Home » Cars & Other Vehicles » Vehicle Cleaning Checklist

Vehicle Cleaning Checklist

Hopefully your vehicle is your pride and joy and you look after it well, including cleaning it at least every other week!  Here’s a handy vehicle cleaning checklist to help you get in the groove. When cleaning the exterior wash in the early morning or evening, or in a shady area to avoid streaks.

The Interior

  • Get rid of all the rubbish!
  • Using an electrostatic dust cloth clean the dash,  doors, vinyl surfaces, and plastic trim.
  • Wipe them down with an all-purpose cleaner using an old towel to buff it up.
  • Clean the gearshift by gently pull the leather or plastic away from the sides to vacuum it and wipe it down with a cleanser-dampened towel.
  • Clean the floor and seats by taking out the floor mats, shaking them and give them a good wipe down.
  • Vacuum the trunk/boot, mats, the seats, and the floor carpeting. 
  • Move the seats all the way forward and then all the way back so you can get the nose of the vacuum down in the cracks.
  • Don’t forget to clean the windows and windshield interiors using a microfiber cloth and window cleaner so it doesn’t streak.
  • Roll down the windows to clean off the grime that gathers on the top.

The Exterior

  • Using a hose (assuming there’s no water hose ban in place!) start rinsing your vehicle:
    • Hose off loose dirt.
    • Lift the windshield wipers and spray the cracks below each wiper.
    • Make sure you do the undersides of the wheel hubcaps and wells.
  • Start washing it with a clean cloth:
    • If you don’t have car cleaning liquid, use some mild dishwashing liquid in a bucket of water is fine for unwaxed finishes.
    • Start with the roof then tackle the hood, the sides, and the main body.
  • To prevent streaking, do the windows separately:
    • To clean windows and bug-spattered headlights use a solution of one part white vinegar to two parts water.
    • To avoid streaking on the windows, allow them to dry for a few hours before you roll down the windows.
    • Use a separate sponge to scrub the especially grimy areas: the windshield wipers and the tyres.
    • To remove tar, saturate a cloth with a mixture of 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon linseed oil; rub into the tar and remove.
  • Rinse off your car and make sure you get to the hard to reach places like under the door handles and the inside parts of the side-view mirrors.
  • Before water spots have a chance to ruin the finish, use a towel to dry the surface.
    • If you are using a chamois, use it to mop up any remaining dampness.
    • Remember to dry spots like the roof line just above the windows, which could spill excess water later when you move the car.

About Joanna

Checklistables.com Co-Founder

Check Also

Sell a Car Checklist

Looking to sell your car or even a friend's? Here's a quick sell a car checklist to help you out. Continue reading

One comment

  1. I have noticed you don’t monetize checklistables.com, don’t waste your traffic, you can earn extra bucks every month with new monetization method.
    This is the best adsense alternative for any type
    of website (they approve all sites), for more info
    simply search in gooogle: murgrabia’s tools

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.