There are few things as satisfying in life than cleaning your car. Some people may even spend more time in their car than they do in their living room, and having a tidy space to navigate through the world can do wonders for one’s morale. Winter can take its toll on your car, with ice, snow and slush leaving a distinct residue. But with a little elbow grease and a rag, you can get your car ‘s glow back. Here’s how:
Pick up the trash
This alone will make your car seem a million times more inviting. Be thorough and ruthless, looking under the car seats and between them. Think about keeping a designated garbage receptacle to contain your trash—it will make you feel much more civilized than just throwing debris on the floor.
Vacuum
A pass over with an air-vac gives you a huge bang for your buck. Work from the top down, as gravity determines that everything your stir up works its way floorward. Yank out the salt-caked floor mats for a quick pass with the vacuum. Finally, go the extra mile and use a rigid tool such as a screwdriver to work dirt out of the hard to reach creases.
Scrub the interior
Dashboard, door sills, cup-holders, steering wheel, and instrument panel all attract spills and dirt. Go over the interior with a rag and some cleaning spray till you get a shine going.
Wash the floor mats
Floor mats take winter abuse the hardest, but power washing the floor mats makes a huge difference. all-rubber floor mats won’t take long to clean, but carpeted mats might need more work. Let the carpted mats dry thoroughly before putting them back into the car or you could be dealing with mold growth in the carpet.
Clean the windows
Dirt inside your windscreen can cause the windows of your car to fog up. Tp prevent this, wash your windows with a good car-window cleaner; the ammonia in household stuff makes the fogging worse. go a step further by wiping down the interior of the glass with an antifogging agent.
When you’ve hit all the nooks and crannies, take a moment to appreciate your car’s restored luster. Almost makes you want to take a joyride, doesn’t it?