What do you use to clean your car interior with..

[Cod]

I didn't want to hijack the other thread...

but here's some questions, what do you use to clean:

The upholstery (chocolate stains, sweat etc) - I use this terrible HMR approved stuff from Toyota which would clean the fluff off a corgi's nose let alone chocolate.
The vinyl dashboard - I use more terrible slimey Turtle Wax Nano tech restorer
The soft clear plastic instrument panel 'glass' - I don't touch it, it scratches on sight!
The car windows - Window cleaner, works fine but fogs easily
The rubber footwell mats - dish wash, or whatever, nothing works, they used to be black - now they are muddy brown and fading.
The carpet - I use same as upholstery - which is approved for corgi dogs but not for real-life stone chips and salted sand

Any tips hugely appreciated..

[sinikala]

We don't use any chemicals on the carpet, just a vacuum cleaner

Same for the seats - except when we got the car we used Vanish (carpet & upholstery spray) and rinsed by sponging with water.

A micro-fibre cloth with dilute Andy to wipe down the surfaces.

The same for the windows but squeegee them afterwards.

Rubber floor mats, vacuum most of the dirt away, rinse them in the shower, then clean with Andy and a small scrubbing brush.

[Mattlill2000]

For cleaning upholstery I recomend you go to a local rent-all shop and rent a steam cleaner/vacum cleaner., auy some detergent that is designed to with it.

[Cloudberry]

I use a range of special microfibre cloths in the little detailing kit that came with my car when I bought it. The green one is for the dash and it's amazing - I just store it in the glove compartment and whip it out when any dust appears. You don't need any product on it - simply wipe it over then give the cloth a little shake outside. There's another one (I think it's pink) that is for the windows which also needs no product, just a little water if necessary.

I haven't cleaned the leather seats yet - but I suppose I'll use the leather care kit that came with the car. There's actually a scratch on the red leather of my driver's seat that I have no idea how to treat - if anyone has some suggestions I'd be most grateful! I'm thinking I need to add some red colour back to the scratched area (it's like beige underneath) but I don't know how

[cressers]

Check out this website

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/index.php

LOTS of helpful tips and tricks and advice about what to buy.
There is a good cleaning process from a guy in Sweden (sorry) about how to clean in winter

[ad]

Basically you won't get the car interior clean unless you want to spend a lot of time, all the time, but:

Dashboard; just a soft cloth, if you use a cleaner it can evaporate and leave a hard to clean film on the inside of the windscreen.
Windows: damp cloth with a little methylated spirit, cleans off the dirt and the meths strips off any oil etc and then evaporates, then wipe over with a clean, dry soft cloth. If you want to stop fogging wipe with soap after.
Carpet and upholstery: Vaccuum and use a household carpet and upholstery cleaner. The stuff made for cars is just the same, but comes in smaller more expensive bottles.
Floor mats: Wash with hose and brush and detergent then when dry paint with tyre blacking paint. You can't prevent the fading but you can hide it.

If this doesn't work then sell the twingo..

I haven't cleaned the leather seats yet - but I suppose I'll use the leather care kit that came with the car. There's actually a scratch on the red leather of my driver's seat that I have no idea how to treat - if anyone has some suggestions I'd be most grateful! I'm thinking I need to add some red colour back to the scratched area (it's like beige underneath) but I don't know how

try a red permanent marker on one small spot, if it looks ok then colour between the lines...

[Mattlill2000]

There's actually a scratch on the red leather

Most shoe repair stores carry leather polish in various colours. Find the colour that is closest to your seats and wipe in on. It works but only last a while.

[Jukka Aho]

Any tips hugely appreciated.. :D

Taikasieni (“magic sponge”)

My mother swears by that thing these days. She managed to remove blue permanent marker scribbles from the lacquered surface of an upright piano... which had been there for over ten years already. It also worked for cleaning the leather seats and plastic surfaces of her car.

[Rosamunda]

Why do you clean the inside of your car?
I have three teenagers and a dog (and a husband) and a lease car. Every four years I trade it (car) in for a new one.
Besides, 4X4 look really suburban if they're clean on the inside.

[jas_rho]

Why do you clean the inside of your car?
I have three teenagers and a dog (and a husband) and a lease car. Every four years I trade it (car) in for a new one.
Besides, 4X4 look really suburban if they're clean on the inside.

I would hate to sit in or even smell the inside of your car after you have been driving without cleaning for 4 years! With teenagers, a dog, you, and your husband have been in it and using it for 4 years without cleaning the inside, I can just imagine how nasty it is.

[Rosamunda]

Well, that's OK 'cos with a husband, 3 kids, a dog, me and sometimes the MIL, there isn't much room for anyone else
I forgot to mention I also transport smelly teenagers to football 3 or 4 times a week. That's REALLY smelly