Like many people, you spend a lot of time in your car getting from place A to B and have gotten used to the smell of your car or truck. Often it takes a friend to comment that “something smells bad in your car” before you know that something’s wrong. Well, it’s not a welcome thing to hear but at least there’s a solution – a good thorough cleaning and sanitizing. Besides, as Don Vance Chrysler points out, if you are thinking of trading soon, a clean car will bring you more money in trade. Here’s a step by step guide to help you make your car smell just like new again.
Step One: Begin by clearing out the junk. Even if the seats look reasonably clean, you know there’s stuff underneath. Be sure to reach under the front and rear seats and remove all the lost and discarded items. Check the pockets on the doors and the seat backs and be sure to dig out all the drink containers and wrappers as well. One last thing, probe between all the car’s seat surfaces and remove all the stuff that’s fallen between the cracks.
Step Two: Wipe down all the surfaces inside your car with a mild detergent and warm water. Go slow and really clean them. For leather seats, use a good leather cleaner and scrub them clean. If you want to do a little detailing, after the plastic surfaces are dry, wipe some Armour-all protectant on too. This will give the plastic a nice shine.
Step Three: Vacuum your car with a good, strong house vacuum and be sure to get everything. Remove your floor rugs that can be removed and completely vacuum the carpet and seat surfaces. Get under the seats and get out all the dirt. Make sure you have one of those skinny vacuum nozzles too so you can get in between all your seats and cushions too.
Step Four: To clean the upholstery and ceiling, rent one of those “upholstery hose”-equipped steam cleaners. Most hardware stores and supermarkets have this type of steam cleaner that you can rent for around $25 per day. What they do is spray down a mist of heated water and then you use the vacuum to suck it up. Spend some time and really deep clean the seats and carpets. You will likely be surprised with all the junk that comes out of any fabric surfaces.
After you’ve gone through Steps 1 through 4, let your car’s interior thoroughly dry out and see if you can detect any odors. If you still smell something offensive, you may need to go at the carpet, and perhaps headliner, another time with the steam cleaner again.
In the future, you can avoid trouble by cleaning up all spills the moment they happen. They’re much easier to remove when they first happen; keep a rag or towels in the trunk just in case a spill does occur. Also, do a regular cleaning to remove food scraps and other organic materials that have made their way into the car. These things have a way of getting under seats and staying there for months.
