How to Properly Vacuum Your Car

How often do you vacuum your car? We all know how messy vehicles can get, especially if you are in a dusty area. Some cars get dirtier than others, but they all require regular cleaning and maintenance.

However, getting your car washed and vacuumed at a professional car wash isn’t always the most practical solution. Sometimes, these sessions can last a while and can be quite costly, depending on where you live.

Have you thought about vacuuming your car by yourself? All you need is a handheld or another such practical vacuum cleaner and a little bit of time.

Check out the article below to find out how to properly vacuum your car. Below you’ll find a few simple tips and tricks to make the process easier.

Get the right tools

Getting the tools ready is probably the most important part of the process. You’ll find it easier to vacuum and clean when all your tools are at hands reach. This way, you save time on looking for these items right at the moment you need them.

According to Max at CleanThatFloor, some of the most critical tools are your vacuum cleaner and brushes. While most vacuums can get the job done, not all of them are as convenient. Big and bulky models aren’t the most suitable for the job even if they’re powerful.

In most cases, the best choice would be a handheld vacuum with a few additional attachments and accessories. If not, a regular vac will do as long as it has some smaller accessories that would make the process easier.

Make sure the vac has enough suction power and is simple to use in such tight and small areas. You need something that will get into all the nooks and crannies if you want a clean car interior.

Leave all the doors open

Before you start, open all the doors and leave them open until you finish. It’s another trick that can save you some time since you won’t have to open them all the time.

Plus, you don’t want to open and close the doors every two minutes. When they’re opened, you have more freedom to move around and get into all the parts of your car interior.

This is an especially handy trick if you’re using a corded vacuum cleaner since you won’t have to constantly circle your vehicle. 

Take out the trash

Before you turn on the vacuum cleaner, you should take a moment to remove all the trash in your car. Most of us hold receipts, candy wraps, and other such trash items you never threw out. While this is perfectly normal, you should still throw it out before you get into vacuum cleaning.

In most cases, these items are too big for your vac to suck them in. For this reason, they’ll just get in your way.

Remove the mats

Another thing you should do is to remove the mats. These underfoot mats tend to get quite dirty because they’re in direct contact with our feet.

In most cases, there’s a lot of dirt under these mats, which is why you should remove them. Also, they need cleaning as well, and that’s much easier done once they’re out of the vehicle.

Remove and set them aside since you’ll get back to them later.

Vacuum the interior

Now it’s the time to grab your vacuum cleaner of choice and get vacuuming. While this sounds rather simple, there are a few things you should pay attention to. More precisely, you might want a vac with an adjustable suction power and several different attachments to choose from.

The more versatile the unit is, the more straightforward the process.

Use brushes and attachments

One of the best tricks is to use an additional brush along with your vacuum cleaner. Hold the brush in one hand and use it to stir up the debris and dust embedded in these surfaces. Hold the vac in the other hand and suck up the dirt you stirred with the brush.

This method provides a more thorough cleaning and overall better results.

You might also want to consider some accessories for your vac. Things like a circular brush head and a crevice tool are ideal for the job.

Clean under the seats

Make sure to push the seats back and forth as you clean underneath them. Most of the people tend to forget to clean underneath them, although it’s where most dirt is accumulated.

Be careful not to vacuum any bolts and screws as loose parts also end up there. Feel free to use any of the smaller attachments you have for hard-to-reach areas.

Clean the upholstery

Make sure to clean your seats using the same method we previously mentioned. Hold a brush in one hand and use it to loosen the dust before you follow up with your vacuum. It’s among the most effective ways of getting the dust and dirt out of your upholstery.

You should spot-clean any dirty areas and stains if there are any. Use different accessories and attachments with the highest suction power setting. This way, cleaning upholstery won’t take as much time.

Clean the mats

Remember those mats you removed? Now it’s the time to vacuum them as well. Once you pick up all the loose dust, make sure also to give them a quick washing.

You don’t want to bring them back in your clean car if they’re dirty. Take some time and use different brushes if you have to since these mats can get quite messy at times.

Clean the trunk

While you’re at it, take a moment to clear out your trunk. It’s a part that requires just as much maintenance, so make sure to vacuum it as well. Remove all the items you have there and make sure to get the mat out if you have any.

Trunks tend to get quite messy and dirty since people use them to carry so many different things. For this reason, make sure to give it a quick vacuuming every now and then.