Last week we looked at the never-ending list of things you might want to do while movement is restricted. You never know, you might find that, of the list, there are things that you enjoy and are actually pretty good at. You might even decide to do it yourself in the future – or you might book your vehicle in with your beloved car valeting service at the first possible opportunity.
Whatever the outcome, there is no harm in getting a few things done in the meantime. Last week we brought you a step-by-step guide to cleaning your car’s exterior without the need for a host of expensive gadgets and products. This week, we turn our attentions to the interior.
- The clear out. Nobody is judging you, but now is the time to acknowledge that you are unlikely to be using your vehicle for a few weeks, so it is a good time to clear everything out. Yes. Everything. You won’t need those wellies, footballs, drink bottles, food wrappers, towels, jumpers, umbrellas or whatever else has taken up residence in your vehicle since your last clear out. Take it all out – wash it, store it or bin it. Also remove anything that can be removed such as car matts and seat covers. You want to strip it right back to basics. Wash your car mats and leave them in the sunshine to dry – if you don’t have any sunshine, just hang them somewhere dry.
- The vacuum. Once the vehicle is completely empty, you can go in with a vacuum. This will help you to get the bulk of loose debris out of the vehicle. Make sure that you are armed with a bin bag, too so that you can save your vacuum from sucking up hair grips, pennies, chewing gum, old sweets… Get in between the seats, under the seats (fold them back or move them forward and backwards. If you never quite understood what the different nozzles with your vacuum were for before, this is your moment!
- The deep clean. Your interior type will dictate how you clean your upholstery. Fabric upholstery will benefit from a good scrub with a dry brush – it’s surprising how many stains come out with a dry scrub. More ingrained stains may need more careful attention; laundry detergent or specific upholstery cleaner can help but be careful not to saturate the seats. Once you’ve washed, rinse with clean water and pat dry to get rid of as much moisture as possible. For leather upholstery, go over it with a damp cloth before rubbing in leather nourishing cream for a gleaming finish.
- Polish. An interior and exterior polish will make your car sparkle. Your elbow grease will be rewarded with showroom perfection.
- The smell of success. Add a new air freshener for that finishing touch.
Once you have invested time and effort into cleaning your car, you will be much more inclined to keep it pristine. Make sure that you give the engine the attention it deserves too, and check it in for regular servicing at your local garage.
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