What Do Professional Car Detailers Use to Clean Interiors?

With over six years of detailing experience, the key to getting any car looking great is regular cleaning from new. Doing this as often as possible will negate any dirt build-up leaving the car always fresh.

If the car is dirty in the first place, then having the right tools and experience can get any car looking great again. That’s where a qualified detailer comes in, they have all the tools and equipment to get the job done and enough experience to make any major job look easy. This is what makes them worth every penny.

However, if you still insist on doing the job then here is a guide to working on your car to look as good as new.

Step 1

Collect all the items stored in the car and sort them into what is important and trash. This gets rid of litter and makes the car easier to work on before any machine is used.

Step 2

Before vacuuming I always like to use a blower, this removes dirt from all the hard-to-reach areas where the vacuum cannot reach. It is also handy when blowing away the dust in the vents.

When vacuuming, work on all areas starting with the roof then seats, plastic trim, dashboard, doors, and finally the carpet. This is the best order of getting the job done without cross-contamination and wasting resources.

Step 3 Cleaning the Headliner/Roof

Use a pressure sprayer and start working on the roof. Dilute the all-purpose cleaner and water to the ratio of 10:1. Begin by working on a test spot to see the result of your technique. When pleased with the results then proceed to use the method on the entire roof.

For satins, the best all-around remedy is to use rubbing alcohol. If the stain still does not come off, then investigate which is the best solution to get the stain out and apply.

There are different types of headliners, if yours is covered in fabric then approach with prudence because if done incorrectly then you will end up damaging the roof.

The simplest form of cleaning the roof is to spray an all-purpose cleaner on a microfiber towel and then agitate the headliner to get rid of the dirt.

A more aggressive version is to spray the headliner with a slight mist of all-purpose cleaner, agitate with a soft bristle brush then wipe with a microfiber towel. Finally, instead of wiping with a microfiber towel, you can use an extractor instead.

All these approaches will clean the headliner it all depends on the material you are working on. Once you figure out your approach proceed to repeat the same for the entire roof.

Step 4 Cleaning plastic and rubber trim

This is relatively simple to clean. Spray the surface with the all-purpose cleaner, agitate with a brush then wipe with a microfiber towel. This method will get the majority of the dirt out.

Step 5 Cleaning car seats

For leather, the practice is matching that of cleaning plastic and rubber trim. If the dirt is embedded use a brush with harder bristles that will not damage the leather. Using a steam cleaner is an added advantage because it will give the leather a deep clean, open up the pores and sanitize it at the same time.

For fabric interior, the best process is to spray an all-purpose cleaner on the surface, brush the material thoroughly then use an extractor to get rid of the dirt. Check the condition of the water being extracted, if dirty repeat the process till it becomes clear. Repeat this for all fabric materials.

Seats are a high-flow area and in order to clean them effectively use an extractor or a spot cleaner will be required without the equipment the cleaning will be inadequate.

Step 6 Carpet Cleaning

Similar to seats, carpets are a high flow hence cleaning with equipment is the best strategy.

We begin by thoroughly vacuuming the carpet, and repeat twice if necessary just to ensure that all the loose dirt is cleared. Spray the all-purpose cleaner on the section you are working on and agitate with a brush, a drill brush can also come in handy. Finally, use an extractor to remove the dirt. Check the solution to confirm if dirt is still being extracted, if so repeat the process till the solution is clear.

There are instances where the extraction might not be enough, this is so for heavily soiled carpets, this is so for pick-ups and off-road SUVs, in these cases it is better to remove the carpet entirely and wash it with a pressure washer and then hang it to dry.

Step 7 Protection

When all areas are cleaned and dry, vacuum the interior one more time and apply the required dressing for the materials. For plastic and rubber trim use plastic and trim dressing. For leather, use a leather conditioner, for fabric or upholstery use a dirt repellant. This will restore the interior to a new condition and make it easier to maintain in the future.

For advanced cleaning use an ozone machine as the final step to kill any bacteria or viruses in the car. This is not necessary but it does give a piece of mind knowing that the car is cleaned to a microscopic level. Happy detailing.