Caring for your vehicle goes beyond regular maintenance and running it through the wash every time you can write your name on the windows. An often-overlooked piece of the vehicle maintenance puzzle is the interior. Remember when you first got your vehicle and it was all spick and span inside? Nothing on the floor mats, no boxes cluttering the foot space or piled in the trunk. Then life happens, and you rush from one place to the next, and that perfectly clean interior falls into disarray. Hey, we get it. The number of times we’ve pulled fistfuls of receipts and fast food wrappers out from under our seats after a road trip is significant. But there are benefits to keeping the interior of your car clean, and we’re going to talk about them a little more today.
There are Different Ways to Detail
Fun fact before we get in too deep – when people hear “get your car detailed” they usually think interior, and that can be true, but there are other types of detailing, too. You can get your exterior detailed to restore and protect sun damage, scratches, and other small dings. You can get your vehicle’s engine detailed to clean away loose dirt, wipe down the components, and make sure everything is properly protected to prevent cracking. But today, we’re focusing on what kind of value the interior of your car gets when you get it detailed.
Interior Detailing
Your vehicle’s interior sees the most wear and tear of your vehicle, really. The carpeting, upholstery, trim and mats bear witness to countless food and beverage spills, smoke damage, dirt, mud, snow, pets, receipts and paper, the list goes on. When you take your car in to get the interior detailed, they vacuum and shampoo the inside of your vehicle, as well as restore the dashboard, upholstery, making the interior of your vehicle good as new!
Increasing Your Vehicle’s Value
Keeping the inside of your vehicle, like the outside and critical machinery components, as close to impeccable condition as possible increases your vehicle’s value. It’s a testament to the care you put into the vehicle over the course of its life, and an indicator to potential buyers that they can expect a long, healthy life out of what you’re selling. Plus, the aesthetic factor can’t be dismissed. If you’re trying to sell your vehicle, just like you would if you were selling your house, you want it to look its best.
Keeping it Clean
Of course, not everyone can afford to get their vehicle regularly detailed, so it’s just as important to take your own steps to keep the interior of your vehicle clean in between details, or even if you never get a professional detail done. You can vacuum the interior of your vehicle, with or without shampoo, all on your own. Clear the clutter once a week, taking any trash that may have accumulated out and disposing of it properly. This will not only help keep the value of your vehicle higher, it will also ensure that the wear and tear on your vehicle’s interior is minimized. Minimal interior damage prolongs the life of your vehicle.
There are a number of benefits to keeping the interior of your vehicle clean year-round, from increased value to a better in-car experience for you and your passengers. What are your best interior-cleaning tips?
I like how you mentioned that making sure that you detail the interior of your vehicle on a regular basis can show potential buyers that they will get something that will have a long life. It seems like it would be a good idea to hire a professional detailing company when you want the inside of your car taken care of. A professional detailing company will have all of the right tools and cleaning agents to remove dirt and grime that is in tough to reach areas.