5 Reasons to Keep Your Car Interior Clean

They say it’s what’s on the inside counts, and at Novus, we have to agree. Whilst a sparkly clean car is undeniably pleasing to the eyes, maintaining the cleanliness of your interior is equally as important. Especially when it comes to the health of you and your car’s maintenance. To delve into the benefits of maintaining a pristine car, (and hopefully to persuade you to pick up your microfibre cloth), we’ve put together a list of the top five reasons why you ought to be regularly cleaning the inside of your vehicle. And don’t worry, we’ve followed up with instructions on how and what you should be cleaning.

Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Neglect the Inside of Your Car

1. Prevent stains and grime

We’ve all been there and spilled food, and being honest, we’ve probably spilled food in our cars. Whilst sometimes a road trip snack is necessary, these spillages are a breeding ground for mould and bacteria. Not only that, but they can also cause unsightly stains on your seat covers and foot mats.

If you’ve spilt something, you know it requires a bit of elbow grease to remove. So much so that we often think “I’ll get round to it later”. But later comes, and often the spillage has now turned into a stubborn stain. If you find yourself breaking the no food or drinks rule from time to time, make sure to remove the mess or spill sooner rather than later to prevent stains.

2. Dirty cars are valued less by buyers

There are numerous attributes that affect the resale value of a car. Age, service history, brand and of course condition. No one would want to take a ride in a filthy car, let alone buy one. If there’s a potential you’ll want to sell your car in the future, it’s always in your best interest to keep it clean. It’ll end up paying off in years to come. If it’s too late, and you’re trying to sell your car, we suggest you clean your interior thoroughly and try to remove as much of the stains as possible to increase the return on investment.

No matter if you’re a car washing novice, or a car enthusiast, cleaning your car isn’t as difficult as it may seem. So pick up the sponge and microfibre cloth, and future you will appreciate you not leaving that spilt coffee stain.

3. It extends the life of your car’s components

There are benefits to maintaining a clean car that goes beyond appearances. Dust, dirt and bacteria floating around the interior of your car can make their way into your air conditioning system and cause issues. With summer quickly approaching, the last thing you’d want is your AC breaking down. With regular cleaning, you can keep this debris at bay.

In the long run, your cleanliness will save you time and money as you won’t have to invest in replacing components that have succumbed to damage. With regular cleaning, you can prevent corrosion, rust and ultimately promote longevity. If you’d like help with cleaning the components inside your car, like the AC, you can schedule to have your ac unit cleaned. This is the best way to ensure that the air will stay fresh while also reducing the need for repairs.

4. Mess decreases your visibility

We know it doesn’t seem like a hazard, but those water bottles that are rattling behind your chair could make their way to the pedals if you’re not careful. If you have clothes hanging up in the backseat, items piled up, or you can’t remember the last time you wiped down your rear window, you could be decreasing your visibility in your windows, mirrors, and windshield. All of which can reduce your reaction time in the event of an accident. Poor visibility can increase the risk of a crash by 30% or greater. So it’s far better to get into the habit of regularly cleaning your car to keep you and others safe on the road.

which can reduce your reaction time in the event of an accident. Poor visibility can increase the risk of a crash by 30% or greater. So it’s far better to get into the habit of regularly cleaning your car to keep you and others safe on the road.

5. A clean car is healthier for you

It’s inevitable that over time, your vehicle’s interiors will get dirty and look a little worse for wear if you neglect giving it some TLC. Apart from the issues in appearance, the collection of dirt and bacteria can produce a bad odour and cause diseases to spread, harming you and your passengers. Through regular cleaning of your steering wheel, dashboard and upholstery you can eliminate these contaminants. If you’re stuck on what to use, there are specifically designed products for car interior cleaning. Alternatively, if cleaning your car is another chore you’d rather not dedicate time towards, you can hire a professional cleaning service.

If you require more persuasion, a clean car also benefits our mental health, something that isn’t often associated with vehicle cleanliness. A messy environment can be a reflection of our mental health. So much so, that clean and tidy spaces are capable of uplifting our mood and improving our work performances. The next time you notice yourself slacking on your car cleaning, remember that a clean car leads to happier, less stressed people.

Tips to Keeping a Clean Car

Cleaning your entire car may seem overwhelming. Where do I start? What do I clean? However, with regular practice, cleaning your car will become second nature. If you still find cleaning days are a drag, you can also spread out your cleaning over a couple of days. To make things easier, we’ve listed a couple of starting points to help you begin cleaning your car regularly. We suggest you start small and install these tips as habits.

1. Vacuum inside regularly

When it comes to cleaning your car, the vacuum cleaner is now your best ally. We believe weekly vacuuming is the most important activity to keep your car spick and span. Vacuums extract dirt, dust and grime accumulated throughout the car. No matter the surface, carpeting, upholstery, mats and in between the seat gaps, dust will find its way there. To clean crevices and hard to reach areas around seats, you can use the various attachments with different sizes and shapes of your vacuum cleaner.

2. Wipe down windows and mirrors

As the primary component of your visibility whilst on the road, you don’t want to neglect cleaning the inside windshield. When it’s cleaning time, we suggest you use a commercial glass cleaner. If you prefer DIY projects, you can also whip up a nifty at-home cleaning solution. Just use equal parts warm water and distilled vinegar. You’ll want to use a clean microfiber cloth to reduce any streaking, and avoid spraying the solution directly onto the windows. Instead, spritz the cloth.

3. Clean your dashboard

Your car’s dashboard is a magnet for dust. You only have to put off cleaning for a couple of weeks and run your finger across and you’ll see the layer of dust that’s settled! The easiest and quickest way to banish dust is to vacuum it. After vacuuming you can use warm soapy water on a microfibre cloth to wipe down the dashboard, steering wheel and interior components. For crevices and vents, you can use a toothbrush. And if you want that wow factor, use a polish to give shine and mimic that newly out the showroom feel.

4. Wash your foot mats

Our feet walk across various surfaces every day. When you think about it, we collect a lot of dirt and dust on our shoes, which inevitably ends up on our floor mats. Before you know it, you’ve gotten gravel, sand, mud and city remnants on the bottom of your car. To remove this dirt, wash your foot mats at least once a week. Remember to give the mats a good shake before you get to scrubbing them.

What to do If You See a Windscreen Defect While Cleaning

Just like how you want your car’s exterior to look incredible, the interior deserves to look just as good! It’s where you’ll be spending most of your time after all! Whether you’re thinking of the resale value of your car, your health or extending the life of your car, there are endless benefits to maintaining a clean car interior. If during your clean, you notice a defect such as a crack or a pit in your windshield, don’t delay booking a service with Novus.

Upon attending your consultation, our certified technicians will provide you with the advice and services to solve all your windscreen needs. With the help of Novus, we can ensure your safety and visibility on the road. Contact Novus Autoglass today on 13 22 34 to book a service. If you’re interested in learning everyday tips to keep your car clean, you can visit our blog, where we regularly discuss vehicle safety.