It's what's inside that counts: a guide to basic interior car care
Taking good care of your interior helps you and your passengers enjoy the drive much better. And, as an extra bonus, a vehicle with sharp upholstery is much more likely to fetch a higher price for trade-in or resale. Keep these factors in mind when caring for your floors, seats and dash.
Without basic car care, your floors can go to pot pretty fast. Think of all the things that can destroy your floors—like mud, dirt, spills and more—and make a plan to keep them sharp. Check out our basic tips for cleaning vinyl and carpet interiors.
- Vinyl floor care
- A mild mix of soap and water is best for keeping vinyl floor vehicles in good shape. Avoid the temptation to use a shine or protection product on vinyl floors—it creates a slick floor surface that makes it a little too easy to slip off of your brake pedal.
Be careful not to overdo it with the water, though. It can be quite a mess to clean up.
- Carpeted floor care
- For carpeted vehicles, a quick vacuum job is usually enough to dress-up your floors. Whether it's in your drive way or at a service station, spending just a few minutes (and perhaps a few quarters) to suck-up the dirt prevents little bits from being ground into the carpet and makes your interior look worlds better.
- Stain protectors/treatments
- Modern interiors are typically treated with stain blockers and protectors to keep everything fresh. These polymer coatings prevent your latest latte from soaking into the carpet, making cleanup easy with warm water and a light carpet cleaner. If your vehicle is not treated with these protectors, do-it-yourself care products or professional application is available. They make cleaning the little spots much easier.
- Carpet cleaners
- For those without carpet protectors, spilled drinks and food can be the downfall of your vehicle's interior shape. Unsightly rings are left behind by careless kids or "stop-short" spills. Not to worry—conventional carpet cleaners are safe for use on your auto's carpeted interior. Whether it's a spot treatment spray bottle or a full-on steam cleaner, these treatments can go a long way to beautifying your interior and upping your resale value.
Where's the first place a new passenger or buyer looks inside to judge your ride? You guessed it: the seats. That's good news if your seats are rarely used; bad news if they're decorated by a few choice rips and errant chili cheese fries stains. Don't worry—there are ways to clean and/or cover the blemishes and sport sharp interior once again.
- Cleaning your seats
- To clean the factory seat material, turn to interior-specific cleaners. These cleaners are usually of the spray-on variety, which are vacuumed or wiped off to complete the cleaning. For the occasional refresh of your seats, hit them with the coin-op vacuum at the local service station. That's usually enough of a fluff-up for most interiors.
Leather and vinyl seat care is best done with specific cleaning and care solutions for those materials. They utilize a unique formula of conditioners and oils made to clean, preserve and shine these seats with care.
- Covering your seats
- If the stains and/or rips in your seats are beyond cleaning, turn to a sharp set of tailored seat covers. Not only do these covers conceal what lies beneath, they also protect. And, they weather potential stains and damage much better than the factory material, thanks to durable construction and easy washing.
Look for look, no part of your interior attracts more eyes than the dash. That's why dash care can be so crucial. Follow these hints and tips for a positively glowing dash and trim.
- Dust your dash first
- Before cleaning and shining your dash, dust the surface completely. You can use a rag to do the dusting, but a rag is prone to leaving lint behind. The best tool for the job is an auto-specific car duster.
- Cleaning your dash
- Typically, dusting your dash will be enough cleaning to do the job. But, if you've been using your dash to balance a combo meal, you may have a few spots to wash out. This is best done with a rag and some warm water, with soap if necessary. Dry the dash surface before using any shine products.
- Shine products
- Be selective when picking a product to clean, shine and protect your dash. Don't use any old shine product that works on ABS trim and tires; pick an interior-specific product instead. All-in-one shine products usually pack too much of a slick, glossy feel for your dash. And, they come with quite a smell. If you�ve upgraded your interior with an aftermarket dash kit, don't clean your dash with silicone-based solutions. These cleaners can dissolve the adhesive holding the trim to your dash.
- Shining your dash
- If you use a dash-specific protector/shine product, apply it in moderation. Spray directly onto a clean rag—spraying straight to the dashboard usually causes overspray onto the windshield, which is difficult to clean. Make sure to apply the product evenly, thus avoiding overly greasy areas and splotches on your dash.
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Preserving your shine with a car cover
Get a good look at your gleaming ride now, because that super sheen isn't going to last. That is, unless, you're protecting your finish with a custom car cover. Specialized to keep the elements at bay, a custom car cover is the best way to get the most from your hard detailing work.
See AutoAnything's Car Cover Research Guide
Did You Know?
You can prevent paint chips with a bra
Many paint chips are caused by tossed rocks and debris nailing the front of your ride. A car bra can be a strong shield against these enemies, thanks to thick vinyl that rejects debris. And, you'll notice fewer embedded bug parts in your grille detail, too.