How Often Should You Wash Your Car’s Interior and Exterior? Let’s Find Out!
Over the years, your car’s interior and exterior can endure a lot of wear and tear. From the trash, dust, and dirt that accumulate inside the car to the rain, snow, and sun that can damage its exterior, your car will eventually start to look worn and tired. To keep it looking its best, having a restorative maintenance routine is key, but how often should you wash a vehicle?
In this article, we’ll discuss how often you should wash your car’s exterior and interior, as well as the best products and techniques to use. We’ll also look at some tips to keep your car looking its best and some common mistakes to avoid. Read on to learn all you need to know about washing your car inside and out.
How to Clean the Interior of Your Car
- Vacuuming – Begin by clearing your car floor and seats. Take care to vacuum up any dirt that has accumulated in the interior of your car. Remove the floor mats so you can get into the tight spaces underneath them, and vacuum there too. With the correct attachments, you can even vacuum the areas around and between the seats and remove anything that has been caught. After as a final touch add an air freshener for your car to air out any old, musty smell.
- Spot Cleaning – When you have finished vacuuming, move on to spot-cleaning any tough stains with an appropriate cleaner. Dilute it with water as necessary, then use an upholstery brush or cloth to scrub the area before wiping everything off with a damp cloth. Afterward, make sure to get all the moisture up using a dry cloth or paper towel.
- Cleaning the Upholstery – After you have finished spot cleaning, use a cleaner specifically made for leather or fabric upholstery to give them a thorough clean. Follow any instructions given on the label and take special care when dealing with delicate materials such as suede or velvet.
How to Clean the Exterior of Your Car
- Wash the Paint – Use a gentle soap and water solution to wash your car’s paintwork, taking special care to avoid rubbing too hard on those areas more prone to scratches (such as side mirrors). Then use a separate bucket of water along with a microfiber cloth or sponge to rinse off all the soap from the surface of your car, making sure not to miss any spots.
- Wax and Polish – Once you are done washing your car’s paintwork, consider applying wax or polish afterward to give it a fantastic shine. Use a clean rag to apply either product in a circular motion until there are no more streaks on your car’s surface. Don’t forget those areas like door handles, side mirrors, and other features that might not have been touched during your wash earlier.
- Clean the Wheels and Tires – The wheels of your vehicle need some attention too! Use a commercial wheel cleaner along with an appropriate type of brush (to avoid scratches) for light scrubbing and rinsing off with water afterward. Make sure you get underneath each wheel, too, for stubborn grime buildup, as well as washing off any road salt that may be present on your vehicle’s tires.
How Often Should You Clean the Interior and Exterior?
- Frequency of Cleaning – To keep your car looking fresh both inside and out, aim for weekly quick cleans plus quarterly deep cleans where you give both interior and exterior components extra attention (e.g., shampoo carpets, clay, and polish paintwork).
- Seasonal Cleaning Schedule – During cooler months when there is more chance of mud, salt, and grime present, consider shortening that frequency time gap between each quick clean to simple, quick rinses of the car’s exterior to fight rust. You can increase the time between each deep clean.
Conclusion
Overall, it is important to keep your car clean and well-maintained. Knowing when and how to clean both the interior and exterior of your car can help keep it looking its best and make it last longer. The key is to aim for a weekly quick clean and a quarterly deep clean. During cooler months, aim for a shorter frequency of quick cleans and a longer one for deep cleans. It’s helpful to have the right supplies on hand and to plan ahead of time so the cleaning process is easier. Hopefully, the tips in this article have helped you understand the importance of car maintenance and how to go about it. Now you know exactly how often you should wash your car’s interior and exterior!