The first rule of detailing your car’s interior is don’t make an even bigger mess of it. Whenever you use glass cleaner, rubber treatment, or anything else that comes in a spray can or pump bottle, apply it to a cloth or paper towel first to prevent overspray. Second rule: Use the right tool for the right job. Don’t use a harsh glass cleaner on plastic or vinyl––there are specific products for each surface for a reason. Third rule: Don’t skip the details. Stock up on Q-tips, lots of paper towels, clean soft cloths, and a vacuum cleaner with extensions. You’ll need them all to get to those hard-to-reach, seldom-seen places.
Start by vacuuming the headliner, the visors and the seats, working your way from top to bottom so you pick up anything that falls down. Vacuum the seats and be sure to get under them. Yank the floormats, vacuum them, and the carpet under them. For badly stained carpeting, use a spray-on carpet cleaner.
Use the various vacuum cleaner extensions to get into all the tight spots, like seat pockets and cup holders. Don’t forget the trunk or rear cargo area. Use a brush attachment or a handheld duster to clean the dashboard and other hard surfaces, or if they’re really dirty, a mild all-purpose household cleaner. Avoid the ones that smell like fruit, though, because you’ll have to live with that sickly sweet lemony-fresh smell for a long time.
Speaking of smells, if your car has some unpleasant ones––stale cigarettes, wet dogs, cheeseburgers with lots of onions––try one of the odor-removing products made to get the stink out of fabrics.
Some professional detailers take the seats out of a car first, but that’s probably not necessary unless you’re entering a car show, and maybe not even then. But clean seats are an important part of interior detailing. For fabric seats, use a spray-on upholstery cleaner, following the directions on the container. You might need a stuff brush to work out some of the grosser stains.
Leather seats should be cleaned with saddle soap or some other cleaner made specifically for leather. Follow the directions, and don’t get carried away with the amount you use, unless you want to settle into a seat that feels like a freshly oiled catcher’s mitt.
Final dashboard details include using a Q-tip to clean out the air vents and swab around heater/AC and radio controls. Don’t forget the seatbelts, but be careful what sort of cleaner you use on dirty ones––harsh or caustic cleaners can damage the material in the belt, compromising your safety.
Now get out the glass cleaner and the paper towels. It’s worth saying again––spray the cleaner on the paper towel and then clean the window. Window cleaner doesn’t play well with some other cleaners, and can leave spots on some surfaces.
Vacuum the car one more time to pick up anything you missed the first time. If you used a cleaner or conditioner on the seats or carpets, leave the doors open overnight to make sure the fabrics or leather dry completely.
