Let us be honest, going to a professional cleaning car shop and buying car interior cleaners in the market can cost time and money. What if I tell you that you can do it on your own? There are ways to do the cleaning maintenance by yourselves.
You can even find the materials lurking in the comfort of your home. Take note I will not only give you one but several household products for your DIY interior car cleaner, so you know how to clean interior of car with household products.
Table of Contents
Cleaning the Interior of the Car With Household Products
If professionals detail a car interior, pointing out a car detailing checklist, as expected, will be pricey. However, with the right homemade car cleaning products, you can finish the task like a pro.
What you need to prepare:
- Baby wipes
- Clean cloths
- Water in a spray bottle
- Measuring Cup
- Empty Bottle Spray
- 100 ml of 70% Alcohol
- 100 ml of Water
- Several Fabric Softener Sheets
- Small basin or bowl
Step 1: Use baby wipes to clean
Get a sheet of baby wipes and wipe away dust and dirt on your car’s interior’s dashboard, center console, and other hard surfaces.
Step 2: Use moistened cloths
You can moisten the clean cloth with a spray of water, and use them as household products to clean car dashboards
Wipe the wet rag onto the dashboard, center console, and other hard surfaces in the interior of your car.
Step 3: clean car interior plastic
- Measure 100 ml of Alcohol and 100 ml of Water in a measuring cup.
- Pour the same amount of alcohol and Water into the small basin or bowl.
- Mix the solution and put it inside the empty spray bottle.
- Shampoo the car interior by spraying solution on the hard surfaces.
- Using fabric softener sheets, wipe off the dampened area to clean the hard surfaces.
- Change the fabric softener sheet when it is already filled with dust and dirt.
Helpful Tip when Cleaning Your Car Interior Plastic
Reminder, do not use a paper towel to clean hard surfaces of your car’s interior. Doing so may leave lint and paper residue.
Household products to clean car interior fabric
Your car’s interior fabric may come in different types and each one has a different way of cleaning based on its unique characteristics.
1. Leather Fabric
Luxury cars often come with authentic leather upholstery which needs utmost care. Here are ways to clean them.
Method 1: Cleaning Leather Fabric Using Laundry Detergent
What You Need:
- Car Vacuum with an attached Upholstery Brush
- 2 Spray Bottles filled with Warm Water
- 1 teaspoonful of powder detergent
- 2 or more pieces of clean cloth
- First, you need to use a car vacuum with an attached upholstery brush to suck up dust, and small particles on your car’s leather upholstery.
- Give extra time to vacuum areas in between the backrest and cushion that may have accumulated more clouds of dust and particles.
- Mix 1 teaspoonful of powder detergent in one of the 2 spray bottles filled with warm water and shake well. Spritz the solution on your leather upholstery but be careful enough not to soak the leather with too much liquid.
- Using a piece of cloth, wipe thoroughly the moistened areas, making sure to clean the parts that are usually in contact with the occupants.
- Spray warm water to rinse off the solution. Again, just moisten the leather.
- Leave to dry.
Method 2: Cleaning Leather Fabric Using Purchased Leather Cleaners
What You Need:
- Leather Car Upholstery Specialist
- Water in a Spray Bottle
- Car Vacuum with an attached Upholstery Brush
- Chamois Leather Cloth
- Vacuum first the car seat with an attached Upholstery Brush to suck all the dirt and particles.
- Read the manual of the Leather Car Upholstery Specialist you purchased and strictly follow the given instructions.
- Spray just enough water to dampen the leather. Wipe the leather seat with a moistened chamois leather cloth to take away all the residue.
- Leave to dry.
2. Vinyl Fabric
Vinyl fabric is a car’s primary upholstery choice for car owners since it is the easiest to clean.
What You Need:
- Rubbing Alcohol or Toothpaste
- 2 pieces of Clean Microfiber Cloth or Cotton Cloth
- Water
- Put a small amount of rubbing alcohol or toothpaste on a hidden part of the car seat.
- Leave for a few seconds and observe what it does to the fabric. If there is discoloration, discontinue use.
- If it doesn’t have any ill effect on the fabric, wipe the vinyl with rubbing alcohol or toothpaste using the microfiber cloth or cotton cloth.
- Dampen the remaining cloth with water and wipe away the residue.
- Leave to dry.
3. Nylon Fabric and Faux Leather
Nylon car seat fabric is known for its toughness and longevity in service. However, since it is porous, it accumulates dust and dirt better than the other fabrics. Faux leather on the other hand may look like leather but in reality, is made up of polyester.
What You Need:
- Car Vacuum
- A mixture of Hot Water and Mild Detergent
- Clean Cloth
- Sponge
- Vacuum the car seats.
- Dip the sponge with a mixture of hot water and mild detergent.
- Scrub the nylon fabric or faux leather with the sponge, making sure to remove stains.
- Wipe thoroughly with a clean cloth.
- Leave to dry.
Household products to freshen your car scent
The scent of your car speaks so much about you. So, if you want to leave a good impression on your passengers, here is a cheap way to make your air freshener.
What You Need:
- Cut-out Cardboard
- Mason Jar
- Nail
- Essential Oils
- Baking Soda
- Protective Gloves
- Metal Scissors
What To Do:
- Using the jar lid, mark out its size on cardboard and cut it out.
- Prick 15 holes into the cutout cardboard using a small nail.
- Pour baking soda into the jar and stop midway. Shake it to even the powder.
- With the essential oil of your choice, pour 15 to 2o drops on top of the baking soda.
- Wear protective gloves before proceeding to the next step.
- Cut out a smaller circle on the cover metal lid using metal scissors.
- Once cut out, insert the cardboard into the metal ring before covering the jar with it.
- Put your newly made car freshener under a car seat.
These are just some of the best things you can find at home that are of great use as a cleaner for the inside car.
Frequently Asked Questions
What home products can I use to clean the interior of my car?
With vinegar, dish soap, rubbing alcohol, essential oils, cornstarch, toothpaste, baking soda, and fabric softener dryer sheets, you can thoroughly clean every part of the car interior.
Also, you can use multi-surface cleaners to remove dirt and stubborn marks, just make sure you purchase one that is compatible with the car materials.
Can you use an all-purpose household cleaner on the car interior?
Yes. You can use it to clean your car interior with plastic, carpet, and upholstery. Make sure you follow the instructions for specific types of materials or fabrics.
What can I use to clean the inside of my car if I don’t have Armor All?
You can use coconut oil and baby oil as replacements for Armor All when cleaning inside of your car.
Conclusion
It doesn’t matter if you run out of purchased interior cleaning specialists. What is important is that you know how to clean interior of car with household products! With this wonderful learning, you have just saved yourself from expensive car interior cleaners.
A clean car exterior and interior is the best definition of a clean car! Maintaining car cleanliness creates a comfortable space for your trips and makes sure it is in good condition for a long time.
