How to properly clean your car interior

A car travels many kilometers and has to endure quite a few bumps and scratches during its lifetime. An auto mechanic can maintain the engine and technology to keep the car running smoothly, but the outside of the car is just as important. With a clean exterior, you can show off your car better. A clean interior looks good and is better for your health. Surveys show that regular cleaning, maintenance and minor cosmetic repairs before sale can increase value by several hundred dollars.

A thorough cleaning of the interior is known as deep cleaning. Although there are several companies that do this with their own special cleaning set, it is still more satisfying to do it thoroughly yourself and to know how clean your car really is. Before you start, you need a cleaning kit for your car. This consists of a sponge, upholstery cleaner, polishing agent (normal or plastic), cleaning agent, a soft leather chamois, a duster, a vacuum cleaner and brushes. You may already have your own preference for the cleaning material, such as a soft cloth.

Now that you have the right materials, you can start. First, remove all waste from your car and take out the car mats. Now you can start vacuuming. Do it thoroughly and also vacuum under the seats and in hard to reach corners. The dashboard, seats and doors are best vacuumed with a brush attachment on the nozzle so that you do not scratch the surface.

Then comes the upholstery. There are several specialty cleaning products available for cleaning car upholstery and they all work in the same way. Spray the product evenly on the seat or door and rub it in vigorously. Then wipe with a dry cloth. After the upholstery is done, it is the turn of the carpets. The carpets are best cleaned in the same way as the seats and upholstery. Treat with spray, polish and rub dry. Use very little or no water, as if the interior does not dry properly, the moisture can damage your car.

When the car is reasonably clean, it is best to clean the center console and dashboard with a regular duster. If there are stubborn stains on the dashboard, a vigorous brushing with a damp cloth and detergent is required. To restore the gloss of the plastic, a plastic polish can be lightly applied with a brush and cloth. This not only provides extra shine, but also protects the surface.