10 Ways To Protect Your Car’s Interior

Some of us take great care in looking after the exterior of our car including washing it regularly and applying wax. But what about your car’s interior? 

Just like your exterior, this can easily get dirty and damaged if not maintained and protected. This could damage your car’s value and ultimately make you feel less proud of your vehicle.

By taking measures to protect your car’s interior, you can keep it feeling plush and retain more of your car’s value. Below are just some of the different steps that you can take to look after your car’s interior.

Don’t eat and drink in your car

Food and drink can cause a nasty mess in your car. In some cases, this can even lead to permanent damage such as stains on seats from spilt coffee. Food and drink spillages don’t just ruin the way your car interior looks – they also create a smell and make your car unhygienic. This makes banning food and drink a good decision if you want to keep your car’s interior in good condition. This will be harder to enforce if you have young kids, but will definitely help keep your car clean. 

Ban muddy shoes

Banning muddy shoes could be another way to protect your car’s interior. Mud can get everywhere and also cause stains if it is left on fabric too long. Consider getting into a habit of taking muddy shoes off before you get in the car and putting them in a bag in the trunk. This will save you a lot of cleaning up and could help reduce wear and tear from dirt and water. 

Vacuum your car regularly

Vacuuming your car regularly can stop crumbs and dirt building up and can also stop it being trod or rubbed into your upholstery. To help vacuum your car more easily, consider looking into various different attachments like brushes and thin extensions for crevices. If you have trouble stretching your vacuum cleaner to your car, there are also extension hoses that you can look into. And of course, there are also handheld vacuum cleaners that are useful for cleaning your car if it’s typically parked too far away from your home or you live in an upper floor apartment. 

Keep some wipes handy

A pack of wipes can be useful for quickly dealing with spillages and dirt before they set in. You can buy specialist wet wipes designed for car interior use. These could be a better option than standard wet wipes on some surfaces. Keep these wipes somewhere that is easily accessible such as your glovebox or the shelf in your driver door.

Use the right cleaning products

Some cleaning chemicals could end up causing more harm than good to your car’s interior. Dish soap should be avoided as it can corrode many surfaces. Bleach can meanwhile leave stains on many fabrics and plastics. So just what types of cleaning chemicals should you use inside your car? Well, it depends on the materials within your interior. This car interior cleaning product guide lists some great products to consider such as specialist leather care kits and vinyl stain removers. 

Invest in seat covers

Car seat covers slip over the top of your car seats. This helps to protect the fabric beneath from food mess, as well as damage from all kinds of other things like felt tip pens or pet claws. Car seat covers are popular among car owners with young kids or dogs, but any car owner can benefit from using them. There are many seat cover styles that you can explore online including custom seat covers. Some car seat covers are machine-washable, while others are easy to wipe down. Make sure that you buy seat covers that are designed to fit the seats in your specific car model. 

Use floor mats

Floor mats help to protect the floor of your car. Most cars come with these when you buy them, although some used cars may not. It’s worth buying floor mats if you don’t have any, as they will catch any mud and dirt from shoes. Rubber floor mats can be easily wiped down or rinsed to remove dirt and mud. Fabric floor mats are meanwhile often machine washable. You can explore various styles of floor mat online. 

Park in the shade

Did you know that the sun can also damage the interior of your vehicle? On a very sunny day, UV rays could fade any leather or plastic trimming. The best way to prevent this is to always park in the shade. This will protect the exterior of your vehicle from sun damage too (however you should be wary of parking under trees as tree sap and bird droppings could cause added damage). If you have a garage, then this is clearly the best place to park your car. Alternatively, there could be some kind of awning that you can park under. 

Tint your windows

Most people get their car windows tinted because it makes their vehicle look awesome. But window tinting can actually have a practical benefit in sunny and hot climates – it can keep your car cooler and also protect your interior from UV damage. You should always use a professional window tinting company when installing tints. This can ensure that the tint is applied correctly and that it meets your state’s local tint level laws. Generally, the more tinted the windows, the greater level of sun protection provided. Of course, visibility can also be affected, so you need to be careful as to how dark you go. 

Buy a car dehumidifier

Excess moisture in a car can lead to mold growth and damage to certain materials. You can reduce moisture in your car by looking into a car dehumidifier. There are dehumidifier bags that you can buy that can soak up moisture in the air. There are also small electronic devices that can help suck in moisture and blow out dry air. Take the time to explore different options online.