A Beginner's Guide to Interior Car Detailing in Orlando FL
I’m going to be taking you through a beginner’s guide to interior car detailing. Now, is going to be perfect for those of you who are just getting started or who just occasionally enjoy the odd bit of car cleaning on the weekend.
By the time you’re finished, you’re going to have all the knowledge to get out there and get it right.
I share my top tips for cleaning the interior of your car, and I give away some of the biggest secrets from the trade to help you get the job done in the quickest time possible like us here in Orlando, FL.
So let’s kick it off with step number one.
The first thing you’ve got to do is get the car completely empty. So, get everything out of the boot. Normally, I like to start off by doing the boot first. That’s just common sense for me because if it does rain, I can get everything back into the boot to keep it all dry. There’s nothing worse than getting everything out, only for it to rain, soaking everything. This way, it just makes life a little bit easier. It normally takes a few minutes to get everything out. Make sure you wear gloves because you never know what nasty surprises are lurking under those seats.
Now that the car’s completely empty, this is perfect because I’ve put the seats forward, giving me so much space to get around the car. If I’m going to do the boot first, I can then take care of the seats, fold everything back, and then I’m ready to move on to the second stage.
We’re going to do this in three stages:
stage one
start off with the boot, then move to the middle.
stage two
and finally finish by doing the front of the car
stage three
Breaking down your cleaning into stages keeps it very simple and makes your life so much easier.
The most complete Interior car detailing guide for beginners in Florida.
Detailing the Roof Lining
Remember I told you to fold the seats? There’s a very good reason for that. While you can’t do it with every car, for those you can, it makes life a heck of a lot easier. Now we’re going to start by cleaning the roof lining. First, soak your brush—not too much, just enough. The last thing you want is too much product on the roof lining. Find the spot you want to target and start brushing in a circular motion. You might get a little foam, but that’s not a problem; it lifts out the dirt. Brush for about 30 to 50 seconds.
Get yourself a clean towel. I like to use lighter-colored towels because they show the dirt and grime better. Wipe the area, and if the towel shows stains, fold it over to a clean side before continuing. This way, you avoid spreading dirt back onto the roof lining.
Cleaning the Boot
With the roof lining done, it’s time to tackle the boot. I work top-down, starting with a light dusting of the plastics. If you can’t afford detailing brushes, soft paint brushes or even makeup brushes work well. For chemicals, you need a good interior cleaner. I’m using Yum Interior, which is safe on everything. Spray the cleaner onto the plastics, agitate with soft brushes, and it works like magic. For the boot mat, use a free brush tool that comes with most vacuum cleaners—perfect for getting into carpet fibers.
Detailing the Middle Section
Now, moving into the middle of the car, start with an initial dusting to loosen crumbs and dead skin. The goal is to get about 80% clean, as you’ll be spraying cleaner and flicking bits onto the floor. Keep the doors shut to avoid wind blowing in dust and pollen. For leather seats, you don’t need special leather cleaner; Yum Interior works great on everything. Use different brushes for different parts, and for tougher jobs, consider a steamer or power drill.