Agree, it is very pleasant to get into the car and feel the unique smells that can only be found in brand new cars. Unfortunately, over time, no trace of these smells remains, and more recently, new upholstery becomes not so pleasant to the eye. And if the owner of the car smokes in the cabin? The ceiling becomes completely unattractive, and the corresponding smells no longer disappear.
To constantly enjoy the newness of your salon, you need to clean it regularly, and thoroughly.
What to do for those who cannot afford the services of detailing centers? How to clean the car interior with your own hands?
Preparation
Most car enthusiasts are used to working with their swallow to music. Interior cleaning is not the case, alas. You will 100% work with water, and short circuits are clearly not included in the immediate plans. Therefore, first of all, turn off the radio tape recorder and turn off the ignition.
Any cleaning must necessarily begin with a banal sorting of all "necessities" in the car's interior. Throw out all unnecessary and unnecessary, put aside the contents of the glove compartment and trunk and vacuum the interior. In this case, it is advisable to unfold the seats so that the vacuum cleaner can handle the most inaccessible areas.
Now you need to prepare clean absorbent wipes with which you will clean the interior of your car. It is desirable that they are white, otherwise a reaction with cleaning agents may be the result of staining the interior upholstery or the appearance of unwanted stains on it.
Ceiling cleaning
Before proceeding with the cleaning itself, mentally divide the entire surface of the ceiling into several zones. The most optimal option is zones, each of which corresponds to 1 seat. This will make it easier for you to work.
The ceiling is best cleaned foam or aerosols... Car interior foam can be purchased at any auto chemical store. These can be products of the brands Liqui Moly, Sonax, TM Turtle Wax, Gunk, Autosol, Kangaroo. But seasoned car enthusiasts also save money here, using the usual Vanish for carpets. The foam is diluted with water clearly according to the instructions and applied to the headlining. After the allotted time, it is simply removed with a clean dry cloth or vacuum cleaner. If you work with napkins, make sure they stay dry. Otherwise, divorce cannot be avoided.
Aerosols are also very effective when cleaning the ceiling in a car interior. They are excellent at removing traces of nicotine and their corresponding odors. In addition, aerosols moisturize the upholstery less and, accordingly, prevent it from getting wet and prevent stains.
Whichever remedy you choose, try not to overwet the headliner. Remember that it has a glue base and can come off corny.
We will clean the doors and panel of the car
The next step is cleaning the doors and dashboard. Let's start with the doors.
The cladding can be washed in the same way as the ceiling and with the same means. But it is advisable to clean plastic and chrome-plated elements with special means for metal and plastic. Then the surface must be treated with an antistatic polish and wiped dry.
First brush the panel to remove dust particles around the buttons and switches, then treat with any plastic cleaner.
Wash mirrors and glasses with any means intended for this and wipe dry.
Cleaning the seats
Seats are the dirtiest place in the entire cabin, so we pay special attention to them... Which car interior cleaner will be better is a moot point. Profoam cleaning products or Walze seat cleaner are recommended by professionals, but you will have to choose according to your needs. What is more important to you - the price, the speed of reaction, or maybe you just don't like strong smells?
If there are clearly marked spots, then it is advisable to first remove them, and then treat the entire surface of the seats with a cleaning agent. The most common stains are easily removed with folk remedies:
- acetic acid solution (1 tsp per glass of water) - traces of alcohol;
- ammonia - stains of tea, coffee and fruit;
- alcohol (undiluted) - traces of lipstick or ink.
After removing stains, we choose how to clean the interior of the car, and apply the product to the surface of the seats. Here you can use the same Vanish for carpets or any foam product. It is advisable not to water the seats, otherwise you will have to dry them for a long time.
Many car leather interiors are cleaned with a Step Up or High Gear leather cleaner. But it will be cheaper to clean it with ordinary soapy water, followed by treatment with any skin care product. Such processing will avoid cracks in the upholstery material.
Pay attention to seat belts. They can be cleaned with any detergent.
We put things in order on the floor and in the trunk
All large particles of dirt from the floor and from the trunk must be removed with a brush or the same vacuum cleaner and only then proceed to dry cleaning. You can use absolutely any of the means mentioned above, but foam is considered the best option. The procedure is already familiar to you, there is nothing new here.
And finally ...
The very last step in cleaning a car is his. Excess moisture, if you have not cleaned it properly, can cause the headliner to peel off. In addition, any moisture is, first of all, mold and associated unpleasant odors. That is why it is recommended to dry and ventilate the car interior after dry cleaning for at least 7 hours. During this time, not only excess moisture will go away, but also those "chemical" odors that are left behind by specialized cleaning products.
