10 Tips for Deep Cleaning Your Car: Cleaning Away the Mess of Winter, Including Potential Germs and Viruses

by Easton Motors

Dirty car needing deep cleaning after winter.As winter days turn into spring, your car may be begging for some TLC. You may have “accidentally” putting off those car wash visits for an entire season. After all, more snow (and road salt) seemed to be continually around the corner - so why even bother? With signs of spring popping up, there are no more excuses. Deep cleaning your car is the perfect way to give it the attention it deserves after neglecting it all winter.

For those short on time, car detailing services may be the way to go. However, others will make deep cleaning their car a weekend project. Here are some tips on how to get your car sparkling clean inside and out.

Man deep cleaning car interior.

1. Start the Deep Cleaning Process on the Inside.
While working on the interior, it’s likely you will be moving in and out of the car repeatedly with your cleaning supplies and equipment. No need to add fingerprints, smudges, or surface scratches to a newly washed and polished exterior. Save the exterior for the end of your deep cleaning project.

2. In General, Start from the Top and Work Your Way Down When Deep Cleaning Your Car Interior.
Gravity is the reason a top-down cleaning plan makes sense. Anything that falls (dust, trash, etc.) will be caught as you work your way down.

Include a final wipedown with an antibacterial cleaner, especially on the hard and frequently touched surfaces. These include door handles, radio buttons, shifter, steering wheel, vents, and control panels both on the car door and front dashboard.

The second-to-last step to deep cleaning your car should be vacuuming the floor. As you clean out crumbs and trash from cupholders and other compartments, you don’t want them to fall all over a clean floor. 

Save window cleaning as the last step. Any dust that gets kicked up while cleaning other parts of the interior may stick to the windows.


3. Set a Goal of Streak-Free Windows.
Grime, fingerprints, dog noseprints, or all of the above may be resulting in hazy windows. Off-gassing from your car interior’s plastic and vinyl parts also contributes a greasy film on your windows. This buildup makes it difficult to achieve streak-free windows.

The correct window cleaning solution is key. The Glass Doctor recommends mixing up one of the following solutions in a spray bottle:

  1. 50% water, 50% alcohol, and a capful of vinegar
  2. 70% water, 15% window cleaner, and 15% alcohol

If you prefer not to mix your own solution, a window cleaner specifically made for automobiles should do the trick. However, make sure ammonia is not included in its ingredient list as it could damage leather, vinyl, and any tint in your windows. 

Have plenty of lint-free microfiber cloths on hand for effective window cleaning. Use a clean cloth for an initial wipe-down. Spray the cleaner on another clean cloth and wipe your windows using a circular motion. Use a third clean cloth to finish off the glass using an up-and-down motion. 

If you picked a sunny day to deep clean your car, make sure you are in the shade when cleaning your windows else your cleaning solution may evaporate too quickly.


3. Dust Accumulates Easily on the Air Vents.
Wiping down the air vents with a cloth doesn’t sufficiently get the job done. Not only would it spread some of the dust around, but a cloth won’t let you get deep enough into the vent.

The solution is to use a low-cost artist’s brush with longer bristles. Spray the bristles with furniture polish to help the dust stick. The small size of the brush head and the length of the brush will help get to the dust farther in the vent. 

If you have a thicker layer of dust in and around your vents, consider using a vacuum hose (without a head) along with the artist’s brush. This will capture dust before it scatters everywhere.

 

4. Address the Glove and Center Armrest Compartments as You Deep Clean Your Car
Often times these compartments become the catch-all for everything imaginable. Whether it’s receipts, phone charging cords, writing instruments, or a stash of restaurant napkins, these compartments corral items you keep lying around in your car.  It could be considered the “closet” of your car. After all, aren’t closets where you stuff your “junk” when last-minute house guests are on their way?

To be more organized keep important documents in the glove compartment. These include your vehicle registration, proof of car insurance, and your owner’s manual. Limiting it to these important documents will allow you to find them easily in an emergency.

Whether it’s the center console compartment or the one in the door, clear out anything you wouldn’t use at least on a semi-regular basis. Examples of things to leave in may include a phone charging cord, a tissue pack, wipes, hand sanitizer, a tire gauge, and a writing instrument. Keep it simple and don’t store multiples of these types of items. 

 

5. Cleaning the Crevices is an Important Step in Deep Cleaning Your Car.
During more frequent cleanings, most people don’t focus on the dust and crumbs trapped in the crevices. Deep cleanings are a great time to get an extra tool or two to get reach the crevice build up. 

Cover an older worn flat-head screwdriver tip with a rag sprayed with cleaner safe for car interiors. Gently run the covered screwdriver tip along the crevices to wipe out the dirt and dust. It’s important to make sure the screwdriver is not sharp as it could cause damage.

Another option is to use a sticky cleaning gel similar to the one found here. Follow the directions carefully when using this on any surface.

 

6. Consider Deep Cleaning Your Car Upholstery
A simple wipe-down or running a vacuum quickly over your car seats may not get them sufficiently clean. Start by vacuuming to get to most of the dust and crumbs. 

Leather seats should be wiped down with a soft cloth slightly dampened with leather conditioner or cleaner. Use a circular motion to apply the conditioner/cleaner. Areas stained with winter salt may need extra attention. After the conditioner or cleaner is applied, wipe down with a clean soft cloth.

Vinyl seats should be cleaned in a similar manner using a cloth dampened with water or cleaners specifically made for vinyl upholstery. Use a soft brush for textured vinyl or particularly dirty areas.

Deep cleaning fabric upholstery may require more elbow grease. Spray fabric stain remover directly on high traffic areas. Stubborn stains may require a soft brush to remove. Blot the sprayed areas with a cloth dampened with water. Try a mixture of baking soda, seltzer, and salt to remove stains tough stains in textured or velour fabrics. Be sure to have the mixture sit a while before wiping it away with a damp cloth.

Highly soiled fabric upholstery may require a steam cleaner. However, do not oversaturate the seats as it may eventually lead to mildew. 

With any upholstery type, be sure to leave windows partially open so the seats can thoroughly dry.

7. Clean Away the Salt and Dirt Tracked onto Your Car Floors
Start the floor cleaning process by picking up any large items or trash. Be sure to get below far beneath the seats by moving the car seats as far forward and back as possible.

Remove car mats and clean these separately. Begin by shaking the loose dirt off and then vacuuming them. If they are rubber, use a high-pressure hose to wash away deeper stains. For carpet mats, use a carpet stain remover to attack any dirty spots. Any winter salt stains may require a brush to remove. 

Treat the carpeted floors beneath the floor mats in a similar manner. Vacuum first, and then treat stubborn stains with carpet stain remover. If you are dealing with tough, deep stains, you may consider using a steam cleaner to help get your floors back in shape. 

Be sure the carpet and floor mats are thoroughly dry before putting the mats back in place.


Cleaning a car with a cloth.

9. It is Important to Avoid Salt Build-up on Your Car’s Exterior.
Although salt helps keep drivers safe on roads, it can do a number on a car’s body and undercarriage. Salt can eventually lead to rust corrosion if left to build up over a long period of time. Ideally, you will want to get your car washed at least every two weeks to wash away the harsh winter salt.

Begin by using a high-pressure nozzle on your hose to wash away as much of the salt and dirt as possible. If you can, find an angled shower head to fit on your hose to get to the undercarriage of your car. Because this is the area that will likely have the most salt buildup and therefore be at the most risk for rusting, it is important to rinse this as thoroughly as possible. 

When cleaning the body of your car, be sure to have two buckets handy. Fill one with a car shampoo diluted with water. The other bucket should be filled with clean water to be used to rinse out the sponge or rag you are using to scrub the exterior. Replace the water in this bucket as needed. You want to avoid scrubbing dirt particles into your car’s exterior paint which could lead to scratches.
 

10. Waxing the Exterior is an Important Final Step to Deep Cleaning Your Car
After thoroughly washing and drying your car, wax your car with a mid-priced brand name liquid car wax. Car & Driver found higher-priced waxes do not necessarily give you better shine or protection. Use separate soft microfiber cloths to apply and buff out the wax. 

Regularly applying wax to your car will protect your car from harmful UV rays as well as harsh elements of winter weather. 

Apply specialized cleaners to the tires and the rubber/vinyl trim on your car’s exterior.

 

Although it takes a bit of time and effort, deep cleaning your car is a great way to protect the investment you have made. A car kept in great shape will give you more flexibility when you’re ready to trade it in for a new ride. 

At Easton Motors, we can offer you the current trade-in value for your car. Start by filling out the form on our site. While you are visiting our site, check out our current inventory.

Easton Motors EZ Credit Used Car Blog

Tags

car loans (3) car financing (3) bad credit car financing (1) tax preparation (2) personal finance (12) personal taxes (3) easton motors locations (2) easton motors dealerships (2) used car loans (2) bad credit car loans (3) applying for credit (3) auto lenders (1) taxes (2) financing (3) building credit (3) rebuilding credit history (1) credit score (8) credit history (8) buy-here pay-here (2) faqs (1) in-house financing (1) customer testimonial (2) bad credit (2) car buying tips (7) car maintenance (4) car repairs (3) car safety (5) car traveling tips (6) car driving tips (6) road safety (5) tire maintenance (2) car tires (1) reducing debt (1) money saving tips (4) household tips (3) winter car safety tips (2) winter car tips (2) seasonal tips for cars (1) online safety (2) tires (1) winter tires (1) credit (6) cars (2) new (2) car (5) vehcile (1) bad (5) auto (3) note (3) finance (5) road (1) side (1) emergency (1) kit (1) bank (1) loan (3) years (1) resolution (1) easton (3) motors (3) subprime (1) lending (2) improve credit score (1) increase credit score (1) bad credit score (1) driving (1) focused (1) sales (1) automotive (1) dealer (1) video (1) chat (1) zoom (1) facetime (1) skype (1) for (1) sale (1) car insurance (1) tips for car buyers (1) protecting your car (2) family tips (2) summer car maintenance (2) season car tips (1) seasonal car tips (4) car reviews (1) car design changes (1) car liens (1) buying a used car (3) selecting a car to purchase (3) protecting your credit (1) used cars (2) advantages of used cars (1) new vs used cars (1) trade-in (1) trade (1) wisconsin (1) wisconsin used cars (1) tax (1) refund (1) downpayment (1) promotion (1) easton motors (1) locations (1) community (2) green bay (1) local (2) community guide (2) wisconsin guide (1) sun prairie (1) local guide (1)