10 Must-Do’s for True Interior Car Deep Clean

Everybody wants to give their ride a car deep clean. After all, most of us spend a lot of time cooped up in our vehicles. However, not everyone is aware of how true detailing should be. Sure, anyone can clean a car’s interior, but effective removal of tough stains, spills, caked dirt, etc. requires expertise. How to do a car deep clean? Below are 10 ten tips from the experts.

Interior Car Deep Clean: 10 Tips

1. Vacuum All Surfaces

Once you have removed empty bottles, cans, bags, food wrappers, etc. from the interior, it is time to vacuum. Remove all the carpets. Make use of the different attachments that come with your vacuum.

First, make use of the hose to get rid of any loose grime and dirt on the upholstery, floors, carpets and any other areas that it can reach. Then, brush the surfaces again. Use the vacuum to trap those bits of dirt. You would be surprised by the amount of dirt still remaining. Use a soft bristled brush to remove dust from air vents, seat corners, creases, dashboard corners, armrests, and various switches and buttons. Once you have loosened the dust, use a can of compressed air to blow it out. Be sure to handle the vacuum carefully as it can scratch the car paint.

2. Clean the Vacuumed Surfaces

Multi-purpose products like Meguiar’s Ultimate Interior Detailer are designed to clean different types of interior surfaces. All you have to do is spray and wipe each surface, even LCD screens. But to clean upholstery we recommend using products that are specifically made for the upholstery type. For instance, there are leather upholstery cleaners and conditioners such as Meguiar’s Gold Class Rich Leather Cleaner and Conditioner. Using a product designed for vinyl or suede seats on leather may lead to premature aging, cracking and fading.

Steam cleaning is a great cleaning method that works on all surfaces, including all upholstery types. Steam is especially great at dissolving deep set stains from food, mud, blood, ink, etc. and cleaning spills and pet stains.

There are also homemade solutions that you can use to clean the car interior, such a solution of white vinegar and water to clean stains on car seats.

3. Clean the Carpets

Remove all the carpets from the car interior before vacuuming and cleaning them with carpet shampoo. Dirty carpets can harbor mold and mildew so keeping them clean and dry is extremely important. Steam cleaning the carpets is the best way to nip their growth in the bud. Make sure that the carpets are completely dry before you put them back inside the car, which is the next important step in preventing mold and mildew growth.

If your carpets already have mildew or mold, use a cup of household bleach to scrub the spots using a brush. To get rid of the odor caused by this growth sprinkle a small amount of baking soda on the carpets and car seats.

4. Steam Clean the Air Vents

If your car interior has a bad odor and you cannot locate its source, then it is an indication of dirty air vents. Dirty vents will blow air contaminated with a number of dangerous germs and bacteria. Steam is your best option to eliminate them. Direct the nozzle of your steam cleaner to the air vents. Make sure the temperature is controlled. Alternatively, you can also use air cleaner spray, but its chemicals can leave strong odors.

5. Windshield and Windows

Cleaning the windshield and windows is an important step in interior car deep clean. A clean windshield is especially important for your safety. A dirty one can obscure your vision and lead to accidents. There are many glass cleaning products marketed by reputed auto detailing brands that you can use for this purpose. For streak-free window cleaning, we recommend using steam. Clean windows will drastically improve the overall appearance of your car.

6. Clean the Dashboard, Steering Wheel, and Console

The dashboard and console are often overlooked when cleaning the car interior, but they should be as clean as the rest. As mentioned above, use a soft bristled tooth brush to get rid of embedded dust on these vinyl surfaces. Then use a dashboard cleaner or a multi-purpose interior detailer to wipe them clean. This will prevent premature cracking.

7. Door Panels and Jambs

Just as with vinyl surfaces, use a brush to clean these areas along with water. Don’t forget to also clean the door frames, handles, and storage pockets with a wash mitt or sponge. An interior car deep clean will not be deep enough without this step!

8. Get Rid of Bad Odors

As mentioned above, dirty air vents, mold, and mildew are the top culprits of bad car odor. Using air freshener can mask the smell, but after some time, the odors will persist. Not to mention that air fresheners can threaten you and your passengers’ health. This is why addressing the cause immediately is important.

9. Sanitize the Car Interior

Would you be surprised if we tell you that a dirty car interior harbors more germs than a toilet? Imagine the number of health risks you can get from traveling inside such a vehicle. During warm weather conditions, bacteria such as Staphylococcal and Bacillus cereus breed at alarming rates. Water and car shampoo are not cleaning agents, nor disinfectants. Studies show that only steam can get rid of all types of germs and bacteria. Therefore, make sure you use it when you perform your car deep clean ritual.

10. Don’t Wait Too Long between Interior Car Deep Clean Sessions

The final piece of advice we can give you is that the car interior deserves as much attention as you give the car exterior. If there is a food stain or spill, clean it as soon as possible. Don’t put it off because “no one can see it”. If you want your car to have a high resale value when the time comes, taking care of the interior with regular car deep clean sessions is of vital importance.

Check out DetailXPerts’ organic car interior detailing and upholstery steam cleaning service. Schedule an appointment today and see the results for yourself!

Enjoyed this post? Sign up for our newsletter to receive more valuable tips, ideas, coupons, and extras!