12 Places in a Car that Also Needs to be Cleaned

 

Source: 20 GENIUS Car Cleaning Hacks

1. Behind the Fuel Filler Cap
1. We get that the space behind the fuel filler cap is easy to forget when cleaning your car, but if you want all-round results, be sure to get in there and clean it up. This small area can collect a surprising amount of dust and muck, and keeping it clean will reduce the likelihood of getting dirt in the fuel tank, or it dripping down the outside of your car when it rains.
2. Go easy when cleaning behind your car’s fuel filler cap; we wouldn’t use a pressure washer. Instead, a sponge or soft-bristled brush should do the trick. Just make sure you clean it before doing the area around it, or you risk messing up your paintwork.
2. The Undercarriage
1. While giving your car’s undercarriage a thorough clean can be tricky, there are a couple of reasons why it’s worth your attention. First, it’ll remove salt and deposits which cause corrosion, so it’s an essential maintenance tip in wet, wintry weather. Second, it’ll help you spot issues under your car, so you can put them right before they become bigger problems.
2. The best way to clean the undercarriage is with a pressure washer or hose. Aim the jet of water upwards and use a sweeping motion to give the whole base of the car a thorough clean down.
3. Under the Spoiler
1. If your car has a spoiler, or any other features that stand off the main bodywork, don’t forget to clean the reverse side. There’s nothing more annoying than leaving a hand car wash, only to find that they’ve forgotten to clean behind the spoiler – so don’t make the same mistake.
2. When washing your car, start from the top and work downwards. That way, when you clean areas like the spoiler, the dirty water won’t ruin the area you’ve already done.
4. The Space Beneath the Front Windscreen Wiper
1. Your car’s washed, polished and waxed, but then you see it: a line of dirt beneath the front windscreen wiper. It’s easy to forget this small area, which is why it’s always best to raise the wipers when cleaning your car.
2. The area between the wipers and the bonnet can collect a surprising amount of dirt and grime, so you may need to give it an intensive clean with a pressure washer. Raise the wiper arms to blast away any residual muck; don’t worry, spraying water here won’t damage the engine.
5. The Engine
1. Ask most people what areas of their car they clean, and nine times out of 10 they’d say the paintwork and the interior. But what about the engine? Surely that deserves the same love and care as other areas of your car?
2. Cleaning an engine might sound intimidating, but it’s easier than it sounds and could help prolong the life of your car. For a full guide on carrying out this neglected bit of car maintenance, take a look at this guide on how to clean your engine from our partner brand, Redex.
6. The Wing Mirror Arms
1. Distracted by your car’s shiny paintwork, overlooking the wing mirror arms is easily done. In fact, you might not notice until you’re back behind the wheel, and spot the cobwebs, grime and dust peeking out from behind the wing mirror.
2. Cleaning the wing mirrors and mirror arms is fairly straightforward. We’d recommend folding the mirrors in and out so you can get into all those hard-to-reach areas; a soft-bristled tyre cleaning brush could help with fiddly bits.
7. The Glovebox
1. When was the last time you cleaned your car’s glovebox? For many, we’d say never. These storage bins have a tendency to become a bit of a dumping ground, whether it’s loose bits of paper and receipts, or full-on litter, like takeaway food wrappers.
2. Your glovebox deserves to be kept clean, tidy and organised, so make sure you tackle it along with the rest of the interior. Disposable dashboard cleaning wipes are great for giving your car’s storage areas a quick once-over.
8. The Seat Crevices
1. Car seats, both in the front and back, have a tendency to collect crumbs, dust and dirt around their edges, where the fabric meets the frame. These hard-to-reach areas can make it tricky to keep your seats looking clean, and the dirt they collect can cause bad odours over time.
2. When vacuuming your car’s seats, we’d recommend using a soft brush tool for the main upright and seat, before switching to a narrow crevice tool to get in the gaps at the side. Go easy here, as you don’t want to scratch the frame.
9. The Side Door Pockets
1. As with the glovebox, side door pockets are often neglected when it comes to the big interior clean. Granted, these areas can be difficult to get into, but they can harbour all sorts of germs and bacteria, not to mention sticky spots from endless coffee and drink spills.
2. If you struggle to give your car’s side storage pockets a deep clean, we’d recommend Simoniz Dash Cleaner. Not only will it remove stains and dirt, but the foam action means it’s great for getting into difficult areas.
3. Also remember, any crevices like this will get filled with dirt, so check areas like cup holders too.
10. The Carpet Beneath the Seats
1. Few people enjoy vacuuming their car. But if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.
2. When it comes to keeping your car’s carpets clean and free from dirt and bits, don’t forget to do the areas beneath the seats. You’d be surprised how much muck these spaces can accumulate, so make sure you move the front seats backwards and forwards to hoover up every trace of dust, lint and dirt that’s found a home beneath the seats.  Top tip – lift the car mats up to clean underneath, AND don’t forget underneath the pedals.
11. Under the Boot Floor
1. Cleaning out a car boot is easy, but when was the last time you looked under the boot floor? Usually containing not much other than a spare wheel or puncture repair kit, this area is easy to neglect, but the dirt is collects could lead to bad odours in the cabin – especially if your dog is a regular passenger in the boot.
2. The good news is a lot of cars have a fully-removable boot lining, so not only can you access the lower portion of the boot easily, but it also makes vacuuming the lining a doddle. When cleaning the space beneath the boot floor, be careful that your vacuum cleaner doesn’t rub against the paintwork.
12. The Rear Windows
1. While most of us like to clean the inside of our windscreens and front windows for visibility reasons, the rear interior glass can go a long time without seeing a cloth and some cleaning spray. To maintain safe all-round visibility, however, you should make an effort to clean all the windows regularly. Even on the rear windows, streaks, marks and fingerprints can cause dangerous sun dazzle, impacting your day-to-day driving. If you have a touch screen display on your dashboard this can also get dusty and smeared with fingerprints, so it’s an important place to clean too.
2. Cleaning interior glass is easy. You’ll need a microfibre cloth and a glass cleaning spray. Spray two to three bursts of the cleaner directly onto the cloth (not the glass) before using a circular motion to give the glass a deep, sparkling clean.

References:

https://www.holtsauto.com/simoniz/news/12-places-car-forgets-clean/