Car Valeting Guide
Interior Care
Glass, Plastic & Vinyl
Procedure
Glass
Start your car window cleaning with the driver's door and front passenger's door. If your door has a window frame, lower the window approximately 1 inch to allow access to the top part of the glass. This part should be cleaned and dried first.
Spray with quality glass cleaner and buff dry. Now roll the window back up, and clean the remainder of the window. Pay attention to the corners of the windows, as this is where you will get most smears and streaks. Don't forget your driver's side and passenger's side mirrors.
While you're sitting down in the passenger's seat, clean the inside of the windshield. It is easier to clean from the passenger's side, as your access is not obstructed by the steering wheel. Take your time around the rearview mirror, as it is only glued to your windshield. If you bump into the rearview mirror hard enough or at the right angle, you can break it loose from the glass.
The inside of the rear window is the most difficult to reach and should be done last. The best technique for cleaning your rear window is to use the back side of your hand to guide your towel down into the corners.
Vinyl and Plastic
Vinyl and plastic are the most durable interior materials, but they do need frequent cleaning. Unlike cloth, the surfaces of vinyl and plastic generate static, which tends to attract dust. As a result, vinyl and plastic become grimy. The good news is, vinyl and plastic are the easiest surfaces to clean.
Do not use regular household soap and water on your vinyl and plastic surfaces. Detergent will permanently remove the sheen from vinyl and plastic. Choose a cleaner made specifically for interior surfaces.
Follow these easy steps for the perfect interior:
(a) Spray vinyl, plastic and imitation leather surfaces with your favourite cleaner.
(b) Work the cleaning solution into seams, edges and seat backs with a sponge or cleaning cloth. If you have stubborn dirt, use an upholstery scrub brush. If necessary, use an old toothbrush to get into the small crevices.
(c) If your cleaner requires rinsing, wash the vinyl and plastic thoroughly with fresh water and a clean microfibre detailing towel.
(d) Dry the upholstery with a clean, dry microfibre cloth.
(e) Allow the vinyl and plastic to dry, and then apply a good vinyl dressing to restore protection and sheen. Choose a dressing that gives you the look you want (flat to shiny).
Dashboard & Console
Caring for the dash and console is really pretty easy. Simply wipe them down with a damp towel every time you wash your car, and treat them with a vinyl protector once a month.
The easiest way to treat the dash and console is to use a foam applicator pad. Spray your vinyl protector on the applicator, not on the dash or console, and wipe it in thoroughly. This will prevent overspray on your glass and upholstery.
Allow the vinyl protector to soak in for 3 to 5 minutes, and then buff the dash and console dry with a microfibre detailing towel.
If you're doing a complete interior detail, you should also dust and clean out the vents and grillwork. If your vents are very dirty, use a cotton swab or foam swab to clean out the dirt. A good vinyl cleaner and protector, works well on a foam swab to clean and beautify vents and speaker grilles.
On consoles with a lot of nooks and crannies, it's best to use an old toothbrush followed by a towel to clean and protect. This same method works well around buttons and controls on the dash. Aerosol products also work well in detailing areas and spots where your towel and finger can't reach.
Door Panels
Door panels are often made of several materials, including fabric, vinyl, carpet and leather. Vinyl can be scrubbed to remove shoe scuffs. General-purpose cleaners or interior vinyl and plastic cleaners, easily remove black scuff marks from these areas.
Thoroughly clean around door handles, pulls and window cranks, using a toothbrush and soapy wash water. Be sure to clean and dry the speaker grilles and the wells on armrests, too.
If the door panels have storage pockets, use your sponge or wash mitt to clean in these areas, as they tend to collect a lot of dirt and crud. Next, use your sponge or wash mitt and soapy water to clean all the way around the door frame and the doorsill. When you're finished, dry the door completely with a clean towel.
If your door panel is leather or vinyl, be sure to treat it with a leather or vinyl protector. Fabric door panels can be treated with a fabric protector to reduce staining and fading.
Quick Links
Exterior Care
Wheels & Tyres
Interior Care
Aberdeen, Bath, Barnsley, Basingstoke, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Birmingham, Blackburn, Bradford, Brentwood, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Cambridge, Cardiff, Cheadle, Cheshire, Chester, Chelmsford, Cleveland, Cornwall, Coventry, Crawley, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, Durham, Edinburgh, Essex, Exeter, Glasgow, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Hertford, Hertfordshire, Humberside, Ipswich, Lancashire, Leeds, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Middlesex, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Northamptonshire, Nottingham, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Perth, Peterborough, Rutland, Scotland, Sheffield, Shropshire, Slough, Somerset, St Albans, St Helens, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Sunderland, Surrey, Sussex, Wales, Warrington, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, Windsor, Worcestershire, Wrexham, Yorkshire
