How to Clean the Interior of Your Car without Going Broke

While cleaning can be time consuming and hard work, a well-maintained car can help preserve your car’s value but may also be better for your health. As your car ages, the allergens and contaminants can build up in your car, causing mold and other problems that you may likely want to avoid.

And if you’re anything like me, your car probably needs a major cleaning from all those adventures it’s been on this summer. While most people wash their car regularly, the interior of your car should also be kept as clean as you would keep any room in your home.

Since a professional interior detailing can be extremely expensive, it’s better to clean your car regularly, to avoid a hefty cleaning bill in the future.

Here are six tips to cleaning your car’s interior:

1. Wash Floor Mats
   Whether you have plastic or cloth floor mats, you should give these mats a deep cleaning at least once a month to remove all the grime and dirt that is building up. If you have plastic mats, wash them with warm soapy water and leave them outside to dry. For cloth mats, cover part of the nozzle of a hose with your thumb and blast the dirt out of the carpet.
2. Clean the Carpets
   While waiting for your floor mats to dry, take the opportunity to clean the carpet in your car. A combination wash and stain remover can work well on removing most tough stains. If your carpet is extra dirty, consider renting a steam cleaner (and then steam clean those carpets in your house as well). Use a vacuum at the very end of the cleaning process so you won’t have to re-vacuum to remove any excess dirt and crumbs on the ground.
3. Check the Cracks and Under the Seats
   Even if you don’t allow eating in the backseat of your car, you should still check between the seats for any crumbs and other trash that may have dropped. Remember to look under the seats as well. You should also take out removable seats to access hard-to-reach areas. And you never know, you may find some spare change or other items that have disappeared in your car.
4. Clean the Upholstery
   For cloth upholstery, consider using a steam cleaner to remove any dust or allergens trapped in the cloth. Make sure to check if there is a special shampoo or machine attachment you can use with the steam cleaner. You can also clean seats with a spray-on upholstery cleaner and a small brush. Don’t forget to clean the seat belts as well! If you have leather seats, use leather cleaner or another mild leather soap and follow the instructions on the bottle. When the leather is dry, remember to treat it with conditioner to keep it soft and prevent cracking.
5. Sanitize Hard Surfaces
   Clean all hard surfaces in your car with an all-purpose household cleaner or with anti-bacterial cleaner. These surfaces include the dashboard, the rubber door moldings, seat-belt buckles, the glove compartment and ashtray.
6. Clean the Windows
   Use a quality glass cleaner to wash the inside and outside of windows. Spray the cleaner directly on the cloth to avoid streaking. If your windows are tinted, avoid cleaners with ammonia or your tint may crack or become discolored.

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