Cleaning your car for a sale

Interior cleaning

The importance of cleaning the interior of your car before a sale is grossly underestimated and takes considerable time and effort. Take your time to clean the interior of your car properly and you will impress a potential new buyer, the clean appearance giving the impression of a well looked after vehicle.

Initially begin to clear up any larger items of rubbish using a carrier bag to dispose of any car litter. The parcel shelf can be removed and brushed down quickly to clear any debris along with any removable seat covers. Driving mats should be shaken well outside of the car before being vacuumed.

Once these quick preparations have been carried out vacuum the interior carpets, seats and upholstery using the vacuum cleaner attachments. Use a damp cloth to wipe away any surface dust from the steering wheel, dashboard, glove box and visible interior trims.

Be careful not to use a high gloss polish when polishing the car interior as a sheen can be left on the surface causing it to look greasy and more importantly leave a reflection. Make sure that the cleaner that you use in your car is suitable and of a good quality ensuring a glare free driving environment. Strong smelling cleaners should also be avoided as they can be off putting to a purchaser who may not like the smell or even be asthmatic which is common nowadays.

Car windows should be cleaned only using a good quality glass cleaner and using a method of wiping side to side will be beneficial for the car owner as you are less likely to damage any rear window heating elements. Smearing and smudging of the glass can be dangerous whilst driving so make sure that the cloth you choose is cleaned regularly and a dry cloth is used to wipe off at the end.

Boy racer attractions do not always impress prospective car buyers so take the time to remove and replace any fancy steering wheel covers, gear knobs, dangling dice from the rear view mirror and think "back to basics" as you replace these items.

Ashtrays can be a huge put off to potential buyers and should be thoroughly cleaned out. Smoking within a car can leave a terrible odour, but a simple odour neutraliser will solve this problem quickly. As a smoking driver you are not aware of the smell that resides in the car fabrics so if you want to sell you have to neutralise this odour. Also pet owners who have animals on the car seats need to ensure removal of all animal hairs leaving no trace visible to the eyes of prospective car buyers, there is nothing more off putting then a person who does not like animals to see hairs all over the seat coverings.

Remove any old driving mats that are becoming worn or tattered as they are not appealing to the eye of a car buyer. Leave the carpets without mats once they have been vacuumed and replace the interior driving mats only if you feel the need.