Interior Cleaning Tips
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Joined: Apr 2010
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Interior Cleaning Tips
Lately I've been interested and experimented on finding different methods to clean the interior of cars. I've watched a lot of videos and started reading up on professional machines versus basic hand cleaning techniques. Several of you know a lot about cleaning exteriors but not many of us take the time to keep our interior surfaces clean. Let's face it - by the time we finish the exterior which is time consuming we run out of energy or time to clean the interior with a high level of detail. What I've learned so far are several tips that might be helpful to others to keep in mind when cleaning interiors.
1. You don't have to own professional machines to get a good clean.
2. Don't shy away from using water extractors and steam machines for deep cleanings.
3. Recognize the texture of surfaces and start with the least intrusive method to lift dirt away from surfaces.
4. Have ample hand tools including soft bristle paint and shaving cream brushes.
5. Use light to medium pressure at most in cleaning all surfaces.
6. Use microfiber cloths to wick away moisture throughout the cleaning process.
7. Always strive for a mat finish on surfaces.
8. Apply leather conditioners and fabric protectants as a finishing step.
9. Clean entire area for an evenly cleaned look to avoid patches.
10. Vacuum as a first and last step.
11. Wipe and dry fabrics or leather as you agitate dirt away from the surface with your selected cleaner.
12. Have patience and take your time.
Tons of products out there for cleaning including Mcguire, Lexol, Mothers, Adams, Chemical Guys, Sonax, Ammo, etc. There are also lots of videos and techniques being shared online. Probably one of the best if not the most complete series of videos demonstrating cleaning techniques is from Larry Kosilla at Ammo NYC. He does a good job illustrating his products online and sharing effective techniques. I know most of you are probably already familiar with his work or business. Here's one that is a good resource for cleaning all types of interior surfaces.
http://youtu.be/R0EOb2nEWtk
I posted up so we could have a community discussion what everyone has either learned or achieved with interior cleaning through experience. Please feel free to share.
1. You don't have to own professional machines to get a good clean.
2. Don't shy away from using water extractors and steam machines for deep cleanings.
3. Recognize the texture of surfaces and start with the least intrusive method to lift dirt away from surfaces.
4. Have ample hand tools including soft bristle paint and shaving cream brushes.
5. Use light to medium pressure at most in cleaning all surfaces.
6. Use microfiber cloths to wick away moisture throughout the cleaning process.
7. Always strive for a mat finish on surfaces.
8. Apply leather conditioners and fabric protectants as a finishing step.
9. Clean entire area for an evenly cleaned look to avoid patches.
10. Vacuum as a first and last step.
11. Wipe and dry fabrics or leather as you agitate dirt away from the surface with your selected cleaner.
12. Have patience and take your time.
Tons of products out there for cleaning including Mcguire, Lexol, Mothers, Adams, Chemical Guys, Sonax, Ammo, etc. There are also lots of videos and techniques being shared online. Probably one of the best if not the most complete series of videos demonstrating cleaning techniques is from Larry Kosilla at Ammo NYC. He does a good job illustrating his products online and sharing effective techniques. I know most of you are probably already familiar with his work or business. Here's one that is a good resource for cleaning all types of interior surfaces.
http://youtu.be/R0EOb2nEWtk
I posted up so we could have a community discussion what everyone has either learned or achieved with interior cleaning through experience. Please feel free to share.
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From: Gilberto
I used to detail the interior on used cars as a summer job when I was in high school.
Our main methods were to use a horsehair brush to get small dirt/debris out of the seats and floor. On worse carpets, we had a cleaning solution that we would spray on the carpet before hitting with the brush.
Then we would hit them with a shopvac.
The dash and console pieces were generally just addressed with a simple wipe down using microfiber cloths and some interior cleaning solution.
If we had interiors with stains, we would actually hit them with a like color spray paint, and then run the car with the heat on full blast.
We fixed cigarette burns using a razor to lightly pull up material from the rest of the floor, and then used glue to fill it in and secure it.
Lastly, to get that new car look, we would stripe the carpet with the brush before laying down the protective plastic in both front seats.
Our main methods were to use a horsehair brush to get small dirt/debris out of the seats and floor. On worse carpets, we had a cleaning solution that we would spray on the carpet before hitting with the brush.
Then we would hit them with a shopvac.
The dash and console pieces were generally just addressed with a simple wipe down using microfiber cloths and some interior cleaning solution.
If we had interiors with stains, we would actually hit them with a like color spray paint, and then run the car with the heat on full blast.
We fixed cigarette burns using a razor to lightly pull up material from the rest of the floor, and then used glue to fill it in and secure it.
Lastly, to get that new car look, we would stripe the carpet with the brush before laying down the protective plastic in both front seats.
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Definitely need to study up on cleaning out my interior. Currently a mess...
It'd be cool if we had someone create a video specifically for detailing the interior of our cars. It'd be nice to see the process from front to back, just because some people (i.e. myself) are more visual learners.
It'd be cool if we had someone create a video specifically for detailing the interior of our cars. It'd be nice to see the process from front to back, just because some people (i.e. myself) are more visual learners.
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From: Phoenix, AZ
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2010
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Originally Posted by The Internet
I used to detail the interior on used cars as a summer job when I was in high school. Our main methods were to use a horsehair brush to get small dirt/debris out of the seats and floor. On worse carpets, we had a cleaning solution that we would spray on the carpet before hitting with the brush. Then we would hit them with a shopvac. The dash and console pieces were generally just addressed with a simple wipe down using microfiber cloths and some interior cleaning solution. If we had interiors with stains, we would actually hit them with a like color spray paint, and then run the car with the heat on full blast. We fixed cigarette burns using a razor to lightly pull up material from the rest of the floor, and then used glue to fill it in and secure it. Lastly, to get that new car look, we would stripe the carpet with the brush before laying down the protective plastic in both front seats.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,578
Likes: 48
Originally Posted by TheFobb
Definitely need to study up on cleaning out my interior. Currently a mess... It'd be cool if we had someone create a video specifically for detailing the interior of our cars. It'd be nice to see the process from front to back, just because some people (i.e. myself) are more visual learners.
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