Many people don’t understand that you can use steam to clean the interior and exterior of a vehicle at the time of car detailing. This is a great way to keep your vehicle clean for a fraction of the cost, as it won’t require you to use as many cleaners and chemicals.
Steam can clean windows, carpets, surfaces, and even wheels! You should be aware that many exterior/interior surfaces, such as paint and chrome details, can easily scratch. Hence, it is best to cover the steam nozzle with a soft towel or apply it onto the surface before wiping it down.
Why should we use a steam cleaner?
Regardless of how often you use your vehicle, its interior can become dirty and soiled with time. Steam cleaners are an excellent solution for heavily soiled or lightly soiled car interiors. Dirt can accumulate in your vehicle in many ways:
- Dust and dyes transferred from clothing to the seats
- Dirt and oil left on the steering wheel, shifter handle, and radio controls after you have touched them
- Oil from hair left on the headrest
- Shoes and boots carrying dirt and grime
What are the benefits of using a steam cleaner?
There are several reasons why steam is an excellent method for cleaning a car:
- Chemicals are not needed when steam is used
- steam cleaners are a great way to remove any tough stains or debris that may be stuck to the surfaces.
- Fabric and upholstery are cleaned deep by steam, not just on the surface
- Clean your upholstery with steam if you have a hard time reaching certain places
- Steam is a safe, effective way to clean any type of surface
- Soaking a stain in steam is easier than scrubbing it for hours
- You can use steam cleaning at home to quickly remove dirt before permanent stains are created.
Steam cleaners are also economical as they use only water to clean and take less time than other methods.
How to use a steam cleaner to clean your car’s interior
5 steps to clean carpets and fabrics with steam
A carpet cleaner, sometimes mistaken for steam cleaning, is used to clean carpets and car upholstery. To clean carpets, however, carpet cleaners use chemicals and water. The cleaning solution may cost a lot of money, leave stains on fabrics, and damage your car with harmful chemicals.
Materials required
- A steam cleaner
- Triangular steam cleaner brush attachment
- The vacuum cleaner
FIRST STEP: Vacuum the upholstery and carpets
Make sure you thoroughly clean the carpet and seats with vacuum cleaner before using a steam cleaner.
- Pro Tip: To remove crevices around the pedals and seats, use a crevice vacuum tool.
SECOND STEP: Fit the steam cleaner with a triangular brush
Connect the steam cleaner to a triangular tool with brushes. The bristled tool will agitate the fabric or carpet, removing any dirt that the steam has loosened.
THIRD STEP: Use a triangular brush to steam the carpet
Move the tool over the carpet slowly while rubbing the brush.
Take the triangular tool to all carpeted areas you can reach. Use circular motions to make sure each spot on the floor is cleaned.
- Pro Tip: Move as quickly as possible so that the steam does not accumulate for too long and wet the carpet.
- Pro Tip: Try using a crevice tool if the triangular tool doesn’t fit into tight spots.
FOURTH STEP: Steam clean your seat fabrics
- Pro Tip: Brush your seats lightly, so you don’t cause scratches.
FIFTH STEP: Vacuum your car
Once the carpets and seats are steam cleaned, thoroughly vacuum the carpets to remove any remaining dirt.
- Pro Tip: Steam cleaners are very efficient at removing salt stains from carpets caused by winter weather.
3 steps to Use a Steam Cleaner on Leather, Plastic, and Vinyl
You should use a soft attachment that does not scratch leather, plastic, and plastic components when using a steam cleaner.
Materials required
- Attaching fabric or foam to a steam cleaner
- A steam cleaner
- Triangular steam cleaner attachment with a brush
FIRST STEP: Add an attachment to your steam cleaners, such as a sponge or foam
Microfiber cloths work best for sensitive surfaces because they do not scratch and don’t spread dirt around.
- Pro Tip: You can use a microfiber cloth attached to a carpet attachment on plastic and leather if you don’t have a cloth attachment for your steam cleaner.
SECOND STEP: Clean the leather and plastic
You can use the attachment to gently wipe your car’s interior plastic and vinyl parts, such as the dashboard, the audio system, and areas near the gearshift.
Dirt, dust, and oils are easily cleaned from your car’s interior by the fabric on the attachment.
- Pro Tip: Wipe your steering wheel with a steam cleaner to remove any oil left there by your hands.
THIRD STEP: Clean the leather upholstery
To clean leather seats, wrap a microfiber cloth around the carpet attachment.
Protect the leather from scratches by covering the brushes.
Clean the leather gently using a steam cleaner while a microfiber cloth removes dirt.
In addition to cleaning the leather, steam also moisturizes and nourishes it.
- Pro Tip: Transfer dye stains on leather can be easily removed with steam cleaners. To remove dirt from leather, simply use a steam cleaner.
3 Steps to use the steam cleaner in tight places
Clean areas that are otherwise difficult to reach with a steam cleaner and a crevice tool.
Materials Required
- Steam cleaner crevice tool
- Vacuum cleaner crevice tool
- A steam cleaner
- A vacuum cleaner
FIRST STEP: Use a steam cleaner
You should place the steam cleaner tip near the dirty area. Steam cleaner tips are perfect for cleaning under-dash vents, between seats and consoles, deep door pockets and cupholders, and cracks and crevices in plastic trim parts not accessible with other methods.
SECOND STEP: Dry out the area
If you can, use a microfiber cloth to wipe the area, but it isn’t essential.
You can use steam to clean dust and dirt from difficult-to-reach areas.
THIRD STEP: Vacuum the affected area
To remove the dust from cup holders and door pockets, use a crevice tool to vacuum them after steam cleaning heavily stained areas.
2 steps to steam clean the headliner
A headliner is not an area that requires frequent cleaning. Still, it does acquire dust and debris from airborne particles and physical contact.
The headliner is made from a compressed board with foam attached, which is then covered in fabric. The headliner will need to be replaced if the glue is soft or wet. You must clean the headliner carefully to avoid damaging it or tearing it.
Materials Required
- Soft cloth
- A steam cleaner
- A vacuum cleaner
FIRST STEP: Get the steam cleaner ready
Avoid scratching the tip by covering it with a microfiber cloth.
SECOND STEP: Clean the headliner with a steam cleaner
Do not stay in one place too long when using a steam cleaner on the surface of the headliner.
- Pro Tip: Be sure not to damage the adhesive between the layers. When you clean the seats and carpet, move the steam cleaner twice as fast over the headliner.
Make sure that each time you move the steam cleaner, you overlap it enough to avoid missing any spots. By covering up or cleaning one area too many times, the fabric can separate. The headliner can be damaged, or the fabric can shrink.
3 Steps to Clean Windows Using a Steam Cleaner
It is possible to clean your exterior windows with a steam cleaner to remove sap, bugs, and dirt. By using steam, these substances get softer and are more easily removed.
Materials Required
- A tower or a microfiber cloth
- A steam cleaner
- Attachment for squeegee steam cleaners
FIRST STEP: Prepare your steam cleaner
Include a squeegee attachment with your steam cleaner. You can also use a cloth-covered microfiber attachment if you don’t have a squeegee attachment.
SECOND STEP: Put steam on the window
From top to bottom, pass the steam cleaner over the window. Use the steam cleaner in overlapping passes.
- Bonus Tip: Clean the windshield in horizontal lines from the top-down, focusing on one half of the glass at a time.
You can use a squeegee attachment to clean glass surfaces after steam has loosened contaminants.
THIRD STEP: Cleaning the squeegee
The squeegee edge should be wiped clean after each pass to prevent dirt from transferring back to the glass.
- BONUS TIP: Turn it or flip it if the microfiber cloth becomes too dirty on a flat surface
.
Repeat this process for all windows to ensure your car windows are as clean and straightforward as possible.
You are welcome to provide any valuable tips regarding using a steam cleaner to detail a car interior. Please leave a message below.
