Maintaining the Interior of Your Car
Most vehicle owners who spend a significant amount time on the road know how quickly a car can get dirty and worn – especially if you eat, drink and smoke in your car, or frequently cart pets and kids around.
However, following a few simple guidelines can help keep your car’s interior in good condition. As well as making the car a more pleasant place to be, this will help maintain its resale value.
Cover your upholstery
To prevent spills, muddy smears and other messes on your car’s upholstery, use either commercial upholstery covers or makeshift covers like a towel, sheet or blanket.
If you decide to use a makeshift cover, simply cut out holes for the seatbelts. When the cover gets dirty, shake it out and give it a quick wash.
If you have children who tend to kick or put their feet up on the chair in front of them, buy a commercial kick mat to cover the back of the front seats, or turn t-shirts into seat covers.
Ban messy food and line cup holders
It’s tempting to eat while travelling, but food and drink spills are a major cause of car seat stains.
If you or your passengers do end up needing to snack or drink in the car, opt for dry foods that can be vacuumed up. Definitely avoid potentially sticky or messy foods like yoghurt, chocolate, sweets and tomato sauce, and keep a rubbish bag on hand for disposing of containers.
A good idea for reducing the mess caused by drink containers and loose crumbs is to line your car’s cup holders with silicone cupcake shells, which can be easily removed and washed.
Clean up messes immediately
To maintain the condition of your car’s upholstery, it’s important to clean up stains and spills as soon as they happen. Messes that are left to sit can soak into the upholstery fibres and may form unsightly marks that just won’t budge.
It’s a good idea to keep a cloth and stain remover in the car so that you can catch messes fast.
Also vacuum up any mud or dirt as soon as possible. Follow with carpet shampoo if necessary.
Clean your car regularly
Regular cleaning is the best way to maintain your car’s interior. Remove trash and items that don’t belong, shake out and vacuum or wash car mats, vacuum the carpet and wipe down the dashboard with car cleaning wipes or a micro-fibre cloth. If necessary, spot-clean with carpet shampoo.
It’s important always to spot test cleaning products before using them inside your car, to make sure they don’t leave stains. Also, never use desiccant solutions such as alcohol or any silicone-based cleaners on leather car seats. These can dry out the leather.
When cleaning the interior of the car, it’s best to do the windows last so that no dust and dirt that comes off other surfaces sticks to the glass. For windows and windshields, use a non-streak cleaning solution, or, if your windows are tinted, use a mixture of vinegar and water.
Apply protective treatments
A number of commercially available products, from lotions to waxes, can help protect vinyl and leather interiors.
Use a towel and spray bottle to apply lotions and other liquid cleaners. For an even finish, spray the solution directly onto the towel, and then wipe down the surface.
With Pawn My Car, you can use a car that’s in your name to secure a loan quickly and easily, with no delays. For more information, contact us on 0861 112 866 or simply complete and submit our online application form.
