There are few feelings more satisfying than stepping into a clean car. It evokes the same feeling as stepping into a rental car, where everything is spotless and tidy. Cleaning your car and keeping your car clean can be a source of pride and enjoyment in your day-to-day life.
Many people are unsure of how to achieve that sparkling clean car interior. One option is to take your car, truck, or SUV to have it professionally detailed. But at a cost of upwards of $200-$300 for basic cleaning, this is unaffordable for most car owners. It makes sense to take matters into your own hands by cleaning your car interior yourself.
Read also: 6 Important Fluids in Your Car to Check on a Regular Basis
Cleaning Your Car Interior
Using these supplies, you will be able to clean your vehicle with ease and convenience.
1) Cotton Swabs
Modern vehicles are full of nooks and crannies that get dirty and grubby-looking easily. This is especially true if you eat in your car while you are on the go. Crumbs, dust, and dirt accumulate in the vents, dashboard, and elsewhere.
This is where cotton swabs come in handy. These useful cleaning tools can reach spots inside cracks and small spaces that a simple cloth cannot. For a pristine clean look for your car’s interior, cotton swabs are a must.
2) Silly Putty
For those tenacious spots that cotton swabs just can’t clean, Silly Putty is a helpful cleaning agent. Designed as a children’s toy, this putty is useful for much more than play. It fits into the smallest of cracks and crevices, removing any debris or dirt with it.
Silly Putty can be used to keep any interior surface sparkling clean.
3) Cleaning Spray
When it comes to cleaning your car interior, plain water is not going to cut it. And most soaps are not formulated for use on car interiors, either. Stains on car seats are often old and difficult to remove without a strong cleaning product.
Plastic, leather, and fabric interiors all have different qualities and require different products. The same spray cleaner that makes your vinyl shine may not be appropriate for leather or plastic, so be sure to choose one that is appropriate for your vehicle.
Using a high-quality cleaning spray is an easy way to make your vehicle interior shine.
4) Rags
Cleaning spray is not helpful without something to apply it with. Paper towel is too fragile for the job and leaves unwanted paper fiber and residue behind. Buying cleaning cloths is unnecessarily expensive and wasteful.
Instead of buying cleaning cloths., why not use rags you already have in your home? Old clothes or sheets can be cut into square rags and used for cleaning purposes. These fabric scraps will leave glass, vinyl, and leather shiny and streak-free. With a little cleaner, they remove even the most stubborn of stains from carpet or fabric.
5) Toothbrush
A toothbrush is an underrated cleaning item that everyone has in their household already. Even years-old stains are no match for the scrubbing power of a manual toothbrush. These brushes are ideal for scrubbing out tough stains. They can also get into the cracks between vents and seams without difficulty.
6) Vacuum
A vacuum is indispensable for cleaning the interior of any vehicle. After all, the floor of your car is constantly exposed to feet and is usually the dirtiest part of your vehicle.
A large home vacuum may be able to handle the dirt on your car floor. For a better clean, try renting an industrial vacuum or using one at a car wash. These usually have more power and can get the fine dirt and grit that less powerful vacuums cannot reach.
7) Glass cleaner
Few people realize how dirty the inside of their windshield and windows is until they clean the exterior windows. This reveals what is usually not noticeable: fingerprints, smudges, and dust.
The spray cleaner that works on your car interior is usually not suitable for cleaning glass. Windows need something different. Glass cleaner is specially formulated to make your windows shiny clean and streak-free. If you have never cleaned the inside your car windows before, you will be surprised at how grimy they get on the inside.
Final Thoughts
Cleaning your car interior doesn’t have to be difficult or unenjoyable. With proper supplies and a little effort, your car will be sparkling clean in no time at all.