12 Tips for Spring Cleaning your car

If it’s been a while since you cleaned the car, giving it a quick rinse will help get rid of mud and dirt before you start with the soap.

Make up a bucket of soapy water and get going with your microfibre mitt or sponge. Remember to start at the top first and work down – and rinse regularly to avoid scratching the paint.

For tyres, it can be better to use a dedicated wheel brush, rather than your usual sponge, as they can leave grit and dirt on it that might scratch your car during your next wash.

While you can leave a washed car to air dry, this might lead to water spots on your paintwork. Giving it a quick once-over with a microfibre towel or chamois helps avoid this. Just remember to make sure that whatever you use is clean, so you don’t scratch your paint.

Your lights help you stay safe on the road, so it makes sense to get them as bright as possible. One way to clean them is with a toothbrush and a non-abrasive toothpaste.

You need your windows and mirrors to be clean so you can see where you’re going and what’s happening around you. Glass cleaner and a microfibre towel are a good option here – and remember to clean the inside of the windows as well as the outside.

Vacuuming the carpets, seats and mats is an easy way to make a visible difference to your car. One extra tip, if you ever upgrade your vacuum cleaner, keep the old one for your car, as you’re likely to pick up a lot more stones, sand and dirt than you do in the house.

Wiping down surfaces with an interior cleaner and a microfibre towel can give them a new lease of life – just be careful whenever you’re near electrics or screens. Some sites suggest using olive oil and a cloth to make your dashboard sparkle. If you do this, remember to test a small area first to make sure it works for your car.

Whether you have fabric or leather seats, there’ll be a cleaner that works for them. You don’t need to do the whole thing, just use a brush to spot clean the areas that need work. Just test the cleaner on a small inconspicuous area first to make sure it doesn’t discolour the material.

Air vents can seem like a magnet for dust and they’re not the easiest to clean. One solution is to use a small paint brush that can get inside the gaps and hold your vacuum cleaner underneath to catch the dirt as it comes out.

If you drive with a pet in your car, it’s likely it will be leaving hairs. To get rid of them, try spraying a little water on the fabric and then wipe it with a window squeegee.

Cup holders are one of the hardest parts of the car to vacuum or wipe, but there’s an easy fix for next time. Buy a pack of cupcake cases and push one into the bottom of each cupholder. When it’s time to clean, just lift them out and replace them.

• 1.
  1.
  Do you have the right tyre pressure?
• 2.
  2.
  Is the tread depth on all your tyres within legal limits?
• 3.
  3.
  Do you need to top up your screen wash?
• 4.
  4.
  Do you need to top up your oil or coolant?
• 5.
  5.
  Do your windscreen wipers need replacing?