Interior Care

Alright now that you've done everything you can to make your car shine on the outside, it's time to spend a little time inside. After all, it is where you spend all your time when you're driving.

Starting with the obvious, time to pick up all the fast food wrappers and de-trash the interior. Then vacuum the carpets and upholstery to see if there are any spots that need to be taken care of. If you see spots, there are some great products on the market designed specifically for the materials used in car interiors.

Most cars today have a mix of surfaces in the interior like vinyl, leather and plastic so make sure you use products designed for the right surface. To restore the original beauty to vinyl upholstery, dashboards, door panels, and other vinyl parts, use a product designed for vinyl. Although not as quickly as leather, vinyl can dry out and needs to be protected from the sun's harmful UV rays. Spray the protectant cleaner directly onto an applicator pad and apply to the surface. Then wipe dry with a soft, clean towel. As with your tires, you can choose the look you want for your dash as well. There's the traditional glossy look available in most protectants on the market. Or, you can get more of a matte look with some products, such as Black Magic® Dust Guard Protectant. This product is great because it gives your dash a more clean, polished look and it keeps it looking like new longer because the anti-static formula actually protects against dust accumulation.

Leather on the other hand takes a little more effort. It can be easily scratched and torn. You should treat leather with the same care as your paint, but unfortunately most people don't. Look at how many leather seats are cracked and wearing prematurely after only a couple years. This is because dirt and oils from your skin penetrate the leather and are more difficult to remove than from vinyl or plastic. For this reason it's often best to both clean and condition your leather. Use the cleaner according to manufacturer's instructions and then once it's clean, use a leather conditioner. As with waxing, clean in small sections and finish the job completely before moving to the conditioner. Once you've moved to the conditioner step, to get the most benefit let the conditioner soak in to help restore suppleness, gloss and texture. Use circular, overlapping motions to apply the product, or if you prefer, just pour a little conditioner in your hand and use your hand as the applicator. Your hands will get sticky but you'll also be able to feel the conditioner penetrating the leather and feel any imperfections that may need further attention. Or you can look for a 2-in-1 products such as Black Magic® 2-in-1 Leather Cleaner & Conditioner.

If you have an odor problem in your car…well you're probably riding single these days. So here's a tip for you. First make sure to determine if the smell is from something that's ground into your carpet or upholstery. If it is, use a cleaner to get it out. But then the next step is to visit the grocery and pick up a small box of baking soda. Then pour a small amount into a pan. Place the pan on your car's floor and close up the windows and doors. Give it about 24 hours and the smell will be gone.