There are two types of car owners: those that won’t let any food or drinks anywhere near their car, especially the interior, and those that don’t mind a few crumbs. In either case, accidents do happen and it is possible to clean your car’s interior well enough that it won’t cause a permanent stain. It’s always a good idea to limit the consumption of drinks and foods in a moving vehicle for safety reasons, but here are some tips on cleaning your car’s interior in case an accident does occur. 

Car Cleaning Products You’ll Need

Keeping a bag or stash of a few key cleaning products in the trunk or in the pockets is always a good idea. If you act quickly, you can offset the damage. Think about stocking your car with a handheld vacuum, fabric cleaning wipes, antibacterial wipes, and a towel or microfiber cloth. These tools will help you deal with any spills right away, pre-cleaning them to minimize stains. Once you have the time you can use a few household products to help get your seats clean, like baking soda, club soda, lemon juice, non-gel toothpaste, and fabric markers and sprays. 

How to Clean a Stain Without Damaging Your Car’s Interior

You may have the urge to scrub a stain out of a car seat like you would a carpet, but a vehicle is more complex and you don’t want to do anything that requires a lot of water spilling around (it can seep into the carpets, mold, or damage the floor of the car) or spray a ton of cleaning spray that smells and can be potentially harmful to you. Here are some of the most popular cleaning tips that work.

On cloth or fabric seats:

  • You can use a spray bottle filled with club soda (rather than pouring it on). Club soda is an effective stain remover, containing water, carbon dioxide, and a few salts. Though there’s no scientific reason for why it is so good at removing stains, it does work. The water helps dilute the staining liquid and as the fabric dries, the stain is gone or much less visible. 
  • Make a baking soda solution. Combine a ¼ of a tablespoon of baking soda with warm water and use a cloth to scrub away the stain. If the stain is persistent, spray or soak the area with a towel with this solution for 30 mins, then use a clean towel with warm water to wipe it down. 
  • Make a water and laundry detergent solution that isn’t too soapy, and use a carpet or fabric brush with tough bristles, dipping it into the solution and scrubbing.

For leather seats:

  • Leather seats are more expensive and require more attention, but are durable and mostly stain resistant. If you do have a stain or spill something sticky, you can use water mixed with rubbing alcohol to clean the seat. 
  • Use a toothbrush and a non-gel toothpaste to scrub away any stains. 
  • There are different qualities and types of leather so a spot test should be done on an inconspicuous area to be sure the leather doesn’t get blotchy from the cleaning solution. There are also cleaners made specifically for leather.

Professional Interior Cleaning Services

If you have a stubborn stain that won’t come out, or simply don’t have the time to work on it, you can purchase professional products to help ease the cleaning process. It’s a great way to freshen up your car and ensure your vehicle is clean and pleasant.

If you use your vehicle for work, such as rideshares, then it’s a good idea to keep your car clean  and presentable at all times. Bring your car to Flagstop Car Wash and rely on the experts to get your vehicle clean through our wash tunnels and take advantage of our vacuuming areas. With a number of convenient locations around the Richmond area, it’s quick and easy to keep your car looking great inside and out.