt and grime, so they’re a good place to address next.
Address the Headliner
The headliner is the material that covers the inside of your car’s roof. It’s another often-neglected area that could likely use some TLC. Wipe this part down with a microfiber cloth, then spot-clean it with the water-vinegar solution.
Wipe Down the Windshield
If you follow the tips laid out in this guide, then you’re cleaning the outside of your windshield (as well as the rest of the exterior of your car) on a regular basis. What about the inside of the windshield, though?
Make sure you use a window-cleaning spray to wipe down the windshield, as well as your other windows, from the inside.
Clean the Hard Plastic
Next, address the hard plastic parts of your car, such as the dashboard and the window and lock controls. Dust these areas thoroughly with a microfiber cloth, then use water and vinegar to wipe them off.
Vacuum the Fabric
At this point, you’ve probably shaken loose a lot of dust and dirt. Now is a great time to vacuum that up and address the fabric on the floor of your car, as well as the seats.
Deep Clean the Fabric
After vacuuming, use the water and vinegar solution to deep clean the fabric. Get rid of any stubborn spots or stains and let the fabric air dry all the way.
Finishing Up
Once you’ve cleaned the fabric and the floor mats are dry, you’ll be ready to put your car back together. Put the mats back in their regular place, spritz the interior with a bit of air freshener (or hang one from the rearview mirror) and you’ll be good to go!
Start Cleaning Your Car Today
You now know more about why it’s important to keep the interior of your car clean, as well as how to clean it. Now that you have this information, it’s time to get to work.
Following this car interior cleaning routine starting today and make it a monthly fixture in your schedule. Your car will stay fresh and clean all year round, and you’ll never have to apologize again when you give someone a ride home from work in it.
Do you want to learn more about keeping your car in good shape, both inside and out? If so, check out the Auto Maintenance section of our site today for more helpful tips and tricks.
