How to Clean Your Car Interior — Toronto Home Guide

Car interiors get significantly dirtier in Toronto's winters — road salt tracked in on boots, condensation, and mud accumulate on carpets and floor mats faster than in summer. A thorough quarterly interior clean prevents salt from embedding in carpet fibres and staining permanently.

Preparation

1. Remove all items from the car — garbage, belongings, floor mats
2. Shake floor mats out and set aside

Vacuuming

1. Use a vacuum with crevice attachments to vacuum the seats, seat backs, floor carpets, and trunk
2. Use the crevice tool to vacuum between seat cushions, in cup holder cavities, and in the gaps around the centre console
3. Vacuum floor mats separately and return them once fully dry if they've been washed

Salt Stain Removal (Winter)

White salt stains on carpet and floor mats are common in Toronto winters:

1. Mix equal parts white vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle
2. Spray the salt-stained areas — the vinegar dissolves road salt
3. Scrub with a stiff brush
4. Blot with a dry cloth and allow to dry with the door open or windows cracked

Dashboard and Console

1. Use a microfibre cloth dampened with an interior detailer spray or a diluted all-purpose cleaner
2. Wipe all hard surfaces — dashboard, door panels, centre console, steering wheel
3. Use a small detailing brush or a paintbrush to clean vents, buttons, and seam gaps
4. Use a damp cotton swab for the gaps around buttons and in infotainment bezels

Windows

1. Use an automotive glass cleaner (Invisible Glass or similar) on interior windows — standard household glass cleaners can damage window tinting
2. Use a microfibre cloth and wipe in straight lines
3. The rear windshield interior has defroster lines — wipe side-to-side, never up and down, to avoid damaging the defroster

Fabric Seats and Carpet Stains

• Apply a fabric upholstery cleaner (available at auto supply stores) to stains, agitate with a brush, and blot dry
• For fresh spills: blot immediately, then apply the cleaner
• Allow fabric to dry fully with windows cracked before closing up the car — trapped moisture causes mould and musty smell