How to clean car upholstery. Car Interior Cleaning: Simple Recipes and DIY Washing Tips

You can do it yourself. I do not think that the washers have such know-how, the essence of which takes decades to comprehend.

Comparing "on the forehead" with "kitchen" is, of course, not good. At least because advertisers will immediately take an offended look. Yes, and the sellers will not say thank you. In general, wait for sanctions. But for different names sometimes kindred spirits hide, and therefore many household tools do a really good job with non-core automotive tasks.

This is what readers write about as well. I quote: “The main component of almost all costs 20-30 rubles per pack. It is sold in "gardeners" - you will not find it in supermarkets. It's soda ash. She's underwear."

There are others people's councils. For the treatment of salon plastic, in addition to sponges for cleaning shoes, many recommend using wipes for monitors. And in order to avoid the so-called "stickiness", readers are advised to use - from Orange, Wurth, Dremex and the like. Finally, the Sif gas stove cleaner is often mentioned - they clean it interior plastic, including with various embossings and irregularities.

Many wash with an aqueous solution of laundry soap. And the most courageous users use vodka to remove stains on plastic or fabric.

Concerning professional tools, then I believe that they should not be seriously afraid of competition from kitchen and household supplies. In any case, all the tests of such specialized auto chemicals that we have recently carried out are generally encouraging. Unless, of course, you are offended by the clearly inflated cost of individual brands. As far as I remember, not a single 700-ruble balloon in our experiments has ever won by knockout over a 100-ruble balloon.

If the upholstery is dirty, then I:

What about technical means? Many readers actively suggest using not only rags with sponges, but also washing vacuum cleaners. At the same time, some argue that this is how dirt can be removed, and not just driven into the bowels of the surface to be cleaned. I probably disagree with the last statement, but it is stupid to object to the application. It definitely won't get worse. Unless, of course, the vacuum cleaner is already on the farm - do not buy it on purpose. Although - it's still useful.

In general, the most interesting thing in this topic is the opinions of readers who have tried any non-standard solutions. Therefore, as usual, I ask you not to hesitate to offer your options for cleaning upholstery, panels and other interior elements. It is possible that your advice will help someone save money for more important expenses.

And we always have time to wash ...

Appearance of the machine - important element owner's image. You can dry-clean the car interior at the car wash, but why spend money if you can wash everything yourself. You only need to buy the right equipment and pick up a special chemistry. Washing the car interior with your own hands is much more pleasant. In addition, there are many care formulations, the use of which does not require the purchase of professional equipment.

Preparation for the procedure

The first step is preparing the machine for cleaning. In order to qualitatively dry-clean the car interior on your own at home, you need to remove all unnecessary items.

Preparatory stage:

1. Vehicle put in the shade.
2. Turn off the car engine to avoid shorting the wiring if it peeks out somewhere in the cabin.
3. Grab some trash bags. In one put things to be thrown away. In others, remove all items from the glove compartment, in the third - everything that lies in the trunk. Remove things from the back wall and send the covers to the wash.
4. Put away rugs, they are washed separately. Use a soapy solution and a foam rubber sponge.
5. If there is time, dismantle the frontAnd rear seats . A lot of dirt collects under them, it is more convenient to clean them on the street.
6. Wipe all surfaces from dust so that it does not scratch the expensive coating when using chemicals.

Preparation is carried out to simplify the cleaning of the car and speed up the cleaning process, as well as to identify the places where dirt accumulates the most.

What equipment is used

High-quality and effective do-it-yourself interior cleaning possible only under certain conditions, the use of professional formulations and the use of suitable equipment.

What you need to get inside:

1. Ordinary or washing vacuum cleaner. Well, if the technique combines two types of cleaning. Pick up good model, especially, if you have small children and longhaired Pets.
2. Trigger (sprayer) buy foam with a pressure build-up function.
3. You will need an ordinary rag, a piece of foam rubber or a kitchen sponge, microfiber cloths.
4. A hard sponge will come in handy, which wipes the dirt off the floor and seats well. Buy several at once.
5. Protective equipment - gloves, a respirator (if toxic drugs are used) and goggles.
6. Autochemistry is selected depending on what material the seats have (fabric or leather), what stains need to be removed in the cabin. Separately, they buy products for dry cleaning the interior to wash plastic, ceiling and glass.

Removal of contaminants is carried out according to the standard scheme, it can be changed. But a phased cleansing of the car dealership will greatly facilitate the task.

Gradual removal of contaminants

Do-it-yourself car interior dry cleaning - an activity uncomplicated , any kind of contaminants are removed in the process. Finding the right cleaner is harder. To each the type of pollution needs a special approach and a certain group of substances.

How to do interior cleaning? In order to effectively wash the car and at the same time not stain already clean surfaces, they act according to the proposed plan. Namely, they start from the ceiling, end with glass.

Cleaning the car interior begins with the use of a vacuum cleaner. Pass them on all surfaces, remove the main dust from the seats, floors and rear shelves. Vacuuming inside the glove compartment, near automatic box gears, under the seats and in armrests.

The roof is the hardest part. Wash her up not difficult , harder to keep hands up, get tired quickly.

As a rule, leather, leatherette or fleecy fabric is used as the material for the ceiling. Therefore, cleaning products are bought according to the material.

You can prepare a means for cleaning the interior of the car with your own hands. It's cheaper and certainly won't damage the ceiling.

How to wash the ceiling in the car:

1. Laundry soap is used to clean this part in the cabin. Take a brush of suitable stiffness, rub it well. Clean the entire ceilingwash with clean water.
2. Auto chemistry will do. For example, any skin care product, if the ceiling is made of such material. A good set is the Leather Care Kit Blister. It includes leather cleaner, barrier cream, sponge, soft cloth, brush and bottle of foaming agent. This set is enough for the whole year, considering, What chemical cleaning machine inside is held only 3 times. Test on an inconspicuous area before first use.
3. Cleaning the upholstery of the car, if it is fleecy, will be more difficult. The brush cannot be used.The ceiling is shabby. Optimal option - special chemicals and microfiber cloths or (washing vacuum cleaner).

You have to be careful with cleansers. The stores may advise strong tools that can damage the ceiling. To wash it well experienced drivers using Vanish. This stain remover works wonders. It will save the ceiling from oil and oil stains if there are traces of a pencil or sticky dirt.

Plastic panels

This material is usually used to make instrument panel , in some cars, parts of the door cards are made of plastic. This durable and, simultaneously , lightweight material tends to become dirty and brittle. To prevent this from happening, you need to properly care for him.

To clean the interior of plastic, the following compositions are made:

1. Dilute in 1 liter of warm water And 1 st. l. head shampoo. This removes dirt from the plastic panels.
2. Mix baking soda with water until it becomes a thick paste. Apply to oily places, leave for 10 minutes, clean with a cloth, completely wash the dashboard.

The best car interior cleaner available plastic panels, it's special chemistry. It works faster, washes away dirt better. Buy wet wipes for plastic or Mafra compound. Both cleanse well plastic elements, they are designed specifically for this material.

seats

During operation, the seats get dirty the worst. spilled tea, random falling ice cream and other troubles can happen on the road.

Self-cleaning of seats is carried out using professional compositions. A vacuum cleaner and wet rags are powerless against stubborn dirt and stains. They remove only some of the dirt.

fabric

Buy a do-it-yourself car interior cleaner at the store.

To clean fabric upholstery, buy one of these products:

1. Liqui Moly Polster-Schaum-Reiniger. Foam gently removes any dirt. Suitable for covers and even carpets. It does not leave dirty smudges and restores the original color. Shake the can of cleaner, spray, leave for 5 minutes, brush, rinse.
2. Tuff Stuff creates active foam that removes dust, smudges and stubborn dirt. The tool does not change the color of the panels and seats. Shake the bottle vigorously, apply the composition to the fabric, wait 40 minutes, remove the residue with a damp cloth.
3. Gunk is a foam interior cleaner. The composition is not absorbed into the seat filler, does not drain, which allows processing vertical elements. They also clean plastic parts. Apply the product from a distance of 20 cm, remove after 1 minute.
4. Profoam 3000 is a super interior cleaner. Quickly removes any dirt. Profoam 3000 tackles lipstick, wine, paint, grease and oil stains. It is easy to use and inexpensive.

For fabric upholstery, it is not necessary to use chemical compounds. The tool can be prepared independently.

Leather

Care leather interior Used or new car is no different. For this, cleaners, polishes and protective compounds. For cleaning the skin, it is better to give preference to industrial preparations. They are designed in such a way that they do not harm expensive upholstery, but ratherimprove its quality.

How can you take care of your leather interior?

1. Doctor Wax. Air conditioner cleanses leather interior, vinyl upholstery and protects from drying out and cracking. Doctor Wax is used at positive temperatures. Wait before using, until the car cools down. Shake the can, spread the composition with a soft cloth. After a minute, wipe the surface. Then buff with a clean cloth until it shines. It doesn't need to be washed off. In addition, the cabin will smell good.
2. Tanner's Preserve (USA) easily and reliably cleans leather surfaces. The composition gives the upholstery a well-groomed appearance, restores color.
3. Astro Him- effective remedy for car interior cleaning. Removes dirt from cracks. Astro Him contains substances removing old pollution. After cleaning with this product, you can immediately sit on the seats. It leaves no greasy residue and is quickly absorbed.

To extend the service life leather seats and save original view do not use abrasive compounds, as well as those not intended for this material.

Be careful. The compositions themselves do not harm the material, but with a hard washcloth it is quite possible. Use only soft cloths.

Apply professional equipment for upholstery cleaning, minimize the transport of sharp and cutting products. Leather quickly absorbs odors so you don't have to search - don't smoke in the car. Only such an attitude to the interior upholstery will save it from damage.

Other. For cleaning the material, the following compositions are used: Profoam 2000, Autosol, PRO Line, Facile from the Gold Line series. Upholstery and covers made of eco-leather are wear-resistant and look rich. It would be nice to buy a protective agent and polish for the detergent composition. The cleaned coating is first treated with a polish. Then protection is applied.

door cards

Having completed the cleaning of the seats, they proceed to washing the door cards. The tool is chosen depending on the quality and type of material. door cards can be made of leather, plastic or fabric. Usually the material is the same as on the seats. Clean can be the same composition.

Floor

To remove dirt from the floor, you will need professional equipment. For example, Karcher or washing vacuum cleaner. First remove the dirt with a vacuum cleaner, then wash the floors with detergents. Normal dish detergent will do.

Textile parts are put in order with the same compositions that were used for the ceiling. Car floor gets dirty stronger than the seats. If it is needed, use soda, citric acid, vinegar, laundry soap and other compounds that can scrub stains.

glass

The general cleaning of the car is completed by washing the windows. The compositions that are usually used at home will not work here. for washing automotive glass sold special formulations. They are released Hi-Gear manufacturers, Kangaroo, Sonax.

How dry processing is carried out

Dry cleaning of the leather interior of a car involves the use of cleaning agents in volatile solvents. The sequence of cleaning is the same, detergent compositions are different.

Dry cleaning. She is being carried out when it is necessary to refresh the seats, or, when there is no time for general cleaning. For example, grease stains sprinkled salt, soda, flour or starch. Leave for 10 minutes, shake off powder. Do not use water for dry cleaning. The whole process is carried out using cleaning compounds that do not need to be washed off.

Dry cleaning is done 2-3 times a year. Compositions and equipment buy high-quality, possibly, they will still come in handy. If you don’t want to clean it yourself, you can always go to a car wash.

The interior of the car gets dirty very quickly, constantly being exposed to external influences. It is very important to carry out high-quality cleaning of the upholstery of car seats with your own hands in time. How and how to clean the upholstery yourself, read below. Consider all the popular means and methods for dry cleaning.

Why do you need to clean upholstery on time?

The materials used in car interior trim are strong and durable.. But even this does not save them from the invasion of babies with sticky sweets and juices. As a result, all these goodies eat into the seat upholstery. Add to this daily pollution from dirty shoes, coffee and tea. To prevent stubborn stains, clean covers immediately after soiling occurs. How and how to clean the interior of the car on our own, we will consider further.

Materials and equipment

Do not know how to clean the interior of the car with your own hands? To clean the interior you will need: chemicals for the cleaning, vacuum cleaner, steam cleaner or iron with steam function (you can do without it), sponge, brush, napkins microfiber, scraper for windows, rubber gloves, bottle with sprayer or bucket, hot water.

• Brush must be soft so as not to damage the upholstery.
• Sponge choose a larger size so that the processing does not drag on until the morning.
• Vacuum cleaner take it without a dust bag, we will first vacuum the car dealership with it, then collect the remnants of detergents. A washing vacuum cleaner will also work.
• Chemical means used in cleaning the interior of a car are diverse in composition and action. For each material, you must choose suitable remedy so as not to spoil its structure.
• Can be dispensed with folk remedies although they are not as effective. For example water solution vinegar, also "Vanish", a soapy solution with borax.

Carefully: Before using any new chemical, try on an inconspicuous area first.

• Eltrans, Russia. Universal cleaner for interior and exterior. Cost - 110 rubles. for 500 g.
• Astrohim, Russia. Plastic, vinyl and rubber cleaner. Cost - 60 rubles. for 250 ml.
• Grass, Russia. Interior cleaner. The cost is 175 rubles. for 1 liter
• Kangaroo Profoam 3000, Korea. Interior cleaner. It costs 295 rubles. for 600 ml.
• runway, USA - China. Interior carpet cleaner. The cost is 255 rubles. for 410 gr.
• Sapfire Professional, Russia. Interior dry cleaning. It costs 200 rubles. For 500 ml.

Car interior processing sequence

There are a huge number of ways to clean the interior of a car - you can do it yourself or trust professionals. Each upholstery material has its own method. Consider the main stages of cleaning car seats.

1. First step - Preparation,
2. second - vacuuming,
3. third - chemical treatment,
4. final - car dealership drying.

Preparatory stage

At this stage, the interior of the car is prepared for further processing, all unnecessary items and debris should be removed. Then wipe all non-woven surfaces with a damp sponge. Moisten the cloth with water from a spray bottle and scrape up animal hair with a scraper.

Vacuuming

Before cleaning chairs, treat them vacuum cleaner. They can clean almost all types of surfaces. This The best way preparing the machine for further cleaning. Use the long, narrow tube attachment to get to hard-to-reach places between seats. Vacuum the seats first, then the space between them.

Advice: Vacuum the seams of the covers thoroughly, spreading them with your hand so that dust and crumbs from the seams are completely removed.

Processing with chemicals

Dry cleaning do-it-yourself car interior is not very complicated. Cleaning of contaminants with chemicals is carried out in several stages.

1. In a bucket, a quarter filled with water, dilute the selected detergent. Mix the solution well until a rich foam forms for the entire volume of the bucket.
2. Apply foam with a sponge on the surface to be cleaned so that the fabric is completely saturated. When cleaning leather seats, simply apply the foam on top in an even layer. Treat the entire fabric in this way so that there are no ugly spots left.
3. Wait for the time indicated in the instructions for the substance to take effect. Most of the time it takes 3-5 minutes.
4. Take a brush and scrub processed surface. Don't rub too hard to avoid damaging the covers.
5. Vacuum the surface or wipe with dry paper towels to remove scum
6. Now ventilate the salon so that the chairs dry out and there is no damp smell left.

Carefully: to protect against chemical burns, be sure to wear rubber gloves

Cleaning velor seats

clean up velor interior most effective with a vacuum cleaner, also buy a special roller for collecting animal hair and hair. Remove light stains from velor chairs with a soapy solution and a sponge. Clean stubborn dirt with chemicals.

Cleaning leather chairs

To clear leather interior, it is advisable to use cleaners recommended by the car manufacturer. Often the skin has protective covering preventing pollution. If there is no such protection, use leather conditioners. First, wipe the surface with a damp sponge, apply the conditioner on a soft cloth and wipe the skin.

Vinyl Seat Cleaning

Vinyl- the easiest material to care for. Light dirt can be removed with glass cleaner - spray and wipe with a cloth. How to clean strong pollution? Can be dispensed with folk method- using a mixture of soda and water. Mix in equal parts and apply evenly to the vinyl surface. Wash off with warm soapy water and dry with a tissue.

Cleaning fabric upholstery

Textile, used for car sofas and armchairs, is very durable and resistant to external influences. This type of covers is cleaned in any convenient way - the dry cleaning method described above or a steam cleaner. How to clean chairs with a steam generator? Water is poured into the steam generator and the fabric is treated, wiping it dry with a rag. Under the influence of hot steam, the dirt softens and can be easily removed with a cloth.

Chemical cleaning of the ceiling

Salon dry cleaning Do-it-yourself car includes cleaning the ceiling. The ceiling of the car can only be cleaned with dry cleaning products, for example in the form of a spray or aerosol. Before cleaning, prepare a dry sponge and cleanser. To clean the car ceiling, spray the product evenly on the ceiling and rub with a sponge in one direction. Wait for the time indicated on the package and vacuum the ceiling, you can get by with a napkin. Start cleaning up windshield cars moving towards the trunk. Be careful, the ceiling material is very soft and easily damaged.

Cleaning plastic surfaces

Apply detergent to plastic then wipe with a soft microfiber cloth. Then apply a plastic polish to improve it. appearance. In the absence of a polish, you can get by with boiled linseed or olive oil.

The protagonist of the new article is a beige 2009 Audi Q7. Our regular client, Roman, came to Krem for full dry cleaning car. Using the example of Audi, I will tell you how to care for a leather interior. You will learn how to properly clean the seats, steering wheel, door trim, ceiling, floor, trunk and seat belts. These instructions will be enough to cope with dry cleaning on your own.

Signs of an unclean salon

Check the interior of the car first. Here is a list of signs, by the presence of which it is clear that it is time to do dry cleaning. Read them carefully.

• Have you recently bought a used car?
• Bad smell in the cabin
• Leather seats shine
• The ceiling is gray
• Salt stains on the floor
• Around the pedals - traces of dirt
• Steering wheel sticky and greasy

These seven signs are the main ones. If you found everything, it's time to urgently do dry cleaning. Come to a car wash, detailing studio or try to clean the interior yourself.

Why dry clean more than once every 10 years

It is better to clean the interior of the car once a year. Even if you wash the floor of the house every day, you still do a general cleaning. So it is with the car. Wet cleaning does not replace dry cleaning.

Do dry cleaning more often, drive a clean car. Dusty dirty salon harmful to the health of adults and children. When dry cleaning, pay attention to the composition of cleaning products. Buy car cosmetics from safe, trusted brands.

Often cleaning the interior is more profitable. It is cheaper to do several light dry cleaners than one serious one. Sometimes perennial pollution does not come out completely removed. Because of this, the skin deteriorates. The seats look unkempt.

If the floor is not cleaned in time, dirt and salt will penetrate deep into the pile of the carpet. It cannot be cleaned up. There will be stains on the material, the floor will lose its appearance. A car with such an untidy interior is hard to sell.

How to dry clean

Leather

Remove sand and dirt not only from the surface of the skin, but also from the seams. Sand particles easily fall back onto the seats. When in contact with clothing, they scratch paint and varnish. Because of this, the skin wears out quickly. Use a blow gun with compressed air you can easily remove dirt from hard-to-reach places. If you came to the car wash to clean the interior, ask the washer to blow through the seams.

See how much dirt is in the joints of the seats.

In fact, leather is the basis of the seat material. From above it is covered with paint and a layer of polyurethane varnish. Guys, in fact, we are not sitting on the skin, but on the paint and varnish.

To clean the leather, we use a Letech brush and Leather Ultra Clean cleaner. We apply the product to the brush, in a circular motion We clean the skin and then wipe it with a dry microfiber. Cover the clean surface with a thin layer of Leather Protection Cream. I prefer the products of the English company Furniture Clinic. They have a safe formula.

Take a closer look, the clean part of the seat does not shine. The skin is light and matte.

The varnish and paint on the Audi seats have changed color - they are stained from clothes. Raw leather is defenseless, the dye from clothes and jeans penetrates the varnish without obstacles. If the skin had been pre-treated with a protective cream, this would not have happened.

This is what it looks like driver's seat after cleaning. The paint from the clothes has stained the back of the seat. Now even a stain remover won't remove it. Friends, treat your skin with a protective cream.

Steering wheel

You need to clean the steering wheel like leather. From the hands of the driver, the steering wheel becomes shiny and sticky. It is regularly exposed to sweat, salt and grease. This shortens the life of the skin. I often see the steering wheels, the skin on which it is time to change the skin after only 2-3 years of operation of the car.

Two different methods can be used to clean the steering wheel leather.

First– use a brush and Leather Ultra Clean cleaner. The brush is too big for the steering wheel, but the brush is just right. A small brush can be purchased at any hardware store. It costs 50 rubles. Friends, apply the cleaner on the brush, not on the steering wheel. Collect the remains of the product and dirt with microfiber.

Second reception - a toothpick. It will be needed for cars with impressive mileage. A regular wooden toothpick will help remove dirt from the steering wheel joints.

Be careful with the toothpick as it can easily scratch the skin.

Trunk

Use a vacuum cleaner and textile detergent to clean the carpet in the trunk. Cleaners are available in aerosol cans and regular bottles. A year ago, Za Rulem magazine conducted a test of dry cleaning products. If in doubt which composition to choose,.

Vacuum the carpet thoroughly. Spread the detergent evenly on the surface, carefully collect it with microfiber. Before using the composition, carefully read the instructions from the manufacturer. There is important information in there.

Funds from the auto shop will not work for cases like the "Audi". The carpet had a lot of stains and old dirt. We picked up serious German car cosmetics - Koch Chemie Mehr Zweck Reiniger cleaner and Koch Chemie Flecken Wasser stain remover. We also needed a tornador and an extractor. The tornador helped to knock out the sand from the carpet, and the extractor helped to wash the remnants detergent and dirt.

Buy rubber mat to preserve the trunk trim. The carpet will protect the carpet from dirt and stains. If you don't like how it looks, use the second option - put a blanket in the car. Before transporting dirty things, lay it on the carpet. Agree, it is easier to wash a blanket than to dry-clean the trunk.

Handle tires with care. They can easily scratch the textured plastic in the trunk. Such material cannot be polished or restored. The rubber also leaves black streaks on the fabric racks. They are difficult to remove. Racks will have to be cleaned entirely and stain removers should be used. It's long and expensive.

Note. If you are transporting winter tires, protect not only the floor, but also the side panels. Use thick material. A regular blanket will do.

Cover the floor surface with a dense rug. Choose a large, high-sided rubber mat. Thanks to him, dirt does not get on the carpet even in winter.

OnAudi was small fabric rug. Dirt flowed down the edges, a place under pedals heavily soiled.

Remove the carpet from the car immediately if dirt drips off it. Clean it and dry it. Check if the floor in the cabin is wet. If the carpet is wet, come to the sink and ask the washer to vacuum up the water. Otherwise, it will not dry out, and the smell of dampness will appear in the cabin.

Clean the floor like carpet in the trunk. If the pollution is not strong, you can easily handle it yourself. You can use any cleaner from the car shop and a regular vacuum cleaner. To achieve a normal result, Andrei cleaned the floor of the Audi several times.

door trim

Door skins often appear clean. However, they quickly get dirty. Dirt gets into the texture of the plastic, it is difficult to remove it with microfiber. Plastic should be cleaned with a brush.

You can use a special leather brush or buy a regular shoe brush from the supermarket. Plastic cleaner is available at any auto shop. Price - from 150 rubles.

Friends, do not buy 2 in 1 products - both a cleaner and a plastic conditioner. Just get a cleaner. 2 in 1 products cover dirt and add shine. It is better to clean the plastic and only then apply the conditioner.

Andrey cleaned the plastic on the Audi with Koch Chemie Mehr Zweck Reiniger and a Letech brush. Using such a brush, you can easily clean the speaker grids from dirt, sand and dust. It can be ordered at any detailing store. It costs 350 rubles.

Ceiling

The ceiling is the only part of the cabin that we do not recommend cleaning yourself. Car enthusiasts often come to Krem, who tried to clean the ceiling themselves. IN best case the result of such cleaning is stains and dirty smudges. At worst, a damaged ceiling.

Ceiling material is easily damaged, especially if rubbed with a rag. The pile quickly rolls, pellets appear on the surface. Such a ceiling cannot be saved. Therefore, it is better to contact professionals.

Seat belts

The instructions for the car say that the belts can not be cleaned with aggressive chemicals. It has a bad effect on the strength of the material. We do not risk the safety of customers and clean the belts with laundry soap.

If the belts are dirty, use a tornador. Such a tool forms turbulences in the air and pulls the dirt out. With the help of a tornador, it is easy to remove the main pollution.

You can collect the remnants of dirt and soap with an extractor. German vacuum cleaner feeds clean water and instantly sucks it back together with particles of sand and soap.

Tornador and extractor are expensive professional equipment. Tornador costs 5 thousand rubles, extractor - 40-50. For a tornador, you need to buy a compressor for about 30 thousand rubles. In this case, it is easier to turn to specialists. You do not have to buy equipment or rent it.

Dry cleaning the interior of a car is a delicate and difficult task. In this article I will tell you what tools you need to bring the insides of your car in order. It is important to know what to look for when buying them. It is also worth estimating how much such a procedure will cost at home, and whether it would be easier and cheaper to turn to professionals.

By nature, I am a pedant and a neat person. And my car is also always neat, well-groomed and looks fresh. I respect myself and other passengers with whom I travel. Therefore, my car is always like new, not only outside, but also order reigns inside.

A dirty interior is fraught with several unpleasant moments for the owner at once:

• the risk of allergic and other infectious diseases increases many times over due to dirt and dust stagnant inside the cabin;
• due to the accumulated debris between the buttons and in the holes of various devices, the electronics may fail;
• excess dust in the car will sooner or later lead to problems with electrical wiring;
• V dirty car the companion sitting next to you is simply unpleasant to be;
• no one wants to buy a sloppy car from you.

Very often, an ordinary "motorist" cleans the interior of a car for his pet only once: immediately before the sale. And even completely implements it with an ugly interior, so the new owner has to put the car in order. Moreover, it is difficult to call such an owner a “car enthusiast”: does he really love his car, even if he is too lazy to clean it inside?

My approach to the procedure

"Homemade" dry cleaning can easily harm your car. The fact is that the salon is a very delicate thing. The slightest error in the selection of chemistry or one careless movement of microfiber - and damage for several thousand dollars to your metal friend is guaranteed. Naturally, it all depends on the price of the machine itself. I painstakingly cleaned the Mercedes E series, so here I definitely could not make a mistake.

Essential Ingredients

All of you have probably seen the upholstery of the cabin spoiled by chemistry and sagging ceilings. The sight is unpleasant. If you want to minimize such risks, contact professionals. And if you want to conjure yourself, you will have to prepare well for this procedure. Below I will briefly describe the most necessary "ingredients" that you may need for cleaning.


Chemistry. In this case, it is almost indispensable. A universal interior cleaner can be purchased at a regular supermarket. For example, "All Purpose Cleaner" brand "Meguiar's" is suitable for almost all occasions. He has never let me down so far. However, it should be noted that the effectiveness of the same professional fluid will be an order of magnitude higher.

In addition, the latter is always more concentrated in composition. Therefore, carefully read the label and observe the necessary proportions in the solution. Otherwise, you will burn the skin and make it worse. In addition to the level of concentration, pay attention to the temperature of the liquid and the time during which it should be left on the surface.

Properly selected professional chemicals for cleaning car interiors are always better than universal ones. But choose suitable option, given the brand of your car and the degree of interior tenderness, can be a daunting task. In this case, you can purchase chemistry specifically for your car model. Of course, you will pay much more for it.

Choice chemical agent It's a delicate and very important matter. Do not be too lazy to read and ask around which chemistry for cleaning the interior of a car is best suited in your case. Otherwise, the consequences of cleaning with a low-quality or unsuitable product can be comparable in terms of losses to a dozen similar procedures in expensive service. Prices for such goods vary from a couple of hundred to several tens of thousands of rubles, and its range is replete with variety. So the opportunities to break your head and be creative here are almost limitless.

Vanish is evil. The most real. They can scrub carpets at home, but it is absolutely impossible to spill them in a car. Cleaning your car interior using common household products will only ruin your interior even more. Judge for yourself: high-quality professional chemistry completely dissolves in the salon during the day. "Vanish" eats into the salon forever. With its help, it is easy to clean even the most difficult stain on the seat. But if a drop of water gets on the chair a week after the procedure, it will leave the same divorce.

"Vanish" settles in the upholstery better than any mud. You can try to remove it only by ordering a professional dry cleaner. And even then, in the vast majority of cases, it will not be possible to completely get rid of this pest. So if you don’t want to hopelessly spoil the interior in one session of preening a car, it’s better to give the Vanish package to your wife. She will find a better use for it. The same goes for any other household products, including all stain removers and laundry detergents.

Foam for cleaning the interior of a car is a thing that can make life much easier for a handicraft cleaner. There are a great many types of it. For this category of goods, the price does not always correspond to the quality. Among the abundant choice of foams on the market, I can recommend the STP Tuff Stuff cleaner. It is inexpensive and costs about 20 rubles per 100 ml. Despite the rather pungent smell, it copes well with the interior upholstery.


Together with it, I use a special extractor, which first applies the product to the surface, and then draws it back along with dust, dirt and other unpleasant things that the cleaner has absorbed.

I note that the foam is only suitable for surface cleaning, because it can only absorb the top contaminated layer. So such a thing will fit only in case you are running out of time or the interior of the car is quite new.

Air conditioning - is necessary if there are leather products in the cabin. quality products of this kind - a dime a dozen. The main thing is to choose the right one for your upholstery. For 400 rubles you can buy quite a decent tool.

Microfiber is a fabric made from polyester with fantastic absorbency. Leaves no traces or lint behind. 6 dry cleaning cloths should be enough.


Brushes are selected exclusively empirically. I do not advise saving on them - cheap ones will spoil the insides of the car. Take a few pieces more expensive, with natural pile and varying degrees rigidity. For upholstery, of course, buy softer, and for rugs, harder ones are better. Such a rule should be observed, since the interior of a car is always a unique thing, it is difficult for me to suggest something specifically with regard to brushes. You will have to try a few before you find a completely satisfying option.

I use sponges, brushes and ear sticks during especially gentle cosmetic procedures to penetrate into hard-to-reach places in the cabin, where neither the spray jet nor the microfiber can reach.


The vacuum cleaner is preferably washing and more powerful. In principle, you can do without it, but this will not be very humane towards you. Almost any household model will do for this case. If the suction power of the vacuum cleaner is weak, a stiffer brush may be needed to get all the dirt off the upholstery faster.

In the process of cleaning, you can use other ingenious devices: a variety of triggers, steam generators, and so on. But this is more the lot of professionals. I have listed the most basic things that will surely come in handy for you.

How much does this service cost?

With the most budget scenario of less than 1,500 rubles for all the sponges, rags, brushes and chemicals, I have not yet been able to meet. Do-it-yourself dry cleaning of a car interior is not a cheap job. Professional cleaning will cost you at least 2-3 thousand more, although everything, of course, depends on the class of the car and the service you choose. So decide - is the game worth the candle? Maybe it will be easier, faster and more profitable to drive to the service station? It is quite possible that for an absolute beginner, according to the criteria “price” + “quality” + “time and nerves spent”, dry cleaning is more suitable, which professionals will do for such a person.


If you are a stubborn person like me and have a little time lying around (maximum 5 hours), then there is one valuable instruction. It should be carried out strictly according to the points, then you will do everything without problems and the result will please you. First, you should follow the rules of preparation.

1. We turn off the car and remove the keys from the ignition.
2. Look carefully so that there are no extra items anywhere. Clear the interior and trunk of everything.
3. I do not advise listening to music and using battery resources. There is a possibility of creating a closure.
4. We remove rugs, remove large debris from the cabin.
5. Surfaces must be clean.

1. Using a foam cleaner such as Profoam 4000, apply it to the ceiling and wait 3 minutes for the dirt to be absorbed. After that we erase it.
2. Next, spray the foam over the seats. Where there is a stain, we work with microfiber. Wet it periodically with water.
3. On the doors, where we work with fabrics, following the example of the ceiling, and where there is plastic, following the example of the seats. We thoroughly wipe everything.
4. I decided to clean the front panel block in the same way as the doors.
5. Then I switched to glass. FineGlass helped me clear them.
6. With the rugs that I pulled out of the cabin at the preparation stage, we do the same.
7. Just waiting for the car to dry. It usually takes 4-6 hours. It took me longer due to bad weather.