Interior Auto Detail: Benefits, Tips, and Techniques

Introduction

Interior auto detailing is an essential part of your vehicle maintenance that can very easily overlooked from day-to-day use. Many car owners focus on the way their vehicle looks on the exterior while the interior is where you spend most of your time, making it just as important if not even more important. Therefore, it is imperative to keep it clan and well maintained by routinely having your vehicle detailed or performing the detail yourself. A well maintained and detailed interior not only makes your driving experience more pleasant but also extends the longevity and value of your vehicle.

In this guide we will go through the benefits of interior auto detailing, offer you tips and tricks to keep your vehicle interior in the best condition possible, and go into various techniques we use to achieve professional quality results.

Benefits of Interior Auto Detailing

1. Improved Air Quality

One of the benefits less talked about is improved air quality. Dirt, dust that can cause allergies often accumulate in your car from day to day driving and over time this leads to poor air quality. Regular cleaning of your air vents, dusting and vacuuming significantly reduces the presence of these contaminants in your vehicles interior, making the inside of your car cleaner, and healthier to be in. This benefit can be especially important for people with allergies of respiratory medical conditions.

2. Improve your comfort and driving experience.

A clean and properly detailed car interior leads to a more comfortable and enjoyable driving experience, something some of us could use while we’re stuck in traffic. Dirt, grime, and clutter can be uncomfortable and distracting while you are in your car, especially if you’re going on a long drive. By keeping your car’s interior clean and properly detailed, you are ensuring that you and your passengers travel in a pleasant and comfortable environment.

3. Preservation of your vehicle’s interior

Interior auto detailing will help maintain the materials inside your car in great shape. Leather, fabrics, and plastics, get cleaned and protected. Over time these materials wear out due to sun UV rays, scratches, spills, and regular day to day use. Detailing a vehicle involves cleaning, conditioning, and protecting, surfaces to extend their lifespan. A good example is how leather seats can crack and fade if they’re not properly cleaned, conditioned, and protected. These simple steps at a regular routine can keep your surfaces looking like new for the lifespan of your vehicle.

4. Maintain your vehicles resale value.

A well taken care of interior significantly maintains the value of your vehicle and in some cases, it can increase the resale value when you are ready to part ways with your vehicle. Buyers will be more incline to pay a higher price for a car that looks and feels clean, inside, and out. Routinely having your interior detailed will prevent stains, odors and damage that could potentially lower the value of your vehicle.

5. Removal of stains, odor, and bacteria

Spills and stains will happen in your car’s interior, specially if you have kids. However, they don’t have to be permanent. Interior auto detailing involves deep cleaning using extraction and steam cleaning methods that remove the most stubborn stains and odors from your vehicle. It doesn’t matter if it’s a coffee spill on your seats, of a lingering smell from old food, detailing can bring back your vehicles interior back to like new condition.

6. Improves your safety

A clean and clutter free interior is not only about aesthetics, but this also helps with your safety the safety of your passengers. Dirt, dust, and grime can negatively affect your controls and visibility, making it difficult to operate your vehicle. Clutter can also be a safety hazard as in can interfere with the pedals creating a safety risk. Interior auto detailing ensures you car is clean of these potential hazards allowing you to focus on the things that matter most while driving.

Interior Auto Detailing Tips

1. Thorough Vacuuming

The very first step to auto detailing is removing large debris, loose trash and removing loose dirt and debris by vacuuming. Using a compressor blow gun or tornador gun will help you break up dirt and bring out stuck dirt form the fabric so it can be vacuumed. Use a high-powered vacuum and the different attachments to reach all the nooks and crevices, including areas under the seats, between the upholstery and along the edges of the carpets. Make sure to vacuum seats, floor mats, and trunk as well.

2. Using the proper cleaning products

It is crucial to use the correct cleaning products when detailing your vehicle. Using the wrong product can cause damage to your fabrics, vinyl, and plastics. Different materials require different cleaning products. A good example is using a high PH cleaner on leather, this can lead to discoloration and permanent staining of your leather. Use chemicals made for cleaning the specific surface you are cleaning, whether that is cloth seats, carpet, or leather.

3. Dashboard and center console

The dashboard and center console are the focus components of your interior, and due to all the nook and crevices, this area requires special attention. Use microfiber towels, an interior cleaner product, and a variety of interior detailing brushes to remove all the dust, fingerprints, grime and smudges from the buttons, vents, knobs, and levers.

4. Cleaning the glass and mirrors

Crystal clear glass and mirrors go a long way and help the vehicle feel and look that much cleaner. Use a glass cleaner and two microfiber towels, one for wiping and cleaning and the second to remove any residual marks from the cleaner. Avoid spraying the glass cleaner directly on the glass to avoid overspray, instead spray the microfiber towel for wiping down.

5. Condition leather and plastics

Overtime, plastics, and leather seats can dry out and begin to crack, especially when it is exposed to UV rays. It is good practice, and I would say it is necessary to protect your plastic and leather surfaces after properly cleaning them. Choose a conditioner and protector that is compatible with the surface you are cleaning and avoid over application as this can leave a greasy look and feel.

6. Deep cleaning carpets and upholstery

Upholstery and carpet hold on to stains and dirt that vacuuming alone can not remove. The solution to this problem is using a carpet extractor and or a steam cleaner to break up the gunk and grim and extract it out of your fabric. This will leave your upholstery and carpets feeling and looking clean and bacteria free. After completing this process, you will want to let your fabric dry in order to avoid mold or mildew growth.

7. Protect and deodorize

Once you are done cleaning it is important to protect the interior surfaces by applying a UV protectant to the dashboard, center console, door panels and any other plastic areas to prevent sun damage and maintain them looking great! Use a deodorant that neutralizes odors instead of a deodorant that mask odors, this will keep your vehicle smelling fresh!

8. Keep a regular maintenance Schedule

A regular maintenance schedule is important to keeping your car’s interior in top shape year-round. Develop a routine for cleaning and detailing your interior, like vacuuming and having your vehicle detailed every few months. A routine detail will make it easier and cheaper to maintain your vehicle in great shape.

The professional Interior Auto Detailing Techniques

1. Steam Cleaning

Steam cleaning is a technique used by professional auto detailers to deep clean upholstery, carpets, and almost every surface that requires it. The high temperature breaks up dirt and grime to make it easy to clean up. This process leaves surfaces clean, sanitized, and free of bacteria. Steam cleaning is also environmentally friendly as it requires zero to very little chemicals to be very effective.

2. Hot water extraction

Some people refer to hot water extraction as carpet shampooing. This is a method used to clean carpets and upholstery, that involves spraying a solution of hot water and upholstery cleaner on the surface and agitation with a hand or drill brush to loosen the grim, dirt or stain, and then using the extractor to suck out the dirty water with a powerful vacuum. This process is the most effective way to remove deeply embedded dirt and stains, leaving your upholstery clean and looking amazing.

3. Fabric protection

After cleaning all fabrics, a fabric protection treatment can be performed. This process creates a barrier that repels liquids and prevents stains from becoming embedded in your fabric. This protection is especially useful for families with kids and pets as it makes your interior much easier to maintain and keep clean.

4. Plastic restoration

Plastic restoration is a process used to bring faded and discolored plastics back to their former glory. This process involves cleaning the plastic and applying a restoring sealant. This process makes a significant difference in the appearance of your vehicle’s plastics even if its many years old.

5. Brushes and detailing tools

Professional detailers use a wide variety of brushes and crevice tools to reach every part of the vehicle’s interior. Soft brushes for vents and seams, and stiffer brushes for carpets and upholstery. Other tools include blowers specialized vacuum attachments and all sorts of crevice tools.

Conclusion

Interior auto detailing is much more than cosmetics. It is an investment in the longevity and maintaining the value of your vehicle. By maintaining your interior you can enjoy a more comfortable vehicle, improved air quality, great looking and feeling materials inside your vehicle, and over all the satisfaction of knowing you’re driving a clean car. Whether you choose to detail your vehicle on your own or hire a professional auto detailer like us, understanding the benefits, tips, and tricks will help you achieve and appreciate the final results.