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DIY Guide to Keeping Your Car Clean
How to Use a Car Vacuum
How to Clean the Carpet in Your Car
Cleaning the carpet in your car is a two-step process. First, remove the floormats, Lay them on the ground, and vacuum them while they are flat and easy to access. Then, take the vacuum hose and direct it toward the carpeted floor below where the mats were located.
Like your car seats, you'll want to "draw stripes" in lines that overlap to make sure you cover the full surface of the carpeted area.
Use the nozzle to get the corners where the carpet changes shape or meets the edge of the footwell. Then, direct the nozzle underneath the front seats to get all the grit you can reach.
Tip: Roll the front seats all the way back to clean the front footwells. Then, roll the seats all the way forward to clean the back.
Don't forget to put your car mats back in the footwells when the mats and carpets are clean.
How to Clean Your Car Seat Upholstery
Cleaning the seats in your car can be done in stripes. Take the vacuum nozzle and lay it flat against the fabric. It should pull at the fabric slightly, letting you know that crumbs and grit are being sucked away. "Draw Stripes" with the nozzle to ensure you cover the entire surface area of each seat, similar to vacuuming the carpet in a room. However, you can pull in the same direction (ex: pull down for each stripe) instead of going back and forth. Then stick the pointed nozzle into the seams and crevices of each seat to get those deeply hidden crumbs.
Vacuum the Cupholders and Door Pockets
The car vacuum is also the perfect tool to get the grit out of your car's cupholders, door pockets, and other tiny spaces - even if they are not carpeted or upholstered. Use that narrow nozzle in each small space to pull out crumbs, pebbles, and bits of grass that build up in the recesses of your car.
How to Clean the Inside of Car Windows
Finally, you can use the vacuum nozzle to help clean the inside of your car windows. Direct the narrow point at the base of the window to pull away grit that may have gathered around the soft seal. Do the same along the base of your windshield and watch a world of dust disappear. Then use a spray glass cleaner (ex: Windex) and a microfiber cloth to polish the inside of each window glass.
Putting Away the Car Vacuum
When you're done, your car should look and feel much cleaner on the inside. The final step is to coil up the hose and leave it tidy for the next person who needs to vacuum their car. This polite gesture will help keep the community self-service car vacuum well cared for so it will be available for residents whenever it is needed.
