Detailing a car interior can be quite a complicated task requiring expertise and experience. Multiple steps involve the usage of various tools and chemicals. Most find it much harder than detailing just the outside. However, specialized tools and techniques will help make the task easier for you in the long run.
When detailing a car interior, most techniques are concerned with cleaning up oil and wax build-up, dirt and debris stuck between carpet and upholstery, grime and dust trapped in small crevices, among others. Once cleaned up, these contaminants need to be removed in order to maintain the cleanliness of the upholstery as well as the cleanliness of your car. Detailing will also involve removing the debris so you do not accidentally scratch the surface of your car.
Cleaning leather and plastics involves using special solvents and cleaners that have been designed for the job. These are usually recommended by car manufacturers themselves as part of the cleaning process. Other products that can be used on leather and plastic surfaces include baby brushes and leather conditioners. For plastics, you will only need a damp sponge, a spray bottle or a small brush in order to get the job done.
It is also important to note that some types of upholstery require slightly different techniques than others. Some fabrics for example, can be easily spot cleaned using standard household cleaners. Others, such as vinyl, can only be spot cleaned using specialty cleaners such as leather conditioners or vinyl cleaner. Car interior and auto detailing professionals also have a special set of cleaning equipment that they use for detailing purposes, which may not be employed for cleaning the exterior of your vehicle.
Regardless of what type of car interior or exterior your vehicle has, it is likely that it will need some type of repair at some point in time. This is especially true for older vehicles with worn out upholstery. If you own an older vehicle and are looking to give it the best interiors possible, you should consider having the vehicle detailed by professional car interior specialists. This is because repairing the interior of a vehicle will often times involve fixing small mechanical problems that exist with the seating and other structural items inside the car. Most detailing experts will use specialized cleaners for this purpose, which will not harm the interior of the vehicle and is safe for people who may be sitting in the car.
In addition to cleaning the car interior, you may also want to take a look at some simple car cleaning and maintenance steps in order to keep your vehicle in excellent condition. One of the easiest and cheapest things you can do to help maintain a clean car interior is to vacuum the floor mats regularly. Vacuuming the floor mats will remove any dirt or debris that has collected there, thus making the floors look new again. If your vehicle has upholstered seats, then by all means use a good quality car interior vac to pick up the loose dirt, as this can also help keep the upholstery looking new.