There is nothing worse than driving around in a dirty car. As our methods of transportation, it is only natural to feel proud of the vehicles we drive. Not only do they get us from place A to place B, but we spend a large portion of our time sat behind the wheel. It is for this reason that it is nice to not only have a car that is sparkling on the outside, but one that is clean on the inside as well.
Cleaning the inside of your car can seem like a daunting task. As we use our cars, it is only natural that they accumulate some form of dirt or grime over the weeks. To keep our cars clean we need to make sure we vacuum them regularly. That said, there are other tasks and other aspects of cleaning the inside of your car to undertake if you want it to truly shine.
How to Clean the inside of your Car
Throughout the course of this article we are going to explore how to clean the inside of your car, taking a closer look at four different aspects of the inside of your vehicle and how you can get them sparkling. Those four aspects are the dashboard, the upholstery, the windows, and the carpet. As we explore those four elements, we will also pay attention to aspects like the cup holders as well, so you can feel confident cleaning your car moving forward.
Cleaning Car Windows
Starting from top to bottom, car windows often get cleaned from the outside. By taking the car through a carwash, or simply sitting in a heavy rainstorm, it is possible to clean the windows of your car. That being said, they can get grubby from the inside as well. Whether from the handprints of children, the nose prints of pets, or the imprint of a passenger falling asleep in the car and pressing their head against the glass, it is possible for smudges and smears to appear on your car windows from the inside.
The good news is that windows are relatively easy to clean. There is a simple three step process to getting streak free windows.
- Wipe down the inside of your windows with a microfiber cloth. The goal of this is to give the inside of the glass a gentle clean, removing any unwanted residue, before cleaning with a glass cleaning solution.
- Wipe the glass down using a cleaner designed to help remove smears and smudges from glass. Ideally, you want to use something that will cut through any grease that is left by handprints. In the perfect world, the ideal product to use for this is auto-glass cleaner.
- Dry the windows. The goals of giving the glass a final wipe, once they are clean, is to remove any excess moisture and guarantee the car has a clean and flawless finish.
Cleaning the inside of your windows really is that easy. What are you waiting for? Why not give it a try?
Cleaning Your Car Dashboard
Throughout the experience of cleaning the inside of your car, a microfiber cloth will be your best friend. Over time, dust from your car can rest on your dashboard, coating it in a layer of particles that you are going to want to get rid of.
There are several different types of dashboard, and depending on the dashboard you have it will depend on the method of cleaning used to get the best results.
Most car dashboards are made out of rubber, vinyl or plastic. In those cases, the simplest method to clean them is to use simple soapy water and give them a wipe down. This can be applied with a cloth and then, when approaching areas like vents or the corners of the car, the soapy water can be applied with a small brush like a toothbrush.
The method of cleaning varies slightly with leather dashboards. If you have a leather dashboard you are going to want to use a specialist leather cleaner where appropriate, such as a leather oil-based soap. This will make sure that you can clean the surface of the leather without accidentally marking it with abrasive chemicals.
Cleaning the Car Floor
When cleaning the inside of your vehicle, the quickest way to make a noticeable difference is by vacuuming the bottom of your car floor. Vacuuming the bottom of your car is a fairly simple task to undertake; however, what if there deeper stains?
The good news is that domestic carpet cleaner also works on the carpet within the inside of your car. All you need to do is follow the instructions and you should be able to work your way through any type of tough stain. This means applying the carpet cleaner to any specific area of the carpet, leaving it to sink in, and then scrubbing it with a brush. Once scrubbed the area can be washed, before drying it off with paper towels. It’s nice and simple.
Just remember to clean under the mats as well. When you remove the mats it is better to allow for them, and the carpet, to dry before replacing
Cleaning Car Upholstery and Cleaning Cup Holders
The final aspect of your car that may need cleaning is the upholstery of the car itself. The car upholstery may be fabric or it may be leather, either way there are methods of cleaning it to get it feeling fresh and new. Whether there are marks from water, stains, or you just want to give it a bit of a spritz, there are a few methods that can be used to help get your upholstery clean and fresh.
As with the carpet, the upholstery of the car can be vacuumed in order to remove any pieces of debris that may have accumulated in the cracks or crevices of the fabric. The same can be said with the cup holders in order to remove any bits that have collected over time.
Once removed it is possible to clean the upholstery in a way similar to the carpet. We would recommend using an upholstery cleaner, according to whether you have fabric or leather seating, and spraying it onto the seats. Once on the seats, it can be worked in using a brush or cloth.
Different upholstery cleaners will have different amounts of time recommended on them for how long to leave on the fabric before cleaning them off. Once it has been left for the appropriate amount of time, simply mop it off with a damp cloth. Then allow for it to dry, repeating the process as needed.
After vacuuming, cup-holders can be wiped down using a simple damp cloth.
Cleaning the Inside of Your Car
Cleaning the inside of your car can be a fantastic way of breathing new life into the interior of your vehicle. The good news is that, with ChipsAway Dublin, we can help you get rid of any scratches or dents on the outside of your car as well.
At ChipsAway Dublin we are experts in minor car body repair. We are able to help with scratches, dents, bumper damage, and scuffed alloy wheels. Contact us today for a free, obligation free, quote.
