When you first brought your car home, did you baby it? To keep the car clean, many new and pre-owned car lovers often set rules for family and friends to follow when their vehicle is new:
Don’t eat or drink in the car!
Wipe off your shoes before you get in!
Use a lint roller on the seats!
Then, as time passes, along with the new-car smell, the rules blow out the window. This is especially true if you have kids or a long commute. You probably forgot about your earlier desires to maintain a pristine machine. But your car is one of the biggest investments you will ever make, and in Southern California, you probably spend a lot of time in it. So, it’s important to keep it clean from the inside out. C&L Auto Body opened our doors for business in 1970. And one of the services we offer is detailing and mini-detailing. So, we have learned a thing or two about cleaning cars.
In this month’s post, we wanted to pass along a few suggestions for cleaning the inside of your car: 
Keep it clean!
Clear Clutter
You can’t start cleaning your vehicle until you clear the decks. So, grab a large trash bag and a box so you can remove anything and everything that isn’t nailed down. Toss the floor mats outside. And put everything you don’t want to throw away into the box to deal with later. While you’re looking for miscellaneous items like cold French fries, half-full water bottles, CDs and paperwork, don’t forget to check under and between seats. Dispose of anything your vacuum won’t be able to handle.
Suck it up
After removing clutter, pull out the big gun – the vacuum cleaner. Vacuum front and backseats as well as carpets, trunk and floor mats. Vacuum hoses are perfect tools for disposing of crumbs in cup holders and side pockets. So, don’t forget about tricky places dust, dirt and debris can hide. Dog hair can stubbornly cling to cloth seats. If tools-of-the-trade don’t pick it up, use a tape roll to remove each hair. Painstaking as this process is, you can’t duplicate the results. Once you are done with the roll, suck the rest up.
Don’t be a Door Mat
Once floor mats are reasonably free from surface dirt, scrub them with hot, soapy water and leave them to air dry while you work on the rest of the car. Then, work on surface stains inside the vehicle. For tough spots, spray cleaning solution and let the area soak for 15 minutes. Then, come back and rinse and dry, to discourage bacteria growth.
Get Your Glad Rags
Whether you choose to use vehicle wipes or a sponge with detailing solution, turn your attention to hard surfaces such as the steering wheel and column, gear shift, dashboard and seat backs. Cleaning these areas makes the difference between the look of a $10 car wash and a detail. For small, hard-to-reach areas like air vents, use a cotton swab or disposable paint stick dipped in antibacterial solution. Don’t use soppy sponges, which could leave residue, which could promote mold-growth.
See Clearly Now
One of the most important steps in cleaning your car is to scrub and wipe windows, inside and out. Clean the outside windows first, so you’ll be able to easily identify spots inside. Then, head inside and spray a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water or detailing fluid. Then, wipe with a microfiber cloth or paper towels. You may want to invest in inexpensive shop towels, since disposable towels tend to leave a trail of paper dust in their wake.
Sound like a lot of work? It is. So, why not leave the job to the pros? C&L Auto Body not only repairs vehicles after accidents, we restore classic cars and professionally detail virtually every make and model.
About C&L Auto Body
Whenever you have an accident, the most important thing to do is to call your auto body shop. Also, know that you have options when it comes to auto body repair. It is illegal for your insurance to demand that you use one shop over another. The “go-to” location for auto body repair and classic restoration in the San Gabriel Valley, since 1970, C&L Auto Body is known for our attention to detail, courteous service, and fair and affordable prices.
If you select C&L to repair your car, our concierge service will help make your entire auto body repair process easy on you. We will even help you arrange for a rental car and deal directly with your insurance company. C&L Auto Body is owned and operated by the Buonsanti family, who strives to treat clients like family. Come by the shop 781 E San Bernardino Road in Covina, contact us via email today, call (626) 445-6630 or visit www.CandLAutoBody.com.