This post is part of a sponsored series, all opinions and ideas are mine!
Oh my goodness, it is so great to finally feel spring in the air here, isn’t it? I took full advantage last week and deep cleaned my vehicle and wow did it ever need it. I’ve learned some tricks over the years of detailing my own vehicle as well, and I got some nice tips from my friends at this Indiana Jeep dealer that have helped the process as well.
Let’s be honest, kids somehow manage to make unimaginable messes so it’s nice to test out all the tips and tricks out there! Here’s what I have found helps immensely when spring cleaning your vehicle after a long winter.
Floor Mats
First off, the aspect of your vehicle that probably gets the most wear and tear; the floor mats. These are the things that take the biggest beating in my vehicle – by the end of the winter they are covered in dirt, salt, mud, leftover food, spilled drinks, and everything in between. Not only that, but that stuff is really caked on there. How do you clean them?
Well if you have your factory floor mats, these can actually be put in the washing machine believe it or not. Be sure to pre-treat them with some stain remover if you have any pesky stains you think might give you trouble. If you want another route, you can also pressure wash them. In fact, many self-serve car washes actually have clamps on the wall so that you can hang your floor mats and wash them there.
One thing that I’ve found especially helpful, is investing in WeatherTech mats (there are also many off brand options for these as well if you don’t want to spend a large chunk of money on floor mats.) Essentially these are custom-made, hard plastic floor mats that catch the dirt, water and other stuff and keep it right there. They’re easy to pull out, wash and place right back in again. I love mine!
Car Seats
Oye. Car seats are the next thing I dread when I clean my vehicle. It wasn’t such a problem until I had kids and then my spotless vehicle was just a hot mess. There are crushed goldfish crackers in every nook and cranny, fruit snacks stuck in the carpet, half full juice boxes with the rest of their contents dried and sticky on the seats… oh I could go on for days.
Anyways, you’re probably wondering how to get those car seats clean. Well there are several ways to go about it. Depending on what type of seats you have, there are different products on the market you can check out. For cloth seats, there are upholstery cleaners or fabric shampoo that work great. For leather, you can use a leather cleaner and/or conditioner, and there are also leather wipes you can use that are quick and easy!
If you’re looking for a DIY cleaner, mix together 1/4 cup of baking soda with 1 cup of warm water to make a sort of paste. It works nice on stains or trouble areas. Leave it sit for up to 30 minutes, then wash or scrub off. I have another DIY cleaner recipe from a previous post if you need more ideas as well.
Interior and Dashboard
Last but not least, cleaning up your dashboard and car interior can be the frosting on the cake. It makes all your hard work come together and look like a million bucks! One of my favorite things to use on my dashboard is Armor All Surface Wipes. They’re similar to the wipes they give you at the car wash and they just work great to capture dust and dirt from your vehicle’s interior. Otherwise just a few drops of Dawn dish soap and warm water with a wash cloth does the trick as well!
What tricks and tips do you have for spring cleaning your vehicle? Leave a comment below and share with us 🙂
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