According to AAA, the average American driver spends about 17,600 minutes in their car each year.
That's 290+ hours in a year... longer than a whole 12 days! And that’s assuming you don’t travel anywhere on weekends, which we all often do.
With that much time in the car, it’s inevitable that our car interiors are going to show some signs of being lived in. No doubt they are going to get dirty fast.
If you need to do some spring cleaning on your ride, we have some ideas for how to help get your car interior back to a nice, clean state.
As you begin to clean your car’s interior, we here at CarShield have some advice for you. Keep these 8 helpful car cleaning tips in mind:
1. Remove the floor mats.
To give your car the fully manicured treatment, you’re going to need to hit all of its nooks and crevices. An often-overlooked area when it’s time to clean car interiors is underneath your floor mats. If you haven’t lifted them lately, don’t be surprised to find dirt accumulation, small rocks, and even some salt from those harsh winter months. It’s incredible how these particulates collect under the floor mats, but believe me, they do.
Plus, if you have the mats out of your new or used car, you can vacuum or even shampoo them with much more ease.
2. Use a stiff Nylon brush to prep your carpets before vacuuming.
You know that snow brush that just sits in your car for most of the year, without much to do? Well, put it to use to deep clean car interiors.
Use the bristles to brush through upholstery when cleaning car interiors. This can penetrate the fibers to loosen up and remove any debris that has been pushed deep into the fabric and resists the vacuum.
3. Use the crevice-reaching vacuum attachments.
The best way to vacuum cars is to take the time to find the right attachments to make it most effective. Using the crevice attachment is crucial when cleaning car interiors. It’s wide, yet slender, hose tip helps to focus the suction and get underneath the car seats and between them.
4. Get a compressed air canister. Like the one you’d use to clean your keyboard.
While you are picking up the big debris that is littered about your car, you’ll notice the tiny dust that occupies the crevices in the cup holders, interior door handles, and around the transmission shifter. To clean car interiors properly, use a compressed air canister, like the one you use to clean your computer keyboard, to blow the small materials away and get the surface ready for a good wipe down.
5. Putty is your friend.
When it comes to cleaning car interiors, specifically the vents of your car, look to the unconventional tool that is putty. While kids might think you’re stealing from their toy box to play, you’ll be able to push the putty into carpets, vents, and other miniscule areas to trap the dust, mud, or grim.
In the process of cleaning car interiors, this tip can definitely leave your vehicle looking fresh and new. That, and you might have a bit of fun doing it.
6. Deodorize your vehicle.
It may be enough to simply add an air freshener to your vehicle and call it a day, but sometimes the stench of fast food and other overpowering odors may have set up a seemingly permanent residence in your car. In the process of cleaning car interiors, there are ways to combat the smells instead of simply covering them.
You can sprinkle some baking soda on the seats and carpets of your car. Baking soda naturally lifts odors and absorbs them. After a few hours, or overnight, vacuum the seats and floors of your car to remove the baking soda.
If you need to really add some odor-absorbing power to your car, purchase a charcoal odor absorber and place one under the seats of your vehicle and one in the cup holders. For cleaning car interiors, charcoal is a really good odor absorber and will soak up the stink fast.
If you haven’t replaced your cabin air filter, look into doing so. It can go a long way in the quality of air that you smell in your car.
7. Use a wand to magically clear up your windshield.
While you’re shining up the windows in your car, don’t forget to add a streak free shine to the piece of glass you spend the most time looking through, the windshield.
It can be tiresome to clean car interiors and wipe your windshields down from inside. Inevitably, you end up missing spots, and then when you drive, you are completely distracted by the foggy patches.
The best way to detail a car with half the effort is to use a wand with a microfiber bonnet. This lets you get the clear view that your windshield deserves.
8. Clean your cup holder
Fewer parts of a car seem to accumulate crud faster than cup holders. Whether they are full of crumbs, change, or wadded-up straw wrappers, the cup holder seems to be a magnet for automobile filth.
And that’s before we address the syrupy miss that permanently dwells there, or the coffee-stained ring.
For cleaning car interiors, don’t be nervous to use a little soap and water to soak the area and loosen up the dried on leftover beverages. Then, take a cloth and wipe the area clean. During the process of cleaning car interiors, you may have to give it a couple of passes to really get the edges clean.
Once that’s done, consider buying cup holder liners. It’s much easier to take them out and wash them in the sink.
Your Next Move
These tips for how to clean car interiors will help you get your vehicle back to the happy space you loved when you started driving it. They’ll also get you ready to tackle the next task on your to-do list: cleaning the exterior.
Now that the inside of your car looks clean, pristine, and showroom-ready, it’s time to make the outside match. Here are 9 Tips for Cleaning the Exterior of Your Vehicle.
Frequently Asked Questions
What to use to clean your car interior?
For cleaning car interiors, gather these essentials: a vacuum with crevice attachments, microfiber cloths, compressed air canisters, a stiff nylon brush, and cleaning putty. You'll also want mild soap, water, and baking soda for deodorizing. These tools help you clean car interiors thoroughly and safely.
How to detail a car interior?
Start by removing floor mats, then vacuum all surfaces using proper attachments. Brush upholstery to loosen debris, use compressed air for tight spaces, and apply putty to vents. Finish by deodorizing with baking soda.
How to clean a car’s interior dashboard?
The best way to clean car dashboards is with a microfiber cloth and a gentle cleaner. Spray cleaner on the cloth, not directly on the dashboard, to avoid damage to electronics. Wipe gently to remove dust and grime.
What not to use when cleaning the car interior?
The best way to clean car interiors is to avoid harsh chemicals, ammonia-based cleaners, and abrasive scrubbers that can damage surfaces and upholstery.
