and I'm at work, need to stare at some fat accounting chicks to neautralize
How to clean C5 interior
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St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '15, '16-'17-'18-'19
I suppose if you posted this question in the car care section, you will get some better educated replies.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 13,598
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From: Home of the VOLS ! Knoxville, TN. Tennessee
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '15, '16-'17-'18-'19
The floormats would not do so well in the washer. I take mine to a detail shop, they run them through a mat washer that feeds them in like a scanner, and they come out clean at the other end. Not expensive either.
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Last edited by Evil-Twin; Aug 22, 2011 at 07:40 PM.
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St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '15, '16-'17-'18-'19
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Here are some tips that were posted at one time here on the forum:
Interior
The first step to cleaning your vehicle is to vacuum the interior. There are three reasons to start with vacuuming:
1) If you vacuum after a major exterior cleaning, you will find yourself blowing dirt all over your freshly cleaned car.
2) It is much easier to vacuum loose dirt from door jambs when the dirt is dry instead of muddy after washing.
3) If you vacuum first, you won't be pulling an electric cord through puddled water in your driveway.
After vacuuming, clean any soiled areas on the carpet, seats, door panels, and headliner. If you use a cleaning product, be sure to first check for colorfastness by trying it in a small hidden area first. If there is any discoloration on your cloth or if the color wipes off, use a very mild soap and water solution instead.
Next, treat all interior vinyl and rubber, including the dash. For leather, apply a conditioner with your hands instead of a cloth. It makes the product go on much more evenly and reduces waste. Allow it to soak for about 1/2 hour. If your leather is very dry and absorbs the conditioner quickly, a second application may be necessary. But be sure not to use too much conditioner. Leather and vinyl should have a nice patina. It should look satiny, not wet and greasy. After allowing for penetration, buff the residue with a clean terry cloth. Use a corner or edge of the towel to get into creases and seams, around beading, and under buttons. This is especially important with tufted leather. Residual conditioner can leave oily stains on clothes.
Never spray a vinyl protectant around electrical switches or instrumentation, as it can seep in through seams and behind clear plastic instrumentation and mar the lens or cause problems with electrical wiring. In fact, spraying it onto the top of a dashboard is also discouraged as it can run down the defroster vents along the windshield, get sucked down into the ducts, and cause a chemical odor or even window fogging. Instead, always spray the protectant directly onto a cloth and then apply it to the surface. Or, better yet, use a special applicator tool that holds the solution in its handle and dispenses it through a foam pad. This makes it easier to apply and gives you more versatility to work around difficult contours. Either way, after applying the solution, go back over the treated area and burnish with a dry cloth so you end up with a nice rich sheen, and not a wet, oily look.
-Interior --If you've got a shop vac, really hit it hard, if not go to the local hand car wash and drop some quarters in there. Two tips here to make you stand out. First, after you vacuum your mats, pull out the drivers mat and put it back in when you get to the show. Takes 5 seconds. Second, get a small brush with stiff bristles about 3 fingers wide. Use it to stripe your carpets. Forward/back. You know, like when the car is new or from a high end detail place. Yeah, you can use the vacuum, but I find that hard. The cheater brush is easier. Get one at the dollar store. Nothing fancy. It really draws attention! Do the transmission tunnel too. Either up/down or at an angle. I promise, people will notice. Seriously, people will stop and point and comment. Stripes means clean to people! Only adds 5 minutes to prep once you get the pattern down.
Other tips can be had at the Car Care Section as mentioned above.
Interior
The first step to cleaning your vehicle is to vacuum the interior. There are three reasons to start with vacuuming:
1) If you vacuum after a major exterior cleaning, you will find yourself blowing dirt all over your freshly cleaned car.
2) It is much easier to vacuum loose dirt from door jambs when the dirt is dry instead of muddy after washing.
3) If you vacuum first, you won't be pulling an electric cord through puddled water in your driveway.
After vacuuming, clean any soiled areas on the carpet, seats, door panels, and headliner. If you use a cleaning product, be sure to first check for colorfastness by trying it in a small hidden area first. If there is any discoloration on your cloth or if the color wipes off, use a very mild soap and water solution instead.
Next, treat all interior vinyl and rubber, including the dash. For leather, apply a conditioner with your hands instead of a cloth. It makes the product go on much more evenly and reduces waste. Allow it to soak for about 1/2 hour. If your leather is very dry and absorbs the conditioner quickly, a second application may be necessary. But be sure not to use too much conditioner. Leather and vinyl should have a nice patina. It should look satiny, not wet and greasy. After allowing for penetration, buff the residue with a clean terry cloth. Use a corner or edge of the towel to get into creases and seams, around beading, and under buttons. This is especially important with tufted leather. Residual conditioner can leave oily stains on clothes.
Never spray a vinyl protectant around electrical switches or instrumentation, as it can seep in through seams and behind clear plastic instrumentation and mar the lens or cause problems with electrical wiring. In fact, spraying it onto the top of a dashboard is also discouraged as it can run down the defroster vents along the windshield, get sucked down into the ducts, and cause a chemical odor or even window fogging. Instead, always spray the protectant directly onto a cloth and then apply it to the surface. Or, better yet, use a special applicator tool that holds the solution in its handle and dispenses it through a foam pad. This makes it easier to apply and gives you more versatility to work around difficult contours. Either way, after applying the solution, go back over the treated area and burnish with a dry cloth so you end up with a nice rich sheen, and not a wet, oily look.
-Interior --If you've got a shop vac, really hit it hard, if not go to the local hand car wash and drop some quarters in there. Two tips here to make you stand out. First, after you vacuum your mats, pull out the drivers mat and put it back in when you get to the show. Takes 5 seconds. Second, get a small brush with stiff bristles about 3 fingers wide. Use it to stripe your carpets. Forward/back. You know, like when the car is new or from a high end detail place. Yeah, you can use the vacuum, but I find that hard. The cheater brush is easier. Get one at the dollar store. Nothing fancy. It really draws attention! Do the transmission tunnel too. Either up/down or at an angle. I promise, people will notice. Seriously, people will stop and point and comment. Stripes means clean to people! Only adds 5 minutes to prep once you get the pattern down.
Other tips can be had at the Car Care Section as mentioned above.
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