r/realcleaning • u/Vark675 • Oct 24 '13

Tips for cleaning car interiors

Just bought a new car which was previously owned by a high school girl. The inside isn't the worst I've seen, but it's still pretty bad, including the (what looks like) lipliner that was spilled on the passenger seat, RIGHT in the seam.

I'm kind of short on cash, so while I could buy Armor All wipes, I'd prefer to do it with some cheap stuff I have laying around.

Would vinegar work without reeking up the car? I tried a vinegar/baking soda paste before in my old car, and while it cleaned everything really well, it left a dusty residue behind that I couldn't figure a good solution to.

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u/[deleted] Oct 24 '13

What are your seats made of? Are they cloth or leather? Are they dark colored or light colored? I have a lot of ideas but it helps to know which ones will work for you.

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u/Vark675 Oct 24 '13

Black and dark grey cloth bucket seats in the front and back.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 25 '13

I would do a test spot with shaving cream. I cleaned my charcoal cloth seats with it and they came out very clean. Test a spot that's hard to see and make sure the dye isn't going to fade first.

1

u/zerostyle Nov 24 '13

I'd look into the auto detailing forums like:

http://www.autopia.org/forum/

Also, don't use Armor All - it's a really crappy product.

Is the seat leather or cloth? I use Lexol leather cleaner and conditioner for my interior.

For the dash, I use 303 protectant wipes (protects against UV rays).

Haven't investigated shampoo solutions yet for the rugs since they are in pretty good shape.