Trying to keep a car clean--especially if you are using it to transport your children or if your teenagers are driving it--can be an ongoing task. Even if you are the only one using your car, you may find that you have to vacuum it often (or that you should). It's fairly easy to keep your car clean with the right technique.
Instructions:
Find a car wash that includes vacuum service. One of the easiest ways to get your car vacuumed is to take it to a car wash. This accomplishes two things: You get your car exterior washed and the interior vacuumed by an attendant. However, this can become expensive if you need to have your car vacuumed on a regular basis. It may also take more time than you have.
Look for a self-service car wash. At a self-service car wash, you do the car washing and vacuuming yourself. This is less expensive than if you have car wash attendants do it for you. However, it can still get pricey depending on how often you need it done.
Check out local home stores to get a good buy on a vacuum to clean your car. You can then vacuum your car in your driveway. In particular, a Shop Vac is available at most stores, costs less than a regular vacuum and are more durable.
Get a cordless hand-held vacuum cleaner. You can vacuum your car anywhere. This way you can vacuum your car on your lunch break at work, or even vacuum up the car while you're sitting in it waiting for someone.
An auto vacuum is a very good tool to have around. Dirt, gravel and more builds up inside your car and you should vacuum it out regularly in order to keep the interior looking pristine. What should you look for when buying an auto vacuum cleaner, and what's the best way to use it?
Power
It needs to have the power to pick up the pebbles and grit that accumulate. This means you need to examine the wattage of the auto vacuum. When it comes to powering the auto vacuum you have three real choices. You can buy one that plugs into the house mains and runs on an extension cord, or you can choose one that will plug into the cigarette lighter of your vehicle and run off the car battery.
Wet/Dry
A wet/dry auto vacuum is the deal-choice, as it can handle spills as well as dry dirt. This has obvious advantages, although you shouldn't expect it to be as powerful as the wet/dry vacuum in your house. An auto vacuum pump simply isn't as strong.
Tools
Go for an auto vacuum that has additional tools, such as a good crevice tool. Remember, you can use it on your upholstery, too, so being able to get into those tight spots between seats or under them will help keep the car a great deal cleaner. You don't need a wide range of these additional tools; only those that can be useful.
Use
When you're going to use an auto vacuum, the first thing to do is open the doors wide and take out the floor mats. Tip the debris off them and band them on the ground to remove as much as you can.
Vacuum out the seat wells thoroughly. At this point, you'll want to empty the vacuum and clear it. Now go for those hard to reach places next to and underneath the seats. If there are pieces of paper or candy wrappers, take those out by hand.
Upholstery
An auto vacuum is only one of the tools you'll use when cleaning your upholstery, and then largely only to vacuum dust and fluff out of the crevices. Be patient and be thorough.
When you're satisfied that you've removed as much as you can with the auto vacuum, use it on each of the floor mats in turn before putting them back in the vehicle. Give the interior a final inspection and use the auto vacuum for any final stray pieces you've missed.