After a certain age, the years of deposit cans or McDonald's bags left in your car are over (admittedly, the timing may vary). But even without these foreign objects, the cockpit and interior care of your car can take up a lot of time and nerves.

For example, if you have children. Or dogs. Or both. Or if you're just a bit clumsy and often spill your coffee. The condition of the car interior is anticyclical to the motivation to clean it again: The less you want to do it, the worse the interior looks. But not all interior cleaning is the same. All of a sudden, many questions arise that are not easy to answer. And it doesn't get any better when you look at the multitude of products on the market. Have you ever caught yourself asking these questions:

Which car care product do I use for the cockpit?

How can I clean the display without scratching it?

What do I use to clean the chocolate stains off my back seat?

What can I do if the jeans have already rubbed off on the treat again?

Who the hell came up with the stupid idea of installing black piano lacquer in the interior?

That - and many more - are exactly the questions we're addressing in this blog post. And if you're still looking for motivation to spruce up your interior again: We believe that it's much better to drive in a clean interior anyway and invite you to pick up some tips from our reconditioning studio and get in touch with us at any time if you have questions, comments or criticism.

 

 

For those who just want to get started with their interior cleaner, there's a short version and it's here.

 

Those who like to go into more detail, just read on.

Let's first look at the main areas we encounter in a car interior. Of course, we know that the combinations are varied and not every area may be of interest to you. Skip the areas that aren't found in your car or acquire the knowledge anyway to really shine at the next Cars & Coffee - whatever suits you!

 Typical applications and materials

• Plastic surfaces: Door panels, fittings, seat shells, etc.
• Leather: smooth leather, perforated leather, ...
• Alcantara: seats, door panels, steering wheel parts for sports cars
• Textile: seats, seat shells, floor mats, floor coverings
• Chrome look: trim strips, recessed applications
• Display: Touch, TFT, etc.
• Piano lacquer components: Cockpit, steering wheel inserts, center console, etc.

Before we begin...

...a vacuum cleaner should be within your reach. Because before we get into the details, we have to get all the sediment out of the car. 

First, thoroughly vacuum all floor mats and seats. We recommend using a narrow nozzle so that you can also vacuum between the center console and the seats.

Important: Please avoid vacuuming with the vacuum cleaner tube on high gloss surfaces, this will leave fine scratches that will annoy you later.

Then remove the floor mats and thoroughly vacuum the area under the floor mats. If small particles such as sand have "eaten in", a brush will help get the particles out of the fabric fibers. These little friends can be quite stubborn. A little knocking and swearing is quite normal and allowed.

 

Floor mats

Floor mats have to endure a lot. They get dust, dirt, salt, small stones, crumbs and drinks. The longer you kick these different types of dirt into the doormat, the more difficult it becomes to remove them completely. In our treatment studio we use a few tools, such as the Tornador air pressure cleaner (which "shoots" dirt particles out of the fiber). We do this not only to save time, but also to get the dirt out without leaving any residue (after all, we are paid to do this). However, we first address the degree of soiling that can be removed without a workshop and professional equipment.

Floor mats should be vacuumed and thus freed from the coarsest dirt. To remove stubborn stains, you should perform the following steps:

 

1. Apply Interior Cleaner generously to the stains and allow to soak in. Repeat several times.
2. Take a brush with harder bristles or our cleaning pad and work it in with pressure.
3. Rub dry with a microfiber cloth.
4. you must repeat these three steps until the dirt is removed to the point where you are satisfied with it.

 

This procedure can also be applied to the surrounding textile areas of the floor mats.  

Cockpit fittings, plastic trim and other components with a matte finish

 

The cockpit is usually made of plastic, which has a leather-like appearance. In higher-quality vehicles, a smooth leather or Alcantara surface can also be found on the cockpit. However, the cleaning of these surfaces is basically identical.

 

Piano lacquer components such as center console

We had this topic at the beginning. Piano lacquer is beautiful and timeless, but also tedious to clean and very susceptible to scratches because the lacquer layer is thin and soft.

 

Important: Never wipe dry over these surfaces. The dust and dirt otherwise acts like sandpaper and the surface is scratched! Never scratch with your fingernail to get rid of this residue...the surface will be scratched! Make sure not to use aggressive cleaners.

 

Now comes the secret tip: The easiest cleaning of such piano lacquer parts can be done with our display cleaner and the corresponding carbon fiber cloth for displays. The cleaner dissolves the existing dirt quickly and safely, the carbon fiber cloth cleans the surfaces thanks to the latest fiber structure absolutely scratch-free and safe.

(Touch) Displays

Anyone who drives a modern car knows the pain: digitized menu navigation and operation means that the cockpit is losing more and more haptic buttons and the displays are getting bigger and bigger instead. What looks neat and certainly has its innovative appeal, however, also brings with it a decisive disadvantage: The display looks grubby and dirty after only a few uses. Especially when hand cream is still used. This quickly turns a touch display into a haven for bacteria and viruses. It is therefore all the more important to have the right cleaning tools at hand.

To prevent scratches and streaks on your display, avoid the following mistakes:

• Wipe the display dry
• Use Zewa, handkerchief or pure cotton cloths for cleaning
• Vehemently rubbing on one spot

 

To clean displays thoroughly, streak-free and hygienically, you basically only need two things:

1. A display cleaner that removes skin oils particularly quickly and effectively
2. A microfiber cloth with interwoven carbon fibers that activates, distributes and wipes the display cleaner absolutely scratch-free and streak-free

Luckily, you don't have to look far at all, because we've already put together the ideal display cleaner set for you - what a nice coincidence.

 

Info: "Carbon fiber" sounds like a marketing gimmick at first, but the woven-in fibers have the advantage of making the cloth "gently abrasive," in simple language. That is, the cleaner including dissolved dirt is well removed, which avoids streaks. The special surface of the cloth makes the performance, because it glides optimally on the glass surface and does not cause scratches.

 

Application:

1. Spray display cleaner onto the display
2. Alternatively: Spray display cleaner onto the display cleaning cloth.
3. Clean display.
4. Voila, ready!

 

 

Alcantara seats or steering wheel

The most important thing in advance: Alcantara is not leather, but microfiber, as a textile!

Therefore, the use of a leather cleaner would be completely counterproductive.

Alcantara surfaces are haptically wonderful, but tend to stain and, depending on the period of use, also to so-called "pilling", i.e. felting of the fibers.

Too aggressive cleaners often leave stains or change the natural surface structure. A greater challenge, however, is to restore the typical feel.

Especially for sports steering wheels, Alcantara is used because of its feel (and look), but these steering wheel parts get dirty very quickly because the palms of the hands release a lot of grease and the steering wheel looks worn out so quickly.

Therefore, it is necessary to observe the following application steps:

1. For seats: First vacuum thoroughly.
2. Apply Interior Cleaner Foam to the cleaning pad and work in circular motions. Do not apply too much pressure and do not scrub selectively.
3. Use a damp cloth to remove the cleaner-dirt residue.
4. Wipe with a clean and dry cloth.
5. Allow to dry for 5-10 minutes and check the result. Repeat if necessary.  

Genuine leather seats or steering wheel

Not all leather is the same. Thus, the leather surfaces of the 1960s differ significantly from modern ones from today, not only in terms of aging condition, but also in terms of thickness, coloring and protection of the leather.

There are several types of leather, they differ not only in feel (smooth vs. suede), but also in the way they are treated. Without boring you: There is dyed-through leather, varnished leather and leather that has only a thin layer of color pigments. You can test whether your leather is sensitive to cleaner by dripping a drop of water onto the leather. If it soaks in and a dark stain appears, be careful, use mild cleaners and test interior cleaners on a hidden area to make sure the finish meets your expectations. For all other smooth leathers, the interior cleaner can be used. Proceed as usual by applying the cleaner to a cleaning pad, cloth or sponge, working in a circular motion and wiping with a dry cloth.

Important: Let the leather dry for 15-20 minutes before applying care cream or sitting on it.

 

Leatherette seats, steering wheel and trim

 

Imitation leather is basically plastic and can therefore be treated in the same way as all other plastic parts in the car interior. Using leather cleaners here would be a waste of money, as leather cleaners are more expensive to produce than interior cleaners or universal cleaners. That is why they are also more expensive to sell.

You proceed with leatherette seats, door panels and the plastic steering wheel as you have already learned:

1. Apply cleaner to cleaning pad, cloth or sponge.
2. Work in circularly.
3. (or repeat if necessary)

 

Window panes

Let's be honest, cleaning windows in the car is not one of the top 3 favorite activities in car care. Not even as a refurbisher you can say that in good conscience. But it's not only a necessity, it also has a safety aspect, especially in the transitional months of spring and the end of summer: smudged, foggy windows limit the field of vision enormously when the sun is low in the sky. This happens due to moisture, residues in the air conditioning and other evaporations in the car. That's why you should never forget to regularly clean the inside of the windshield (and all other windows).

For cleaning, you should have one of our carbon fiber cloths for glass cleaning and, if necessary, a short-pile microfiber cloth ready.

1. Spray glass cleaner on the glass surface (side windows) or on the carbon cloth (windshield to prevent cleaner splashes on cockpit!).
2. Wipe the pane. Make sure you make quick, straight movements to "activate" the glass cleaner as best as possible.
3. If you find stubborn, greasy streaks, repeat the process and rework with a clean carbon fiber cloth or microfiber cloth.

 

Air vents 

Often forgotten, but no less important for that. If a lot of dust collects in the vents, it is automatically blown into the interior when the ventilation is running at full speed. Not only for dust allergy sufferers (like me) an unfavorable condition, because these details round of course also the overall picture of the well-kept interior. Cleaning the vents is not that easy. Dust can be cleaned very well with our extremely soft detailing brushes. This loosens the dust. Dried dirt can be removed by dampening the brush a little with interior cleaner. Sometimes a cloth corner soaked in cleaner can also help.

 

Rubber inserts, e.g. drinking cup inserts, trunk protection mats, winter floor mats

...can simply be "washed along" with shampoo solution when washing the car (provided they are removable). This is especially useful for mats from the foot or trunk, as they are very dirty. In addition, this is the most efficient and cost-effective option.

For smaller parts, such as the rubber inserts from the drinking cup holder, proceed as follows: Remove. Apply interior cleaner, allow to act briefly and wipe off. It really is that simple. Really.

 

Finally...

Phew. Quite a lot of information. Maybe you thought about leaving the cleaning of your interior to a professional in the meantime (then you have our number) or you lost the overview for a moment (that's not bad at all). Then feel free to follow the summary at the beginning of this post or get in touch with us.

 

We wish you much pleasure with the preparation

 

Andreas & Team HERRENFAHRT