Spring cleaning...hurray!

[SteeleMX3]

So, spring is hear and the new sunshine has shown me my disgusting ways of winter I NEED to clean her out ASAP and I know I could just get in there with a vacuum and some patience but I thought I might as well get some feedback before hand. Does anyone have a good system for a really efficient interior scrub-down?? I talkin everything from the dash to the floor...and more!

cheers.

Thought I might make this compilation of ideas into an organized list to help anyone else out who's wondering, I know this really helped me out! Cheers.

Exterior:

- “just pressure wash her to rinse, brush down using a soft brush and soap designed for cars, and pressure wash
rinse. Don't forget the engine bay, and the door jambs and the drain channels around the hatch and stuff.” – Ryan

- “For the windows, use a mixture of Rubbing alcohol, a little vinegar, and a tiny bit of detergent.” – Fowljesse

Interior:

- “A chamois just with water, rinsed a lot, on the vinyls. If you're serious, remove simple panels to get at them and the cracks better.

If you're real serious, remove the entire carpet; vacuum the crap out of it. Then get it nice and wet first a pressure washer, and then a carpet cleaner or something. Use carpet shampoo. Same with the seats.

Wait for it to dry, and reassemble. You can also vacuum out the shell while you're at it, maybe scrub it down and coat it, too.

This is a good opportunity to sand blast or soak the gas/hatch popper in some anti-rust formula, paint it, and reinstall.” – Ryan

- “Use a wet vac... That will make the interior mint. For all the plastic pieces I use 303 protectant.” – Hoodzy

- “A Q-tip, and toothbrush are my detailing friends. The seats are easy to take out, so I'd do that first, and then go nuts with a Rug Doctor, or something similar.” – Fowljesse

- “A decent enzyme cleaner will make the world of difference and in bad spots on the carpet, a good quality fabric spray paint can make it look like new too if you have some real bad stains. Also when you do any armor all be sure to spray a cloth and wipe it on instead of spraying the panels, it comes out even and stops any overspray.” – Sleeper6

- “Disassembly is the key to a really clean interior.” – Wytbishop

- “Baby oil is just as good as armor all.” – SuperK

- Meguiar’s or Mother’s “back to black”

[Ryan]

Depends how serious you are.

Externally, just pressure wash her to rinse, brush down using a soft brush and soap designed for cars, and pressure wash rinse. Don't forget the engine bay, and the door jambs and the drain channels around the hatch and stuff.

Internally, a shammy just with water, rinsed a lot, on the vinyls. If you're serious, remove simple panels to get at them and the cracks better.

If you're real serious, remove the entire carpet, vacuum the crap out of it. Then get it nice and wet first a pressure washer, and then a carpet cleaner or something. Use carpet shampoo. Same with the seats.

Wait for it to dry, and reassemble. You can also vacuum out the shell while you're at it, maybe scrub it down and coat it, too.

This is a good opportunity to sand blast or soak the gas/hatch popper in some anti-rust formula, paint it, and reinstall.

[SteeleMX3]

wow, good stuff. Will give this a try, I am for serious about this whole cleaning deal so it's goin down!

thanks Ryan.

[Mnemonic]

here in Atlanta, Georgia I do spring cleaning every morning... I HATE POLLEN!

[Hoodzy]

Use a wet vac.. that will make the interior mint.

For all the plastic pieces I use 303 protectant.

[fowljesse]

A Q-tip, and toothbrush are my detailing friends. For the windows, use a mixture of Rubbing alcohol, a little vinegar, and a tiny bit of detergent. The seats are easy to take out, so I'd do that first, and then go nuts with a Rug Doctor, or something similar.

[Sleeper6]

a decent enzyme cleaner will make the world of difference and in bad spots on the carpet, a good quality fabric spraypaint can make it look like new too if you have some real bad staings. Also when you do any armorall be sure to spray a cloth and wipe it on instead of spraying the panels, it comes out even and stops any overspray.

[wytbishop]

Disassembly is the key to a really clean interior...which is why mine is not really clean.

[SteeleMX3]

If I wanted to not just polish my dash, interior panels, and other black plastic surfaces, what would you guys recommend? I've heard good reviews about that Mother's "back to black", preferences please
also, about that fabric spray paint, it ACTUALLY works???

[fowljesse]

I like Mother's, and Maguiar's. I don't like Armor all, because it would evaporate, and leave residue on my windows. Someone said that it doesn't do that anymore, but I haven't investigated.

[Sleeper6]

Sadly yes, I worked in a detail shop for a bit in pittsburgh and on the really bad stuff, they just sprayed it and put down some good freshener. Ppl never knew the difference, also they even kept black paint for doing the inner fenders too, sounds silly but some of them came out really nice.

[SuperK]

Baby oil is just as good as armor all... I'm not joking!

[anjin1982]

superk i tried the baby oil on my cowl and it didnt last as long as i thought it would...any ideas people on how to maintain a "wet" look for the cowl...baby oil i found is good for seals and painted areas inside the car...

[Ryan]

There was a writeup on here, way back when, for how to make your cowl look like new.

Searching... searching....

Can't find it.

Try painting it!

[SuperK]

LOL Ryan, it's stickied on the top of the appearance forum. Oh god, you couldn't make that up if you tried.