You may wonder how to do an interior car wash. At first glance, you may think that it’s hard to do and complicated than the exterior car wash.

So, to help you understand how to do this and the benefits of the interior car wash, I’m going to outline everything you need to know about this.

How to Wash Your Car’s Interior?

Your car is an extension of your home but on wheels. Between a morning commute and running daily errands, things can get messy. Let’s admit it; it can get pretty incredible how quickly your car from looking luxurious to looking like an outtake from a war.

Dirt and stains can get inside your car. But unlike the house, it’s smaller so we assume it’s easier and faster to clean. Here are some of the tips to the interior car wash.

Before we get into the car mats, cup holders, and car cleaning products, let’s tackle some general cleaning tips that will help keep your car clean and well-maintained.

1. Toss the trash. 

Before you leave your car, either you go into a store or when you get home, throw the garbage away. Trash is the worst mess maker that leads to crumbs, spills, stains, and mystery odors. Even car clutter like bags, papers, and gym or sports equipment should be removed from the car regularly.

2. Prevent sticky situations. 

If you have young kids, cup holders get gross fast. Messes are even worse in the bottoms. So, to prevent that, stick silicone cupcake liners inside the cup holders. According to Jennifer Gregory, a brand manager of Molly Maid, this can get tossed into the dishwasher easily if it gets sticky.

3. Do a quick dusting.

Keep a microfiber cloth or duster inside the car. This can let you clean up smaller messes so you can minimize the need for a deep clean.

While your goal is not to get a messed-up car, you still need to do a deep interior car wash sometimes. So, allow me to teach you how to do it from top to bottom. Start from the upper surfaces and work down.

How to Clean Your Steering Wheel and Dashboard

Materials in your car are different than those of your home, so you want to learn the side of caution when cleaning. You don’t want the finishes to break down.

Using a dry toothbrush, remove the dry dirt and debris from the small seams and crevices. Vacuum them after cleaning them out.

A microfiber cloth is a great item to store in your car cleaning kit. Using a damp microfiber cloth can remove more dirt and germs. For the synthetic steering wheel, you can use a microfiber cloth and a mixture of a few drops of dish soap in two cups of water.

After cleaning the dashboard and steering wheel, treat them to prevent cracks and wear. For interior plastic, rubber, and vinyl, you can use Armor All’s protectant wipes, while for leather, you can use Weiman’s leather wipes. These wipes help to prevent fading and discoloration.

How to Clean the Center Console

The center console is treated similarly with the dashboard and steering wheel.  The only exception here is that you’ll use vacuum here often. If you want a deeper clean, using a small Shopvac can help you get into the small crevices and cup holders. Another advantage of this is that you can use it for both dry and wet cleaning.

Again, don’t forget to use a toothbrush or canned air on any stubborn dirt followed by wiping with a damp microfiber cloth and a cleaning solution. Now, if there are parts that are removable and can be washed separately, then do it. In between deep cleanings, use baby wipes to clean small spills and specks of dirt.

How to Clean Car Seats

Car seats are the next area you would want to refresh. Though you may only be dealing with dirt, the cleaning method is different if you have a cloth car or leather seats. You have to start first by doing a thorough vacuum using a stiff brush attachment. This helps to loosen any stuck-on residue.

How to Clean Cloth Car Seats

If you want to the natural way of dealing with stains, mix a half-cup of vinegar, a cup of water, and a half-tablespoon of dish soap in a spray bottle. After, spray it on stains and blot with a wet microfiber cloth until done.

Another option you can use is the Turtle Wax upholstery cleaner. It’s already in a spray bottle container. So, you’ll simply spray the foam on the stain and you’re good to go. For deep stains, there’s a built-in brush on to eliminate the stain completely.

How to Clean Leather Car Seats

After vacuuming, leather is easy to care for. You’ll simply wipe it with a solution of two cups of water and four drops of dish soap. After cleaning and wiping it until dry, you can use the same leather conditioning wipes as you did on the steering wheel.

How to Clean Car Windows

Cleaning the windows on the inside is as vital as cleaning it outside. The tip here is to use horizontal strokes on one side of the window and vertical strokes on the other. This way, you can tell whether there are streaks or not. A microfiber cloth and a mixture of 50:50 white vinegar and water will do to clean the window inside.

Now, if you prefer to use a product, try the ammonia-free Windex, which is safer on car surfaces. If you’re having a problem with removing stickers from back windows, an application of a paste of olive oil and baking soda will do to remove the adhesive. Allow it to the site for 30 minutes then scour it with a non-scratch Scotch-Brite pad.

How to Clean Car Carpet

The carpet may be the dirtiest area of your car. To clean this, start by removing and shaking the floor mats outside. Then, sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda on the carpets and the car floor and let it sit for about 30 minutes or as long as you can. Then, vacuum the baking soda and all the dirt thoroughly.

For any stains on the carpet, Car Guys super cleaner and the Turtle Wax Power Out! Carpet and Mats cleaner are the heavy-duty products to use.

However, if your floor mat looks beating already, then it would be wise to change it. A WeatherTech brand is an excellent choice to buy.

How to Get Rid of Your Car’s Odor

Odor comes from the dirt or garbage you leave in the car. Even if you try your best to clear of clutter, there are still odors left that you need to deal with and eliminate.

So, to do this, sprinkle baking soda on the seats and floors, try Nature’s Miracle enzymatic cleaner. This works well for the kid and pet-related accidents.

Now, if the smell still exists, you can place a dryer sheet under your car seats or leave a few dashes of baking soda on a small plate and add few drops of your preferred essential oil in your car overnight. This is a better alternative than using artificial fragrances.