Road trips are a quintessential US activity, but they can leave both the inside and outside of your car quite dirty. There’s no reason to panic if your vehicle has seen better days. Instead, follow these simple steps to clean your car after a road trip to make your vehicle look shiny and new.
Wash the Exterior of the Car
When you return from your road trip, there’s a good chance the outside of your vehicle is covered in dust and dirt and your windshield is full of bug splatter. Your first instinct may be to drive through an automatic car wash. However, there are some common dangers of automatic car washes you can avoid by washing your vehicle by hand.
Namely, you won’t need to worry about scratched paint or damaged wheels when you wash your vehicle yourself. Simply gather the necessary car wash products, including a bucket, water, a car wash mitt, soap, and a drying towel. Then, park your car in your driveway and start scrubbing and rinsing the exterior until it looks as good as new.
Remove Any Trash
Trash can quickly accumulate when you’re spending a lot of time in the car. If you have a vehicle trash can, simply empty it once you get home. While you’re driving, you can also stay on top of garbage by emptying your bin at gas stations or rest stops.
If you don’t have the trash contained in one central location, it’s important to check every nook and cranny of your vehicle to make sure you don’t miss anything. And always separate trash and recyclables once you’re home.
Vacuum the Interior
Vacuuming the interior is another important step to clean your car after a road trip. Most long-haul journeys involve some eating in the car, particularly if you travel with small children who constantly need a snack. As such, the inside of your vehicle can quickly become littered with crumbs.
A cordless handheld vacuum is an easy way to clean up small pieces of food. To make sure you don’t miss a spot, remove any large items from the seats and floor before you start vacuuming, including children’s car seats. Don’t forget to lift the floor mats to uncover any rogue crumbs.
Clean the Seats
As mentioned above, when you eat and drink in your car, spills are basically inevitable. If your seats are covered in coffee stains or ketchup, it’s time to use an all-purpose upholstery cleaner and a microfiber cloth to remove them. Keep in mind you’ll need to use a specially formulated product if you have leather seats.
If you have car seat covers and you can’t remove the stains by hand, remove the covers and throw them in the washing machine. Once they’re clean, you can easily reinstall the covers. And if you encounter any particularly stubborn stains, a professional car detailing service may be your best option.
If your car is looking rather tired after a long road trip, follow these simple steps to restore its overall condition. By thoroughly cleaning the inside and outside of your vehicle to keep it in top condition, you can continue to explore new destinations for years to come.
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