After washing the body, many drivers stop cleaning and caring for their car. But what about the interior? Many drivers neglect it – much to the detriment of the overall appearance, according to the motto: "pretty on the outside, ugly on the inside!" A thick layer of dust, a greasy display, stains on the seats, and dirty floor mats. This not only makes your interior look unsightly but also provides a breeding ground for bacteria and germs.

Interior cleaning is therefore essential, whether for yourself or for resale. You must be aware that potential buyers will pay particular attention to the interior. The interior reveals how the car has been treated.

Those who clean their interior regularly will spend less time and effort on it overall.

Don't put off cleaning your car's interior any longer!

We'll show you how to make your interior shine like new in 6 simple steps.

Step 1: Clean floor mats of dirt

Start with the roughest parts. Whether on light or dark floors: crumbs, gravel, and road dirt immediately catch the eye. Floor mats are among the most heavily used areas in your car's interior, so cleaning them is indispensable.

Take out the floor mats and simply shake off large dirt particles. Then you can brush out stubborn dirt with a floor mat brush. The advantage of a mat brush is that its dense & robust nylon bristles penetrate the fibers of the mat, thoroughly removing all dirt. For stubborn dirt, use an upholstery cleaner or all-purpose cleaner. Simply spray it on, work it in with the mat brush, and wipe it off with a clean microfiber cloth.

Step 2: Clean fabric or leather seats

Stains on the seat are usually the first thing you see when you get into the car. Car seats are heavily used and therefore get dirty quickly. A moment's inattention can lead to spilled drinks or greasy meals landing on the seats.

Fabric or Alcantara seats

If you have fabric or Alcantara seats, you can use a special upholstery cleaner for car seats. It removes unpleasant odors, leaves a fresh aroma, and refreshes the colors of the seats. How do you use it? Slightly moisten the stained area before spraying on the upholstery cleaner. Then rub the product in with a dampened microfiber cloth or pad and let it work. You can then simply wipe off the loosened dirt with a clean and damp microfiber cloth.

By the way: You can also use the textile cleaner on the headliner or floor mats. It is best to cover the seats with a towel before cleaning the car headliner to prevent the cleaner from dripping onto the seats.

If you need to act quickly and the stain is only superficial, you can also use upholstery cleaning wipes. You don't need water or a microfiber cloth for this. Simply wipe in a circular motion over the dirty upholstered area.

How do I clean Alcantara seats and steering wheel?

Please note that Alcantara seats should be cleaned like fabric seats, not like leather seats. Alcantara is not a type of leather, but a microfiber fabric. Since Alcantara is not covered with various protective layers, it requires more intensive care. Alcantara fades faster and is much more susceptible to creasing than smooth leather. For Alcantara seats, you can use the upholstery and Alcantara cleaner. For the steering wheel: spray Alcantara cleaner onto a sponge and dab the steering wheel with it.

Leather seats

For leather seats, we recommend a leather cleaner that also provides nourishment. Since leather is a natural product, it requires intensive care. Leather seats get dirty quickly and are susceptible to color residue from clothing (e.g., jeans). Especially on the left side bolster of the driver's seat, strong signs of wear can quickly appear due to constant getting in and out. A special leather cleaner cleans and simultaneously protects against dirt, moisture, cracking, and UV rays. When applying, it is important to work from seam to seam in one direction. After cleaning, the seats must dry with good ventilation.

Step 3: Clean mirrors and interior windows

For a clear and glare-free view, the inside of your windshield, the rear window, and also the rearview mirror require thorough cleaning. For streak-free windows, grab a glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth. It removes greasy films and nicotine residues from the interior windows and mirrors. In addition, the glass cleaner prevents streaks and films caused by plastic outgassing.

Our tip: It's best to clean the windshield from the passenger seat, as this generally gives you the most freedom of movement. Or use a telescopic window cleaner. This allows you to clean even hard-to-reach areas from the driver's seat – without any contortions.

Step 4: Plastic care

Over time, plastic surfaces in the car's interior fade due to sun exposure and material wear. The interior then often appears neglected and old. Proper care sustainably preserves the value of your car, as all plastic parts are thus protected from premature aging, e.g., embrittlement, drying out, cracking, and fading.

You can get the plastic parts in your car streak-free clean with an interior cleaner. After spraying it onto the surfaces, wipe evenly with a microfiber cloth. For stubborn dirt, spray the affected area locally with a larger amount of the product and let it soak in for a few minutes. The interior cleaner reliably prevents electrostatic charges, repels dust, and protects against re-soiling.

Our tip: Our interior cleaner set with a fresh kick is also suitable for wood, rubber parts, screens, touchscreens, windows, and seats.

Step 5: Detailing work

To clean hard-to-reach, narrow areas such as air vents or buttons, you can use a detailing brush. This allows you to reach all areas that you cannot reach with a sponge, wash mitt, or microfiber cloth. The brushes can be used "dry" or in combination with appropriate interior cleaners. When used without cleaning agents, the dirt is simply "dusted off".

The detailing brush can also be used in conjunction with the interior cleaner. In this case, the interior cleaner is sprayed onto the surface to be cleaned, and then the area is worked with the brush.

Step 6: Disinfect the air conditioning in 10 min.

One area that is very often neglected, but where bacteria, fungi & germs settle and multiply, is the air conditioning. This is because condensation forms on the surface of the air conditioning evaporator, which cools the air in the vehicle. Over time, the condensation mixes with dust and dirt. An ideal breeding ground for infectious germs and microorganisms then forms in the ventilation system. The harmful air then enters the car's interior and our airways through the ventilation nozzles.

Therefore, you should treat your air conditioning at least once a year with an air conditioning disinfectant. The running ventilation distributes the spray mist in the ventilation ducts and carries it to the air conditioning evaporator. Highly effective surfactants clean the evaporator by dissolving the dirt film and letting it drip off with the condensation. This attacks the odor problem at its source. It not only kills harmful microorganisms in the evaporator but also ensures fresh and clean air in the car.

 

Pro-Tip: We have created a car interior care set that bundles all essential products for maintaining your interior.