How to Wash the Interior of Your Car

All it takes is some time and a little elbow grease to make the inside of your car look as though you've had it cleaned by the pros.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Carpet Cleaner
• Window Cleaner
• Carpet Cleaner
• Rag
• Scrub Brush
• Stain Remover
• Vacuum
• Window Cleaner
• Paper Towels Or Newspapers
• Vinyl Protectant

1. Clear out all trash and large items from the inside of the car. Clean under the seats and check for large objects before vacuuming. Empty the ashtray.

2. Pull out the floor mats and shake thoroughly.

3. Remove the seat covers (if applicable) and wash them according to the directions. If you don't have a manual for the seat covers, call the store where you purchased them (or the car dealer, if you had them installed there) and ask for cleaning directions. You can wash some seat covers in the washing machine, but always check the directions first, because different materials require different care.

4. Vacuum the seats, floor and floor mats.

5. Clean any stains on the floor mats using a scrub brush and carpet cleaner.

6. Clean stains or spots on fabric seat cushions with a stain remover or carpet cleaner.

7. Open the car windows to allow the seats and carpets to air-dry.

8. Leave the floor mats outside in the sun to dry.

9. Clean the inside and outside of the windows using paper towels or newspapers and window cleaner.

10. Clean the dashboard, doors and other vinyl areas with a clean rag and a vinyl protectant.

11. Put the seat covers and floor mats back in the car after everything dries.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not clean leather seats with carpet shampoo. It is too harsh and will take the color out of leather. Use a cleaner specially designed for leather car seats, available at an auto-parts store.

on 8/8/2006 Use a vacuum with a brush end and simply go over the cracks and crevices. You now have a dust and dirt free area. It works great on your stereo speakers.

on 2/16/2006 Sometimes cleaning the inside of your A/C vents can be a pain, so get about 8 Q-tips from your bathroom and spray the ends of them with 409 and use one end for cleaning the vents and the other for drying.

on 11/22/2005 Spray some Simple Green on the stain, let it sit for a few minutes, and then scrub it with a clean rag. This works well. It may not work on everything, but it won't hurt to try.

on 11/22/2005 Don't use a vinyl protectant until the vinyl is clean. The protectant is meant to seal the surface and you don't want to seal the dirt in. Simply use a soft cloth dampened in mildly soapy water to clean the dash, vinyl, etc. Rub gently in circular motions, rinsing the cloth in soapy water regularly. For stubborn marks, use an old toothbrush. Finish off with a soft, dry cloth as you go. Once it's clean, apply the vinyl protectant according to manufacturer's instructions.