DIY Interior Detailing

[Harangody]

How do I start? Anong mga materials ang kailangan ko for cleaning? Anong parts ang mga lilinisan? What are the steps?

[onemph05]

2.5 Gal shop vac
You can purchase art paint brushes to access dust in small spaces.
A good glass cleaner except on tint
Micro fiber towels (no lint type)
A good foam type cleaner for the carpets
A steamer is good to have

[pink888]

i also wanna try doing this on my own.. thanks for sharing..

[mtbjr]

Here's a sample guide from Mothers:
MOTHERS® Polishes·Waxes·Cleaners

[glenn manikis]

mga sir ano po ba pwedeng gamitin for... DIY fabric seats cleaner?

[Edric1990]

Well it depends on your interior type because the methods and materials are different on leather and fabric interior. We need more care to leather interior because that is more expensive and more sensitive as compare to fabric interior. First of all start with vacuum cleaner and then clean the dash with some good brand cleaner. Wash the mats and let them dry. Use some polish on dash to get shiny interior.

[Mentos]

ako na nga lang din ang titira ng interior ng car ko, masyadong mahal na ang pa detail eh..tyagaan na lng to hehehe

[IMm29]

Quick question, what would you detail first?
- Leather seats, or
- Dash and Sidings, or
- whatever you can reach from where you're seated?

[red_one]

Interior Detailing

Detailing the car's interior is an equally important part of the detailing process. Why? Because that's where you and your passengers are most of the time.

Vacuuming

The first thing that needs to be done is to thoroughly vacuum the interior. If you don't have a good vacuum, then you're better off going to a local car wash. You need a strong vacuum to do the job properly.

Use compressed air to blow dirt from cracks, under seats, between seats, AC vents and around windows, center console, dash, etc. Vacuum all interior parts, beginning with the headliner and moving downward.

When vacuuming leather surfaces, use the brush tool to prevent scratching the leather. Vinyl and metal surfaces are not as delicate so use whatever tool is best for the job.

Seats. The seats must have special attention. Use the crevice tool where possible. On all seats, make sure you vacuum the seams. Dirt lurks in there and will eventually cause wear and deterioration.

Floor. The floor of the car is always the dirtiest part. Give the floor a good brushing followed by a very thorough vacuuming.

Shampooing Carpet

To do a really professional job, you'll need to shampoo the carpet with a commercial shampoo. Remove the carpet mats and shampoo them first. Use a water extraction machine or wet-dry vacuum to remove as much as water possible to speed the drying process.

Example Products: 3M All Purpose Cleaner and Degreaser, Armor All Multi-purpose Auto Cleaner, Armor All Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner

Vinyl and Plastic Interiors

There are many vinyl/plastic cleaners and protectants. Some are all-in-one formulas, others are two-step. For deep cleaning, it is recommended that you wipe down all vinyl surfaces with a cleaner first, followed by a protectant/conditioner. For monthly maintenance, you may only need the all-in-one solution.

Hard plastics like the gauge-cluster lens or overhead light won’t respond to most protectants and need to be polished much like paint.

If you do not want a 'slippery' finish, avoid products that contain silicone.

Example Products: Meguiar's Ultimate Interior Detailer, Meguiar's Ultimate Protectant Spray, Meguair's Gold Class Trim Restorer, Mothers VLR (Vinyl, Leather, Rubber), Mothers Protectant, Mothers Plastic Polish

Leather Interiors

When properly cared for, (genuine) leather upholstery will last far longer than other upholster material. Cleaning and conditioning leather is very similar to caring for your own skin. To safely clean leather you will need a neutral pH cleaner (4.5 to 7.5 pH) and a leather conditioner suitable for upholstery.

As leather interiors take very small amounts of conditioner to properly care for them, premium, high quality products are your best choice.

Example Products: Meguair's Gold Class Vinyl & Leather Cleaner, Meguair's Gold Class Leather Conditioner, Mothers Leather Cleaner, Mothers Leather Conditioner

Fabric Interiors

Unlike vinyl and leather, fabric upholstery easily soils and stains. Clean fabric by using spray-on/wipe-off cleaners, or shampoo and wet-dry vacuum combination.

Example Products: 3M All Purpose Cleaner and Degreaser, Armor All Multi-purpose Auto Cleaner, Armor All Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner, Meguiar's Ultimate Interior Detailer

Door Panels

Door panels are cleaned based on their material. For fabric, use shampoo. For vinyl, use a vinyl cleaner to wipe down the surface, then buff with conditioner. Likewise, use the appropriate cleaner/conditioner for leather.

Interior Glass

Clean interior glass using a two-towel method for best result. Use one towel for the initial wipe after applying glass cleaner. This removes majority of the dirt. Use a second towel for final wipe down to produce streak-free glass.

Cleaning tinted windows requires special care. Don't use ammonia-based cleaners.

Example Products: 3M Premium Glass Cleaner, Armor All Auto Glass Cleaner, Meguiar's Perfect Clarity Glass Cleaner, Mothers Glass Cleaner

[kai s.]

Reviving this thread because I just bought this 3M Scotchguard Fabric Protector for my car seats, which are upholstered in dark fabric.



It's in an aerosol can, with reminders to ensure good ventilation during application and to avoid overspray on other areas.

Question for the Tsikot detailing gurus: Do I need to remove my car seats (never attempted this before, no idea how yet) so I can freely spray them or can I get away with applying this inside the car?