How to spring-clean your car

Winter is well and truly behind us, which means it’s time to brush away the cobwebs, let in the light, and freshen everything up for spring.

Spring is the season of new life and reinvigoration, and there’s nothing quite like getting into a clutter-free, clean, fresh-smelling car to make you feel like you’re starting anew.

So grab your tools, stock up on elbow grease, and get into it. You’ll be full of the joys of spring in no time.

Can you remember what your car’s carpet looks like? When was the last time you checked all the cavities in the doors? What about all of the items that have fallen between the seats?

It's time to remove any rubbish, so grab a bin bag, put on some rubber gloves and get it all out: the ice-cream wrappers, the parking tickets and the apple cores. If you’ve got kids, you’re going to have to be brave; who knows what you’ll find in the pockets behind the seats.

More inspiration: Check out our article on how to clean a child’s car seat

Now that you’re on a roll, it’ll be tempting to throw out everything you find, but hold on to those sunglasses and that car manual as they might come in handy one day. All the stuff you wish to keep can be separated from the rubbish, ready to be put back in the car – or even better, somewhere else – after the clean.

If you own a dedicated car vacuum, this is going to be a cinch. If you’re using the home vacuum, now’s the time to make use of those little attachments that you put in a drawer all those years ago. An extension cord might also be handy – much easier to move the vacuum to the car than vice versa.

Vacuum the carpets (moving the seats back and forth will give you better access), then do the seats and use your attachments to get in all the nooks and crannies. Don’t forget the boot.

At your local auto store you’ll find an entire section devoted to detailing products. It’s sensible to stock up on such products to ensure you’re using something that’s user-friendly and car-friendly, too.

You can use a microfibre cloth and a detailing spray to go over the hard surfaces. A toothbrush or specialist cleaning brush can help you get in and out of tight spots.

Use a suitable fabric cleaner to remove upholstery stains, a leather cleaner if you’re lucky enough to have leather seats, and a window cleaner for the inside of the windows.

For those rubber floor mats you took out to clean the carpet underneath; vacuum, hose, then wash them with a brush and some car wash or wheel cleaner.

Use a hose, some car wash, an aerosol degreaser, and some rags and brushes and give everything under the car’s hood a good spring clean.

A hose, a couple of buckets (one with soapy water and one to rinse your sponge), some car wash and a sponge or cleaning mitt will do the basics to wash your car. Wheel cleaner, a car polish and wax, and windscreen cleaner will finish the job so it’s sparkly new. If in doubt, follow the instructions on the pack. Your car will be so sparkling it’ll almost be a shame to drive it.

^Disclaimer

^{Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd (“Viva Energy”) has compiled the above article for your general information and to use as a general reference. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken by Viva Energy in compiling this article, Viva Energy does not warrant or represent that the information in the article is free from errors or omissions or is suitable for your intended use.}