Spring is finally here – and so is spring cleaning, including for your vehicle. Looking for car cleaning tips for your spring cleaning routine?
Gather car interior cleaning essentials, like:
Vacuum
Toothbrush
Microfiber cloths
Foam glass cleaner
Interior cleaner
Gather car exterior cleaning essentials, like:
Car soap
Microfiber mitt & cloths
Clean your car thoroughly and in order:
Pick the right time and prep accordingly
Declutter and vacuum interior
Clean dash, windows, and upholstery
Replace essentials
Hose down the exterior
Wash in sections using 2 bucket method
Clean wheels and tires
Rinse and dry
Review our additional car cleaning tips for the best possible outcome!
How to clean your car is something every vehicle owner should know. Taking the time to clean your car at home is much more effective than a retail car wash, not to mention less expensive. So roll up your sleeves and break out the hose for a car spring cleaning that will leave your vehicle fresh and shiny as new.
Spring is a great time to get into all of the nitty gritty car cleaning that might fall by the wayside through the year. And doing it yourself can help you save money, especially at a time when a lot of households are on a budget.
In this guide, you’ll find:
A breakdown of interior and exterior cleaning essentials
The steps to thoroughly clean your vehicle
Tips for your best possible car cleaning
What is the best way to clean the interior of a car?
When it comes to your car’s interior, you may need a few more things to get it into tip-top shape, but you most likely have all of these things in your house already.
A vacuum is essential for cleaning floor mats, car seats, and underneath seats.
Running a new toothbrush along the dashboard can help you find collected debris and get dust out of hard to reach places.
Using a microfiber cloth with an interior cleaner (see below) can help clean, polish, and protect your interior.
Most dashboards are made of plastic (although high end models may use wood), so there are several options when it comes to the best cleaner. Find a cleaner that will not only clean but protect your interior as well.
Consider the scent, cost, and reviews of effectiveness before purchasing.
A foam glass cleaner such as Invisible Glass does not drip like other liquid glass cleaners, resulting in a clearer finish with less streaks.
When looking through the car wash aisle, there may seem like an endless number of products at your disposal. You may find yourself asking “what is the best thing to use to clean a car?” The truth is, you only need a few products to get your car squeaky clean.
For the exterior, a simple car cleaning kit that includes quality car soap, a car washing mitt, and several microfiber cloths will serve you well.
While it is acceptable to use dish soap to wash your car, experts recommend using a specialty automotive soap instead. Dish soaps can actually strip the wax off of your car’s exterior and dull the finish. Automotive soap is designed specifically for automotive paint so it won’t cause any damage.
Be sure to use a microfiber mitt instead of a sponge when washing your car. Microfiber is much more gentle on paint than traditional sponges, which can trap dirt and scratch the paint. Microfibers have long and porous strands that help lift the dirt off of your car and avoid scratching.
Drying your car with a microfiber cloth will help minimize water spots and streaks, giving it a shine and polished look that you can’t get with air drying alone.
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Follow these steps for the ultimate car spring cleaning.
Washing your car when the sun is shining bright and there is no shade will make your job much harder. Your car will dry much quicker in the direct sun, leaving streaks and water spots. Park in the shade or wash your car in the morning or evening when the sun isn’t glaring to give yourself the best results.
Preparation is key for an effective car cleaning. Gather your car cleaning kit and dress appropriately in flip flops and clothes that can (and will) get wet.
A good first step is to take everything out of your car, from trash on the floor to your emergency kit to your floor mats. Vacuum the carpets, seats, and every nook and cranny that the hose can fit. Vacuum and wipe down your floor mats outside of the car.
Use a dry, new toothbrush to clean dirt out of hard to reach places. Brushing textured plastic can help loosen dirt that is stuck in the grooves. Then, use an automotive interior cleaner and a microfiber cloth to clean and polish the dashboard, center console, and the door panels.
After the plastic is cleaned, use a foam glass cleaner and microfiber cloth to clean all glass, including the windows, windshield, sunroof, moonroof, and mirrors. Then vacuum your seats and any other upholstered surfaces using a small handheld vacuum or attachment to ensure you can get into all your vehicles nooks and crannies.
Once your seats have been vacuumed, assess if there are any areas that need spot cleaning and use an appropriate cleaning solution.
Put everything back where it should be, making note that your emergency kit has everything you may need in the future.
Once the car interior cleaning is done, it’s time to move on to the exterior. Hose down the entire car from top to bottom, including the wheels and wheel wells.
Fill two large buckets with water and put your soap in one while leaving the other bucket with regular water. Starting at the top of the car and working your way down, use a car cleaning mitt to lather the car. Every now and then, rinse off your mitt in the clear water before reapplying more soap.
Break your car down into sections (i.e. roof, windshield, hood, front driver’s side panel, etc) and rinse each section off after thoroughly cleaning it. This will help ensure that an area does not dry with soapy residue.
After washing the body of the car, it’s time to focus on the wheels and tires. You can use the same mitt, rinsing often in the clean water, but may find that a toothbrush works best for getting in between the spokes of the wheel.
Hose down the car one final time and use a microfiber towel to dry off the car section by section. This will give your car a polished look and get rid of any water marks or streaks.
Go the extra mile with these cleaning tips for your vehicle. Please note that not all tips will apply to all vehicle makes and models, so be aware of any elements of your unique vehicle that might make some cleaning applications ill-advised or not applicable. Always test new products on a small, less visible area.
Some air fresheners can be overwhelming. Experts recommend keeping a container of black tea in your car to help absorb bad odors and keep your car smelling fresh without the strong scent.
You can also make a DIY air freshener by mixing your favorite essential oil with baking soda and leaving it in the car. The baking soda will absorb bad odors while the essential oils keep your car smelling nice.
For a deep interior clean, try renting a steam cleaner. They are incredibly effective at removing stains and getting your carpets and seats thoroughly clean.
If you have leather seats, use a small amount of olive oil to condition the leather. This will help keep the leather moisturized and protect it from fading or cracking in the sun.
Keep interior car cleaning wipes in your glove compartment to help maintain a clean car year round.
While washing and drying your car, use long, sweeping motions rather than circular motions. This will help ensure there are no circular drying marks.
Use a low pressure setting on your hose to avoid spraying soap and dirt to other parts of the car. This will also decrease the amount of direct pressure on the car (which can be bad for the body and for the paint)
Use a small amount of concentrated soap directly on your headlights and bumper to remove stubborn bug residue, tar, bird poop, or tree sap.
Cleaning your headlights with a small amount of toothpaste will help restore their clarity. Simply rub a small amount on a paper towel and buff it onto each headlight.
Use a separate cloth entirely for the glass area. This will help avoid scratches on the glass from dirt that may get trapped while washing the body.
Apply Rain-X to your windshield and windows. The coating helps repel water, reducing the need for car wipers.
Giving your car a deep clean this spring can serve as a great reset for your and your car. It will also help you keep your car clean in the coming months. No one wants a car with old odors in the summer sun!
Get your free, no strings attached quote from Auto Approve today and find out how much money you could be saving!
