Introduction
Interior car detailing is important to maintain its comfort. A clean and smell nice car interiors provide a pleasant environment for drivers. If you want to detail your car interior, this article is for you. In this article we will provide complete and in-depth detail about what interior car detailing includes?. Moreover, we will also provide details about the interior detailing process. Its importance and tips to maintain your interior for further. Let’s start.
Interior detailing includes
Interior detailing involves many steps to restore your car interior in brand-new condition. Given below details about these steps:
- Vacuuming the interior (it includes seats, carpets and complete interior)
- Cleaning and polishing the dashboard, AC Vents, cupholders, Steering wheel, Infotainment system, centre console and other instruments.
- Cleaning and conditioning all the leather in the interior.
- Shampooing all upholstery.
- Cleaning floor mats and other clothes in the interior.
- Adding a protective coating on the interior.
- Cleaning of windows (both inside and outside).
The above steps make your car fresh and new from inside. And also remove all kinds of bacterias and germs from inside that are harmful for health. This makes the inside of the car pleasant which has a positive impact on the driver while driving.
Car interior detailing tools
Before starting the process of interior detailing. It’s necessary to gather important tools that help to achieve high quality results without wasting time and effort. Given the list of tools with details:
- Vacuum Cleaner with attachments
- Detailing Brush
- Microfiber towel and cleaning cloths
- Car interior cleaners
Vacuum Cleaner: A vacuum cleaner with attachments can easily remove all kinds of dust and debris from carpets, seats, dashboard and hard to reach areas of interior. There are different types of vacuum cleaner like wet/dry vacuum, pet hair cleaner vacuum, and professional grade vacuum.
Best choice depends on your requirements. But make sure the vacuum is lightweight and has good sucking power. So, dust is completely removed from your car.
Detailing Brush: Detailing brush helps to remove dirt and stains from interior parts like dashboard, AC vents, seats, mats and other plastic surfaces. Brushes also have different types and use for different purposes.
- vent brush used to remove dust from AC vents.
- Interior brushes have the ability to prevent scratches and remove stains from plastic surfaces, mats and floor surfaces.
- Upholstery brushes: This brush is used to clean fabric seats and carpets and make vacuuming easy.
Before cleaning, check the material of your car and brushes also. Make sure brushes must be soft and avoid damaging your car interior.
MicroFiber Towel: Microfiber towel is the best cleaner and dryer. This cloth has a soft and non-abrasive structure that attracts dirt without leaving scratches on the surface. So, You can use it to clean the sensitive components of the interior like glass panels, controls and LED glass.
Car interior cleaner: Detailing could not be completed without interior cleaner. Because it plays a role in glossy shine, and brand-new look of car interior. As an expert we recommend you to use an overall cleaner that works on all types of surfaces like leather, vinyl and plastic.
Below mentioned cleaner are the best choice that you can consider:
- Chemical guys interior cleaner.
- Meguiar interior cleaner.
- Griot garage interior cleaner.
- Armor all cleaning wipes.
Step by Step guide for interior detailing
Prepare your car interior
Before starting the process of detailing, first prepare your car. Examine the inside of your car. Remove all the items, and trash to ensure in-depth cleaning without missing any spot.
Dusting and vacuuming
First step is vacuuming your car interior, including seats, carpets, mats and hard to reach areas. High-power vacuum with attachment gently removes all the dust from the interior. This step ensures the clean space for you and passengers.
Cleaning the dashboard and panels
Clean the dashboard and panels using the best cleaner which are suitable according to your car material. Above we mentioned some best cleaners you can consider. These cleaners help to remove dust, fingerprints and all types of stains on dashboard and panels.
Apply cleaner on the dashboard using a soft microfiber towel. Direct apply cleaner causes moisture and spots that are sometimes hard to remove.
Cleaning the vents and crevices
Clean vents and crevices with brush. Soft brush can easily remove dust that is hard to remove without any scratch. Then a little spray of interior clean on brush and clean the affected areas. Wipe down the parts with a soft microfiber towel.
Cleaning the armrests, cupholders and door panels
Wipe armrests, cupholders and door panels with Interior cleaner that can easily remove any stain and grimes from the surface. Use a microfiber towel for armrests and door panels, and a soft brush for the cup holder, so you can easily clean it.
Windows and mirror
For windows and mirrors use glass cleaner. Apply cleaner using a microfiber towel, so you can get a better finish.
Cleaning Seats
Before cleaning seats, first check the material of seats (fabric, vinyl, or leather). And use cleaner and conditioner according to the material. If your car has leather seats, first clean it using a cleaner and then condition it to protect the surfaces.
Pedals
Clean the pedals, and footrest using a cleaner. You can clean it using a brush. Apply spray on brush and rub on pedals and footrests to make them clean.
Shampooing the carpets and floor mats
Clean the carpets and floor mats with shampooing it. First apply shampoo on them and scrub it with a cleaning brush. Apply more shampoo on dirty areas and scrub it. Then, leave for a few minutes, so stains can be removed. Then wash it with water.
Perfuming
After complete interior detailing, spray a good scent in a car for a better feel.
Final touches
After cleaning and detailing, do a final inspection to ensure clean all the dust and stains. If you find any, wipe down with cleaner and polish.
Why interior car detailing is important
As time goes by, your car runs, it loses its value and fresh look, that discomfort driver and its peace of mind. Interior detailing is important to maintain your car condition and freshness from inside. Below mentioned some points that convince you why interior detailing is important.
Preserve car value
Most of the people have emotions with their car and also want to maintain its look brand-new. Detailing is the best option for them. Because regular interior detailing plays an important role in preserving your car value.
A car in good condition also attracts potential buyers, if you want to sell your car. According to experts a car in better condition has 10-15% more resale value.
Peace of mind
Most people ignore this point. But this is important, if you sit in a car having a good and shiny interior makes you more comfortable and positive rather than a normal interior with dust and dullness.
Driving comfort
Clean and fresh car interior makes your journey more comfortable and enhances your driving experience. Detailing also prevents you from health issues like allergies, respiratory issues.
Do’s and Don’t of car interior detailing
Do’s
- First vacuum your car, remove all loose dirt from the carpets, crevices and seats.
- Use appropriate cleaner to detail your car, first test on a small portion to check not damaging surfaces.
- Start cleaning from top like dashboard and their components, then go down on setas, carpets.
- Make sure to use soft brushes, or microfiber towels. Because both have the ability to attract germs and avoid scratches.
- Use conditioner, if your car has leather seats or leather material on the dashboard. Conditioner helps to save leather from cracking.
- After cleaning, perfuming in your car to avoid adors.
Don’ts
- First protect electronic components like LED screens, LED speedometers. Because these parts have different cleaning processes.
- Don’t use harsh chemicals, these chemicals damage interior surfaces like leather or plastic parts.
- Pay extra attention to hard to reach areas where dirt can accumulate.
- Avoid scrubbing hard to remove stains that can damage the affected area.
- Don’t use too much water, it will lead to moisture and damage the interior.
- After detailing, try to keep regular maintenance, it prevents dirt and grime buildup.
Tips to maintain car interior
Regular cleaning
Regular cleaning prevents your car from dust and any stains. You can schedule cleaning, like once in a week, twice a week as you can. Vacuuming your car and wipe down the surface with a microfiber towel and polish it.
Protect interior from damages
You can protect your car interior from damages through cleaning and also in different ways. You can use seat covers, UV protectors on screens, dashboard cover etc. This will increase the life of your car interior.
Regular polishing and conditioning
If your car has leather material like seats, or leather dashboard you can protect them with regular conditioning. Conditioning prevents them from cracking. If you have used a product to condition leather parts, follow the instructions provided with it.
Use interior perfumes
After cleaning in your car, use car perfumes or air fresheners that prevent your car from bad smells and make the environment good.
How much car interior detailing cost
Cost of interior detailing varies on different factors, like area, size of car, which type of detailing you need etc. Below mentioned some packages with prices that we get from car experts and show for you.
Basic package
It includes basic detailing like vacuuming, interior cleaning and polishing. It cost between $100 to $150.
Standard package
It includes in depth cleaning then basic detailing, like carpets cleaning, steam cleaning, leather conditioning and more extensive detailing. It cost between $150 to $300.
Premium package
It includes the full restoration of your car into brand-new condition. This includes in depth cleaning of every component of your car interior. It cost between $300 to $500.
Remember, the above mentioned packages are common in many detailing centres. Prices can vary, and if you need some extra services this will cost you more that depends on details and products.
Conclusion
In conclusion, interior detailing aims to restore your car into brand-new condition. It helps to preserve its value and save your time and effort for a long-time. Interior detailing also makes you comfortable and provides pleasant driving. You can get better results by the above mentioned steps and products.
Remember, your effort to maintain your car is uncountable. So, make a habit of regularly cleaning your car to run it for a long time.
What does detailing mean on a car?
It is the meticulous cleaning, restoration, and enhancement of a car’s interior and exterior surfaces that enhances its appearance and preserves its value.
Is there a good interior car detailing product?
A good car detailing product for the interior is an all-purpose cleaner suitable for various surfaces like leather, vinyl, and plastic, ensuring thorough cleaning and protection.
How often should I get interior car details?
To maintain cleanliness, freshness, and preserve the condition of the interior surfaces, car detailing should be performed every 4 to 6 months.
Does auto detailing remove stains?
Yes, auto detailing uses specialised cleaning products and techniques to effectively remove stains from upholstery, carpets, and other interior surfaces.
How long do car detailing services take?
The duration of car detailing services can vary depending on the extent of cleaning required and the size of the vehicle. But it normally takes 2-4 hours for standard size cars and 4-6 hours for SUVs to a full day for thorough cleaning and detailing.
Can I use household cleaning products for car interior detailing?
The use of household cleaning products for car interior detailing is not recommended because harsh chemicals may damage or discolour the surfaces. The best choice is to use products designed specifically for use in automobiles.