Looking into making your car look like new? You don’t need to pay to have it detailed, you can do some deep cleaning yourself. With a few household cleaning products, you can have your car all shiny and new feeling in no time at all.
Clearing Out Crevices and Corners
Cleaning out the nooks and crannies of your car may be the most satisfying part. Use compressed air to spray away all the dust and crumbs that have accumulated in those part to reach places. Be sure to spray the dust before vacuuming or wiping down surfaces, as spraying out the dust will dirty other surfaces. Use the compressed air to spray out the cup holders, the stereo system, air vents, interior doors, and any other dusty or dirty corners of your car. Using a Q-tip to wipe down the air vents will help to create cleaner air in your car. This alone will make your car feel much cleaner.
Clean Cup Holders
Cup holders seem to be the catch-all for dust, debris, wrappers, and other unwanted items. Start by cleaning out all that you can, using compressed air to spray away the dust and dirt, and then you can get to wiping them down. Use a multipurpose cleaner to wipe down the inside of the cupholders as best you can. If you can’t quite get into the corners, try using a toothpick to line the corners and loosen any stuck debris. You can also try using a toothbrush or Q-tip to scrub down the side and corners.
Vacuum Floor Mats
Remove floor mats from your and vacuum them thoroughly. While the floor mats are out of the car, slide the seats forward and vacuum underneath as best you can. Dust and dirt can easily accumulate underneath your seats. While you have the mats out, you may also want to scrub them down. Use a damp cloth or sponge and warm water and soap to scrub out any unwanted residue. If you do scrub down the mats, be sure that they are dried completely before they return to the car. A damp car may lead to mold.
Wash Seats
If your seats are in good condition, you may just need to stop clean them. But if you want a full cleaning, you can use carpet shampoo to scrub down the seats. Be gentle as you scrub away to ensure that you don’t scrub off too much of the seat. You’ll still want your seat to feel soft and new, so just lightly wash the surface. Allow your seats adequate time to dry before sitting in them again.
Wipe Down Surfaces
Using a multipurpose cleaner, preferably an antibacterial one, wipe down all the reachable surfaces in your car. Wipe down the dash, mirrors, handles, emergency brake, and anything else you can reach. Be sure that you do this after you dust to have a thoroughly cleaned surface.