Diseases are a constant threat that looms over us, from minor ailments like cold and flu to more serious conditions. However, contrary to popular belief, even traveling in our cars doesn’t eliminate the danger of infection. With a multitude of materials like leather, vinyl, and plastic present in our car interiors, it becomes imperative to take necessary precautions to curb the risk of germs spreading. With this in mind, it’s essential to focus on areas that we come into the most contact with. General cleaning of the entire interior is always recommendable to ensure personal hygiene and safety.
Read on if you are wondering how to keep your car clean without wasting loads of time and money.
1. Prepare Everything You Might Need
When it comes to cleaning the interior of your car, a plastic laundry basket is a popular choice. It’s lightweight, sturdy and comes equipped with handles that make it easy to carry. With a simple wipe of its soft fibers, the dashboard and console quickly regain their original luster without any additional cleaning agents. Just as easily, microfiber cloths can remove tough stains from glass, without needing to purchase an expensive window cleaner. To tackle sticky spills, wiping down the associated area with a dampened microfiber cloth will allow for efficient removal of any residual material.
2. Pay Attention to Surfaces
While the scarcity of disinfectant wipes and cleaning products may seem like a daunting challenge, there are still ways to keep your home and car free from harmful germs. Surprisingly, soap and water can take care of most high-touch point objects. For your car’s interior, dish soap is a great option as it is gentle yet effective, ensuring that you don’t damage any materials. Just remember to wring out your rag or microfiber towel before using it to avoid excess soaking.
Don’t overlook the cleanliness of your phones and other electronic devices within the car. You can also use smart cleaning tools for speeding them up. Using a mobile CleanUp App can help you free up storage space. It can boost your phone and improve the performance of other apps, like navigation or music streaming, that you may use while driving.
3. Focus on Details
Dampen a microfiber cloth with an all-purpose cleaner and wipe down the interior. Getting into tight angles and corners can be a challenge. That’s where a ruler comes in handy to push the damp cloth into those spots. Don’t forget to vacuum crumbs from your cup holders and use toothpicks and cotton swabs to get into those tight corners. Disinfecting wipes are an effective cleaner for high-touch areas like the steering wheel, gear shifter, knobs, and door handle, leaving your car both clean and germ-free.
Despite our best efforts, cloth seats in our cars seem to get dirty no matter what we do. It can be frustrating to constantly worry about spills and stains ruining the fabric. Use a scrub brush to loosen any crusted material from the fabric. Vacuum away any debris, such as crumbs or hair. Be sure to use an upholstery cleaner that is appropriate for your particular type of fabric, and follow the label instructions carefully.
4. Utilize the Right Tools
Dirt and grime on carpets, seats, and upholstery are magnets for germs to flourish. Hence, it’s essential to equip yourself with the right cleaning tools. One must-have item for your car detailing kit is a steam cleaner that offers high-temperature steam to kill harmful bacteria and germs in your car. The steam cleaner is an ideal tool to sanitize all surfaces safely. Add a set of detailing brushes, including a rubber bristle brush to remove pet hair and a stiff nylon brush to agitate stubborn dirt on mats and carpets.
Automotive air guns are the perfect time-saving solution to all those hard-to-reach places like seat runners, dashboards and air vents; blowing away dirt, dust and moisture more effectively than manual methods. Multi-purpose scrub pads are versatile and useful car interior detailing tools; with one side featuring coarse bristles for stubborn marks, the other a smoother side ideal for plastics and vinyl. Simply apply a small amount of cleaning product onto the pad and use it to gently scrub the area you wish to clean – then rinse with warm water for a clean that lasts.
5. Maintain the Result
When it comes to keeping your car clean, prevention is key. Rather than waiting for spills and crumbs to accumulate in your vehicle, it’s best to avoid eating when being inside a car or while driving altogether. By waiting until you arrive at your destination to enjoy your burger and fries, you can save yourself the hassle of cleaning up a messy car every couple of months. However, if you do find yourself in a situation where you need to eat on the go, it’s important to check your feet before getting in the car and consider investing in rubber floor mats.
For tougher spots like carpets or upholstery, a cotton bud dipped in a mixture of water and cleaning solution can be used to ensure every speck of dirt is eliminated. To keep it looking fresh and clean, storing a pack of cleaning wipes in your glove box allows for on-the-go touch-ups whenever necessary.
Driving a clean car is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it can also bring a sense of comfort and joy to a driver. However, it can be a challenge to keep the interior tidy, especially with passengers and daily use. To maintain a clean car for a longer period, it is important to implement simple habits such as using sealed cups for drinks and regularly using and emptying a trash container. Shaking out floor mats also helps to prevent dust and debris build up. Consider implementing a no-eating-in-the-car rule or using a towel or fitted sheet to catch any crumbs. Using the same sheet to catch pet hair when traveling with furry friends can also make cleaning up a breeze.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your car remains clean and comfortable for all passengers, making driving a more enjoyable experience.