We all want to take pride in the vehicles that we drive. If you truly have a passion for your car, you may want to detail the interior. The only problem? Paying companies to do so can be expensive. Prices can range anywhere from $200 to $500 or more! That makes car maintenance seem like more of a luxury than the necessity that it is.
Don’t panic because we have a sure-fire way to save money when detailing your car interior − do it yourself! With the right tools and techniques, you can detail the inside of your vehicle yourself, helping you to take pride in your ride and your wallet.
Here are some tips to help you with interior car detailing on your own:
Depending on how much work your vehicle needs, you may want to save the carpets and mats for last. There’s no sense beginning there if the dust from the seats or console will just be pushed on it later. Otherwise, the carpets and mats may be a good place to start because, well, they are easy.
Start by taking out the car mats and shaking them out to get off the loose dirt and grime. If they are plastic, you may want to wipe them down. If they are cloth, you’ll want to give them the same treatment you give your carpets.
You’ll need a vacuum with a long hose to help you get into the nooks and crannies of your vehicle. If you have staining in your vehicle or a lot of dirt, you may need to clean your carpets more deeply. A steam cleaner would be ideal for this, but if you don’t already have one you can also just rent a simple carpet cleaner from the store. They typically cost less than $10.
How you clean your seats in the car is very important based on the type of material they are. Typically, car seats are either vinyl, leather or cloth.
If your car is vinyl on the interior, you’re in luck because this material tends to be very easy to clean. You just need to make sure that you find a cleaner that is compatible with vinyl because some products contain chemicals that can ruin it. Thankfully, something as simple as a glass cleaner can do the trick.
If your car seats are cloth, you may also be in luck. Vacuuming and using carpet cleaner to remove stains will meet your needs perfectly. Depending on how bad the stains on the seat are, you may want to consider getting a deep fabric cleaner.
Finally, if your car has leather seating, you must use the appropriate leather cleaner. Using another product could have very damaging effects on the upholstery. Moreover, a leather cleaner will give your seats the protection that they need from fading or sun damage.
Most of the hard surfaces in your vehicle will be able to be cleaned with a simple all-purpose cleaner that you would use in your house. No expensive chemicals necessary. However, spray or pour the cleaner directly into your cloth or paper towels rather than on the surface itself. This protects your vehicle and allows you to get a better clean.
You may find that cleaning the radio, air vents, or other parts of the front console are difficult but there’s a trick for that as well. Simply wrap your cloth around a screwdriver to help you get into the tight spots of the vehicle’s front panel.
Windows may seem like an easy fix, but there are some things you need to keep in mind when you clean your car windows in the car detailing process.
First of all, if you have tinted windows, be sure that you aren’t using a glass cleaner that will damage the tint. This could differ depending on the type of tint you have, so be sure to ask your provider when you get them.
Next, make sure you spray the glass cleaner on your cloth or paper towel, not directly on the glass. This will prevent streaking.
Finally, when you are cleaning your windows, roll them down. That’s right, roll them down at least halfway. That way, you’ll be able to get the line of grime that tends to form at the top. Many people forget about this when they are cleaning their vehicles, and it’s pretty yucky.
Unless you spend a prolonged period of time in your car, you likely only need to do an interior detailing about every six to eight weeks. This will help you feel comfortable in your vehicle but will also be important for maintaining its value − which is crucial since it can affect the amount that insurance companies pay in the event of a claim.
And we all want to be well covered in case of emergency, right?
Find out how you can have the best coverage at the lowest price by using our free quoting system today.