Although you may get the exterior of your car such as glass, oil, tires, and so on regularly repaired and maintained but it is equally important to maintain the interiors as well. The interior of a car, especially the carpets are constantly prone to dust and dirt from the shoes, as well as spills and other stains. If you have children or pets, the chance of such stains and spills is high. To make your car look clean and impressive from the inside as well, you need to take out some time to clean the upholstery. You can use these simple and at-home tips and techniques:
Techniques for Cleaning Your Car Upholstery
Contrary to trendy belief, you can easily make your car interior look spick-and-span by using some regular products that you can easily find at home.
#1. Vacuum-clean
Although you may remove the major garbage or stuff accumulated in the car, there may be some dirt or debris get accumulated with time. To clean out the debris, you can use a portable vacuum cleaner that will engulf the small fragments of dirt.
#2. Hairspray/Salt for ink stains
To remove ink stains from the auto carpets or upholstery of your car, you can use hairspray for the same. Salt also works like magic on stains by absorbing it. After allowing the salt to sit on the affected area, you can simply brush it off and ready to see the magic.
#3. Water, vinegar, and detergent for general stains
For general stains, you can use a mixture of hot water, white vinegar, and dish detergent and apply it on the carpet with a hard-bristled brush. Let it get stable for 30 minutes then you can clear the blot with a towel.
#4. Glass cleaner for coffee spills
Glass cleaner is a very useful asset that can be used to clean out coffee stains as well. If the spill is fresh, blot out the stain with the water and then soak the carpet thoroughly in glass cleaner. After 5 minutes, clean it with a cloth to find it fresh as ever.
#5. Baking soda for vomit stains
Vomit stains can be nasty owing to their acidic nature and thus need to be diluted immediately. You can wipe out by using a mixture of baking soda and water on the area. Then rinse it in cool water and blot the area with a towel.
#6. Paint thinner for grease stain
As surprising as it may sound, paint thinner can be very useful for the common greasy stains. By rubbing it on the surface, it l breaks down the stain. You can then pour some salt or cornmeal over it which will further absorb it. You can then vacuum the salt after an hour. Make sure you use this technique on the leather surface.
#7. Ammonia for brightening faded carpet
If you wish to brighten up your faded carpet, you can use the mixture of ammonia and water and apply it on the carpet with a sponge.
#8. Borax for unpleasant odor and fleas
After travelling with your pet in your car, there may be a foul smell, pet hair, or fleas left behind on the seats or carpets, all of which can be cleaned by using Borax. Sprinkle it in your car and let the borax settle down, vacuum it out after an hour.
All these tips and tricks are a great way to maintain your auto carpets and other upholstery. Using these techniques to maintain the interiors, you not only make your car look impressive but also increase its value.