Keeping the interior of your vehicle clean makes it a pleasant place to spend time in!
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When you're driving, the interior is what you see. It also makes an impression on friends you invite along. Is that impression a good one?
Here are some simple tips to keep your interior looking and smelling fresh:
- Unless your vehicle comes from the factory with a vinyl floor, use mats to protect the carpet. Carpet mats hold debris and dirt making them easier to remove. If you live in an area with lots of wet or snowy weather, remember to shake sand and snow off your shoes before you get into the vehicle. Get all-weather rubber mats designed to trap moisture and dirt from spilling onto the carpet.
- Remove and shake out your mats as often as possible to reduce wear on the mats and keep them looking great.
- If you open food or snack packages during your drive, have a trash receptacle to hold waste until you stop. If you carry rear seat passengers, provide a trash receptacle for them to use as well.
- Use rubberized seat protectors (made from the same material as a scuba diving wetsuit) if you carry pets or enjoy going to the beach. Pet hair and stains can be difficult to remove, and sand from the beach is nearly impossible to remove from the carpet and seat stitching.
- Make sure all cup holders are kept clean and empty. Use drink containers that fit into the cup holders to avoid spills. If there's a spill, clean it as soon as possible so it doesn't dry inside the cup holder. This is especially true if the drinks contain dairy products or lots of sugar. Having paper towels or wipes in the console makes this easier for you and your passengers.
- Keep the glovebox and center console organized and neat. If your vehicle's Owner's Manual and Warranty folder take up most of the room in the glovebox, move them to the trunk (boot) or spare tire storage area. Don't leave them home to save space!
- Many vehicles have 'vinyl fogging' on the inside of the windows, mostly during warm weather. Clean the inside of your vehicle's windows monthly to remove vinyl fogging so you can see better during night driving. Vinyl fogging also causes condensation to cling to the inside of the glass in cold or damp weather reducing visibility.
- Whenever possible, avoid parking your vehicle in direct sunlight. The UV rays in sunlight cause the plastic and vinyl interior parts to deteriorate and can also contribute to 'vinyl fogging' of the windows. Sunlight UV rays also cause leather areas to dry out and shrink resulting in cracks or broken stitching on the seams.
- Oh, and DON'T smoke inside your vehicle! Cigarette and other kinds of smoke can stain the headliner and make the interior smell 'stale' and uninviting. If you decide to sell your vehicle, a smoke-smelling interior can be a real turnoff to many buyers.
If your vehicle has leather seats, or seating surfaces, they also need to be cleaned regularly to keep the leather looking new.
Here are some basic things you can do to maintain the look and softness of your leather seats:
- Dust or vacuum leather seats to remove loose dirt and debris. Having dirt and other contaminates on the surface can scratch the surface or wear out the seam stitching.
- DO NOT use alcohol or petroleum based products on leather as they can permanently damage the finish or stain the leather. Use products specifically designed for cleaning and maintaining leather.
- Use a quality leather cleaner to remove dirt and stains, then wipe dry with a clean cloth.
- When applying leather conditioner to the seats, spray or add the conditiner to a soft towel instead of spraying it directly on the surface. If you have perforated leather, spraying conditioner directly on the leather can damage the leather.
- Allow the leather conditioner to penetrate the leather for one hour, then buff any remaining conditioner into the leather to leave a smooth, non-sticky surface.
