When going on a date, you want to make as best as an impression as possible. In addition to the way you dress and your personal hygiene, another way to make a good impression on your date is to take that special person out in a clean and nice-smelling vehicle. By taking some steps before you pick up your date, you can ensure that your car is sparkling clean, even increasing the likelihood of more dates in the future.
Part 1 of 3: Clean out and organize your car
Before you get too deep into the cleaning process, you need to remove or organize the items currently in your vehicle. Maybe you keep various items relating to your job in your car, such as a uniform, or maybe you still have your books from a class last semester still in your back seat. Clean these items out so that your vehicle is not cluttered.
Step 1: Organize your items. You should place more useful items in the trunk, including umbrellas and other items you might need.
The best place to put items you think you might need is in a box in the trunk. This gives you easy access to them when you need them, but keeps them out of the way when you don't.
Step 2: Remove larger trash. After cleaning out the items you want to keep, it is time to get rid of any trash.
Throw away trash, wrappers, or food items.
Part 2 of 3: Clean the interior
Materials Needed
- Carpet shampoo
- Chamois cloth
- Cleaner
- Conditioner
- Glass cleaner
- Microfiber towels
- Q-tips
- Small brush
- Soft-bristled brush
- Vacuum (with upholstery attachment)
Now that you removed all of the bigger pieces of trash and the items you want to keep in your car are organized, it is time to clean the interior of your vehicle. Wipe down all surfaces in your vehicle's interior to remove dirt, dust, and other debris. When cleaning, start at the top of your vehicle and work your way down, finishing with the carpeting.
Step 1: Clean the interior glass. Start by cleaning the inside of the windows and the rearview mirror.
Spray the glass cleaner directly onto the microfiber towel instead of spraying it on the glass. This helps prevent the glass cleaner from getting on the surface below.
Step 2: Wipe down all surfaces. Next, wipe down all hard surfaces, such as the dash, console, and doors, using a microfiber cloth and cleaner.
When cleaning leather, make sure to use a cleaner specially formulated for the material. In addition, you can vacuum the seats using an upholstery attachment, as this keeps the material from becoming damaged.
When applying the leather cleaner, always follow the directions on the product and when removing the cleaner, use a slightly damp chamois cloth. Allow the leather material to dry naturally.
Step 3: Clean the seats. Now that you have wiped down the hard surfaces, it is time to clean the seats, starting by vacuuming the seats to remove any larger debris.
Once you have finished vacuuming, use the appropriate cleaner to clean the surface of the seats. For harder-to-remove stains, use a soft-bristled brush to loosen it before cleaning. Finish by vacuuming up any remaining dirt, debris, and cleaner.
Step 4: Clean the carpet. Finish by cleaning the vehicle's carpet.
Begin by removing the floor mats, shaking them out, and placing them aside for later vacuuming. Next, vacuum up any larger dirt and debris. Shampoo the carpeting, if needed, for more deep down cleaning.
Use a soft-bristled brush to loosen up any hard-to-remove stains or debris. Vacuum the carpeting to remove any remaining dirt, debris, or shampoo. Finish by vacuuming the floor mats and placing them back into the vehicle.
Step 5: Detail the interior. If needed, detail the interior of the vehicle.
You need such items as Q-tips and brushes for the detailing process. If you are not confident in performing the detailing yourself, hire professional detailers to do the job for you.
- Tip: As a final touch, you can add an air freshener to keep the inside smelling great. You have a few options when putting an air freshener in your car, including the kind that hang on your rearview mirror, air fresheners that insert into your air vents, and small bags that go underneath the seat.
Part 3 of 3: Clean the exterior
Materials Needed
- Bucket
- Car shampoo
- Car wax
- Clay bar
- Auto detailing solution
- Garden hose
- Glass cleaner
- Microfiber towels
- Orbital polisher
- Soft-bristled brush
- Sponge
Now that the inside of the car is clean, it is time to wash and wax the outside. Make sure to pick a shady spot where you can wash your vehicle, as leaving it exposed to the sun can cause it to dry too quickly, leading to the formation of hard-to-remove water spots.
Step 1: Spray the vehicle down with water. Once wet, allow the vehicle to sit for a few minutes.
This allows the water to loosen the dirt and grime on the vehicle's surface, making it easier to remove in later steps.
Step 2: Apply soap and water. Starting at the roof, wash the vehicle with a sponge using soap and water.
Work your way down the vehicle, ending at the bottom. Don't forget the tires! You can also use a soft-bristled brush to loosen any hard-to-remove dirt and debris.
Step 3: Rinse the vehicle. Starting from the roof, work your way from the top down, rinsing the soap and dirt off using a garden hose.
Make sure to rinse off all the soap, especially from areas such as the side mirrors and the hood around the front windshield.
Step 4: Dry the vehicle. Use microfiber towels to dry the vehicle thoroughly.
This helps prevent the formation of water spots, which when dry are hard to remove.
Step 5: Clean the exterior glass. Once the vehicle is dry, you need to clean the exterior glass, including all of the windows and the side mirrors.
Clean the windows a section at a time. Unlike the interior windows, you can spray the cleaner directly onto the glass surface.
Step 6: Detail the vehicle exterior. Alternately, you can detail the outside of the vehicle to make it look even better.
Detailing requires special materials, including a clay bar to help remove even more contaminants from the vehicle's surface. In addition to the clay bar, you need some sort of detailing solution to use with it.
You can always pay someone else to detail your vehicle for you if you lack the knowledge to do so yourself.
Step 7: Wax the vehicle. After the vehicle is clean and dry, the last step is to apply a wax coating to protect the car's finish.
You can either use the orbital polisher or a clean microfiber towel to apply the wax. After allowing the wax to dry according to the directions, remove it using a clean microfiber towel. Use the orbital polisher to bring the vehicle's paint to a polished shine.
By cleaning your vehicle properly, you can make a good impression on your date. In addition to making sure your vehicle looks good when going on a date, it also needs to run properly as a poorly running vehicle can dampen the whole night. Have one of our expert mechanics perform a 75-point safety inspection to make sure your vehicle is running at its best before you go on a date.
