It’s not just houses that need a spring clean – your car does, too. Commuting, weekend drives, and just general living can leave your car a mess – full of everything from food packaging, empty plastic water bottles, or mud, leaves and lord knows what else.
And that’s just what a driver can do to their vehicle; passengers in the back can spill food and ‘forget’ to tell the driver. So, whether it's sorting out a stain straight away or you’ve been putting off a big clean-up job for a while, here is Autoparts’ step-by-step cleaning guide to getting your car’s interior spic and span.
Make sure you have the right tools
If you are going to clean your car, make sure you bring the right tools to do the job properly.
You are going to need:
- Rubbish bags
- A vacuum cleaner (preferably cordless)
- Microfibre cloths
- Glass cleaner
- All-purpose spray
- Duster (and compressed air spray if you have one)
- Warm soapy water and sponge
- Seat/carpet cleaning kit
If you’re looking for a kit that covers most of the essential items for a full-clean, look no further than the Shelby Interior Kit.
It features three 250ml bottles to give your car a comprehensive clean that’ll leave your guests feeling right at home: upholstery cleaner, glass cleaner and their special silicone-free Cockpit Shine formula.
Step-by-step cleaning guide
- A quick tidy
Before you get to cleaning, make sure that you clear your car of all the general detritus that can accumulate. Put everything that you don’t want to keep straight into the rubbish bins and make sure to really check underneath the car seats and down the sides near the doors – especially if you eat regularly in your car.
- Remove floor mats
Once you’ve cleared the car of the surface level tat, whip out the floor mats – and try to remove as much dirt and dust with them. This is also the best time to take out any child seats you are using or seat protectors.
If the mat is carpet, give it a good strong shake and try to shift as much dirt as possible. If there are any particularly stubborn stains, any carpet cleaning solution should work well, just remember to leave them to dry somewhere with plenty of fresh air to ensure that they remain smelling fresh and clean.
If the mats are rubber, you can actually use your typical garden hose to clean off any mud then use the sponge and warm soapy water for a full clean. Again, leave out in the sun to dry while you clean the rest of your vehicle.
- Dashboard
A lot of the dust and grime on your dashboard and console can be sorted with a wipe with the microfibre cloth or even a quick vacuum if you have the time. Doing this regularly will keep your car feeling fresh and help you keep on top of any dust build-up. If you want to give your dash a more thorough clean, use some all-purpose spray to help return the shine to your dash’s plastics and use compressed air in all the nooks and crannies to blast out the dust and food crumbs.
A great compromise between just a wipe down and a full clean is the CarPlan Flash Dash XL wipes. These cleaning wipes give off a lovely citrus or apple aroma - depending on your choice - while restoring surfaces to their original lustre through a non-sticky, silicone-free formula that’s kind to your vehicle dash surfaces while tough on whatever’s staining them. Keep these wipes handy for whenever you need them for a quick and professional clean.
- Central console
This is also the best time to give your central console a look – generally this is a more difficult clean due to the delicate nature of the buttons and screen, so make sure to take your time with it and clean it gently. Again, give the console a wipe down with your microfibre cloth and use the compressed air to clear any crannies. If you’re struggling to find quality enough microfibre clothes, we recommend the Triplewax Triple Pack Microfibre Cloths – it’s great quality at great value.
One thing to take particular care about is your infotainment screen. These are usually plastic-based and so can become damaged if you use ammonia-based cleaning solution on them (as can be found in most glass cleaning sprays). If your screen needs a clean, your microfibre cloth dampened with distilled water is best.
- Windows
Give your windows a quick brush to clear any dust that may be sticking to them and them give them a spray with your window cleaner. Try to avoid using too much cleaner at once, as you want to avoid any solution dripping down into the mechanism of your automatic windows. Wipe the solution away with your microfibre cloth to ensure that you don’t leave any streaks.
Some glass cleaners, like the Carplan Demon Anti Mist Glass Cleaner Trigger Spray, also include an anti-mist component, helping to combat foggy windows on those cold mornings.
- Cupholders
Cupholders can be a bit of a devil to clean properly, especially if they’re not the removable kind. If yours are removeable, make sure to take them out regularly and give them a good soak in some warm soapy water, making sure to remove any build-up of germs and grime. If you can’t remove them, don’t worry! Giving them a wipe with your microfibre cloth and some warm soapy water is still very effective.
Tip: If you’re struggling to get into the corners of the cupholder, an Autoparts cleaning hack is to wrap your cloth around your favourite travel cup and use it to really scrub the edges of the cupholder.
- Seats
Your seats are going to be the main focal points of dirt, grime, and stains, and as such will most likely require the most TLC. First make sure to clear all dirt and crumbs by giving them a proper vacuum using your (hopefully) cordless vacuum.
Once they are clear, it then depends on the material your seats are made from. If they are leather, something like the CarPlan Leather Valet Renovation Kit is ideal, giving you everything you need to return your leather seats back to their original splendour (while also returning that amazing ‘new leather’ smell). Just follow the instructions and take your time with it for some amazing results.
If they are cloth seats, again, a specialised stain removal product, like the CarPlan Interior Valet Aerosol, will be needed; make sure to follow the instructions carefully and try not to use too much water while cleaning – soggy seats are perfect for mould growth.
- Carpets
Now that we’ve dealt with most of the interior, now is the perfect time to clean the footwell carpets. Doing this too early might mean the dirt from other parts of the car (such as the seats) might get knocked onto your clean carpet, so you would have to re-vacuum them at the end!
Start with a complete sweep with your cordless vacuum, something like the handheld Draper D20 Vacuum Cleaner is ideal to help you reach every part effortlessly. Once the excess dirt is removed, use your carpet cleaning solution to remove any stains. Again, we don’t want too much water when doing this, so, to prevent mould growth, feel free to use paper towels to soak up excess water before allowing the carpets to dry naturally.
-
Steering wheel and doors
Make sure to give your steering wheel and door a wipe with some disinfectant wipes/spray. These are high-touch areas of the car and can be a breeding ground for bacteria, so it pays dividends to give them a quick clean on a regular basis
- Optional extras
As a finishing touch, why not add a new air freshener to keep your car smelling fresher for longer?
With a wide range of options, from a traditional magic tree, Star Wars vent clips, California Scents cup holder cans, a cute Scents character, your favourite Lynx scent, or a tropical Bahama Scented Hula Girl - air fresheners are a great way to personalise your car.
That’s all folks
We hope you enjoyed our step-by-step guide on keeping your car feeling fresh and clean. As long as you keep on top and any spills, it should make every journey in your car as enjoyable as possible.
For Autoparts’ full range of car cleaning products, and thousands of other tools, parts and accessories, visit Autoparts’ products section.
If you enjoyed this blog, you might also like to read:
