Steam cleaning your car's interior is one way to get out tough stains and freshen up both its smell and appearance. Freshly steamed interiors can make a car look new again, and a periodic steam cleaning is good for preserving the value of your vehicle. While you can often request a steam cleaning at your local hand wash facility, if you have access to a steam cleaner there is no reason why you cannot perform the task yourself. With the right preparation, steam cleaning your car's interior is a pain-free task.
Open up your car doors and remove the floor mats. Place them off to the side and out of the way.
Perform a thorough vacuuming of your car's interior. Clear the floorboards, seat, center console, areas under the seats and anything else you can reach for loose dust and debris.
Run the vacuum over the floor mats as well, to remove built-up dirt. You can also smack the floor mats against a wall or pole to force dirt out.
Pour the upholstery-cleaning compound into the steam cleaner. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for loading the specific model of cleaner.
Turn on the steam cleaner and run the upholstery attachment over the entire interior of your car. Hit the seats, floors and floorboards, as well as the upholstery in the car's trunk or storage area.
Leave your car parked in a safe location with the windows open for a few hours. This allows the damp seats and upholstery time to dry. Once your interior is dry, seal up your car and lock the doors.
