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How to Clean a Car

After a season of road tripping and traveling, your car is bound to be messy and in need of a thorough cleaning. From crumbs and pet hair to fast food bags and spills, your car faced it all. Even worse, car cleaning can be frustrating with all the different surfaces and messes you have to manage. Thankfully, the cleaning experts are here with car cleaning tips to help you get your vehicle back in order.
Trunk door of a mini van opened showing suitcases and travel gear

Go to where you need:

How to Clean Car Seats

Fabric car seats endure constant traffic and inevitable accidents. When your seats need a refresh, try this DIY to spot clean on single-area messes. 

  1. Clean Immediately - For best practice, spot clean as quickly as you can after a spill happens. This helps to make sure the spill doesn’t set into the fabric and becomes permanent. 
  2. Use a Microfiber Towel - Grab a clean cloth to pull up as much of the liquid or food as possible.
  3. Make a Cleaning Solution - In a spray bottle, combine a tablespoon of dish soap with a cup and a half of water.
  4. Spray & Blot - Spray the spot and blot it up with a clean towel.
  5. Repeat - Repeat until the stain has lifted.
  6. Let Dry - Make sure the area is dry before use.

If spot cleaning and DIY remedies aren’t enough, it may be time to call in the pros. With a deep clean on your upholstery, your car will look like when you first got it! See the difference yourself.

How to Clean Car Carpet

Cleaning your car carpet can improve the overall smell, look, and appearance of your car. To get the carpet in your car looking spiffy again, check out these tips.

  1. Pick Up Trash - Being on-the-go means you don’t always make time to pick up all your garbage. Make sure to clean up any food scraps, drinks, napkins and other waste lying around the floor.
  2. Shake Out Floor Mats - Take out all the floor mats and give them a good shake to get off dirt and crumbs. Leave them out as you continue to clean so you can get everything underneath where they usually lie. 
  3. Vacuum - With a handheld vacuum and a brush attachment, vacuum away! Get every corner of the carpet you can reach like under seats and around the pedals.
  4. Spot Clean As Mentioned Above - Using the mixture of dish soap and water you created for car seats, you can use this to spot clean your car carpet. Additionally, you can schedule professional services if your carpet is overdue for a deep clean.

How to Get Dog Hair Out of Car

Cleaning out dog or cat hair is no easy task especially if your pet excessively sheds. In addition to vacuuming, here is a DIY method for getting dog hair out of your car.

  1. You will need a paint roller, duct tape, and a pair of scissors. 
  2. Next, cut strips of duct tape that are long enough to cover the paint roller. Reverse the duct tape to have sticky side face up and wrap around the roller.
  3. Finally, roll on car seats and flooring that’s covered in fur and viola!

 

How to Clean Car Windows

Cleaning car windows differs from cleaning the windows at your home. Car windows are exposed to more elements than windows in your home such as dirt and insects hitting your windshield at 60 mph. If you go to clean your car windows, avoid household cleaners and opt for a specific solution for car cleaning. Household cleaners can cause streaking and the ammonia in these cleaners can break down the tint on your car windows. For a homemade cleaner, try this car window solution for streak-free cleaning.

  1. Make a Cleaning Solution - Create a solution with one cup of rubbing alcohol and one cup of water in a bucket.
  2. Use a Microfiber Towel - Use a clean, white microfiber towel with the solution and wipe smudges off of the glass.
  3. Unroll Windows For a Better Clean - While cleaning the side windows, unroll your windows to clean every square inch you can including the tops!
  4. Shine and Protect - Last, for extra shine and protection, use a glass shiner with another, clean microfiber towel.

How to Wash a Car

On a sunny day, washing your car can be a refreshing pastime. Make sure you’re using the right method for the best results with these steps on how to wash a car. 

  1. Get 2 Clean Buckets - Fill 2 separate buckets with water and add car wash soap to one of the buckets.
  2. Rinse-Off Car - With a hose, rinse off your car to loosen up dirt and grime.
  3. Use a Wash Mitt to Clean - Using a large wash mitt, wash your car section by section using the bucket with water and soap. Rinse the mitt in between sections in the bucket with plain water.
  4. Rinse Each Section - As you complete a section of your car, be sure to rinse it off after washing to clean away any soap or suds.
  5. Save These For Last - Save washing headlights and lower body for last so any grime that got flushed to the bottom of your car gets cleaned off.

How to Clean Tires

Just like you need a special cleaner for car windows, it’s important that you use a specialized cleaner for your tires. Don’t use car wash soap to clean your tires since it's formulated to clean and protect paint and clear coat. Applying car wash soap on tires can leave a film around them and keep the tires from shining. Instead, follow this guide on how to clean tires.

  1. Rinse-Off Tires - Like car washing, use a hose to rinse tires off to loosen excess dirt.
  2. Use Specialized Cleaner - Spray and apply a tire cleaner of your choice to the tire wall
  3. Clean with a Stiff Brush - With a stiff nylon-bristle brush, scrub your tire thoroughly.
  4. Rinse & Dry - After scrubbing, rinse the tire with water and flush out the cleaner. Then, dry with a microfiber cloth.
  5. Repeat - Continue these steps for the rest of your tires!
In need of interior car cleaning services? We come to you to clean out dirt and debris to give you a renewed car that’s ready for the next adventure. Call 1-800-STEEMER to find our services near you.
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