Spring Cleaning: Car Cleaning Hacks

Spring has officially sprung and that means it’s time to get your car ready for all those warm-weather road trips. Using seasons to help remind you to get that much-needed maintenance done on your car is a great way to make sure you stay on top of what your vehicle needs each year.

Can’t remember the last time you had your car’s oil changed or had a preventative maintenance check? We can help!

How To Make Cleaning Your Car Easy

Believe me, we’d all love to be able to get the interiors of our cars regularly detailed and cleaned professionally…however, for most people that’s just not possible. Here are our top 7 favorite spring cleaning tips that make getting your car clean a breeze!

Take Everything Out First

From forgotten gum wrappers, tissues, your kid’s toys, and more. Before you start cleaning, get everything out of your vehicle. Toss out the trash and remove more permanent fixtures like car seats, booster seats, floor mats, and emergency roadside kits.

Use Cleaning Wipes

There are a variety of car interior cleaning wipes that make restoring your vehicle’s interior surfaces a breeze. Make it easy on yourself and pick up a package of them before tackling your car’s steering wheel, vents, dashboard, and other surfaces.

Use Your Vacuum

If you have a small hand-held vacuum cleaner, now is the time to use it. If you have a larger vacuum, that works just fine too. Use the narrow brush attachments to get into the crevices of your car’s upholstery. If you have young children, use the attachments to clean debris out of car seats and find those errant Cheerios and Goldfish crackers.

Use A Brush On Floor Mats

Floor mats can be tough to get completely clean after a winter’s worth of salt and debris being stamped into them. If your vacuum isn’t quite cutting it, try using a stiff brush to bring the salt and dirt to the surface before vacuuming again.

Dust Your Vents

With summer around the corner, you’ll be using those AC vents even more. The easiest way to clean them is with a foam craft brush. They’re affordable and the perfect size to fit in your car’s vents and clear out dust.

Cupholder Hack

When was the last time you cleaned your car’s cupholders? Over time those spots in your car can get full of sticky residue from spills and condensation. An easy way to clean them is to stretch an old sock over the bottom of a travel cup, then spray it with all-purpose cleaner until it’s saturated. Simply pop it into the cupholder and twist it to clean the bottom and sides.

Once your cupholders are clean, consider popping in silicone muffin tin liners that you can easily remove when they get dirty and run through your dishwasher.

Get Those Windows Sparkling

Whether you use glass cleaner wipes, or a microfiber cloth, or are dedicated to the streak-free newspaper hack, it’s time to get your windows and windshield clean. It not only makes your entire car look cleaner, but it’s also incredibly important for safety!

Make Sure Your Car Is Ready To Take On Anything

After you’ve cleaned out the interior of your car, take time to check everything before you put it back in. Ensure your emergency road kit still has everything in it you need, check your children’s car seat expiration dates and make sure they’re installed properly, and replace your floor mats.

Boggs Is Here To Help!

Does your car need more than a spring cleaning? We can help!
We’re proud to be your local full-service car repair and maintenance shop with two convenient locations in Warsaw.

We also have free pick-up available with our Boggs Driver service for oil changes and preventative maintenance services.

No appointment is necessary for oil changes at Boggs Pit Stop or Boggs Automotive, so you can just stop by! If you’d like to schedule any other car repair services, just click below to give us a call.

Originally published in 2023, this article has been updated to include the latest information and most relevant tips.