Sign Up   |   Welcome Guest  |  Login  
Home » Articles
Carazoo on Facebook
Carazoo on twitter
SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend

Car Articles

Read articles on cars and car industry. Get fully updated on all information related to cars. Read exciting happening in the Indian and Global Car industry, tips to help you and more...


Latest Articles
More Old Articles
Rate This Page

Tips to keep your Car Interiors Clean

Many people think that taking care of the car's interior is not as important as the exterior. Cleaning the interior can prove to be difficult task, but there are different products, tools and tricks that can simplify your task of cleaning the surfaces and areas of the interior. Read through this article to get valuable tips on how to protect your car's interior from the damage caused mainly by the sun and dirt brought in from the outside.

bullet Park Your Car In The Shade

A garage is the best place to park your vehicle, but we understand the fact that a garage may not be available for parking your car. In such cases when you don't find a garage, try to park your vehicle in the shade. If shade is also not available, or you simply detest the idea of birds dropping your car, try to minimise the sun's effects by using car shades. This will not only protect your car's interiors from the harmful UV rays, but you will also enjoy a cooler car on a sunny afternoon. Car shades basically come in two types - ones that you can unfold and place on the front windshield and rear window, and the plated kinds that attach to the windshield posts(with adhesive), window frames (with Velcro), or the windows themselves (with suction cups).

bullet Clean The Interiors Frequently

While we frequently clean the exterior of our car, the interiors are often ignored. Make it a point to vacuum and sponge your car's interiors every time you wash your car. Dirt particles often stick to the car, and spilled liquids like soda, can prove to be corrosive for the car's surface. Use a powerful vacuum cleaner for the interior of your car. Avoid the usage of metal wands while vacuuming as they can mar and scratch the surface of the car. You can clean the vinyl surfaces with a sponge and a solution of mild detergent and water.

bullet Clean Dash Gauges Carefully

You can allow yourself to be extra careful while cleaning the gauges on the car's dashboard. Make use of a soft damp cloth to lightly wipe the dust and dirt off the clear plastic lenses on your dashboard. And while doing so, maintain light pressure, as too much pressure may scratch the surface of the lenses. Too many scratches can make it difficult to view the gauges under certain lighting conditions.

bullet Let Floor Mats Take Monsoon Beating

The interiors of a car tend to get dirtier during the monsoons. The best way to beat the salt, slush, and mud is the rubber waffle-style mats. These mats stay in one place and don't allow water to seep in. Additionally, they are also very easy to wash. Carpet style mats are also helpful, but they are difficult to wash.

bullet Preserve door and window seals

Use a rubber protectant product to keep the door and window weather-stripping to keep them in fine conditions. Refrain from using oil-based products as they oil will damage the rubber. Regular cleaning of your car's weather-stripping will also reduce the chances of the car door sticking to its rubber seal during cold weather, which more than often causes damage to the rubber.

bullet Fix Bad Weather-stripping Immediately

If the leather-stripping in your car is letting rainwater seep inside the car, take a look and find out if it can be repaired or needs a replacement. While small leaks can be taken care of with brush-on seam sealers, the torn sections need to be repaired with special caulking that are available at auto parts stores. Additionally, you can enhance the life of worn-but-intact sections by inserting foam rods into the hollow sections of the gasket.

bullet Keep leather from drying out and cracking

Though leather seats last longer and don't need a lot of your attention, they tend to get soiled after some time. Use a leather cleaner to remove dirt and stains from the car seats. After that, apply a leather protectant formula for coloured or top-coated grain leather (which is the much preferred leather when it comes to car upholstery). The leather protectant will not only make the leather stain resistant but also ease your task of cleaning in the future. Make sure you choose a conditioner based protectant that will help keep the leather supple.

bullet Use upholstery cleaners on soiled seats

You can use the same upholstery cleaners to clean the car that you use at home. Use them sparingly, though, to avoid saturating the fabric. Use a clean cloth to wipe away the foam. When it comes to velour seats, brush the fibres gently so that it avoids matting while still retaining its original texture.

bullet Renew fabric upholstery

Car seats and fabrics provide an easy way for the dirt to accumulate in your car. Spraying the fabric and carpets with a fabric protectant will make them more resistant to dirt and stains, while also making it easier for future cleaning. But make sure to thoroughly clean the fabrics before spraying them with the protectant. Also, do not forget to test the product on an inconspicuous place to make sure that the treatment will not discolour the fabric.

bullet Place a towel under baby seats

It is always very smart to place a towel under a baby seat. Most often, spilled food bits and liquids can accumulate under the baby's seat and can permanently stain the upholstery. Alternatively, you can also place a sheet of heavy plastic under the seat to prevent any kind of damage.

» Read more Articles On Car Care Tips