This article may contain affiliate links.
Think car interior cleaning is all about vacuuming and spraying air freshener? Think again.
Car interior detailing is a process unlike any other–especially when performed using eco-friendly car interior cleaning methods. When done right, it will leave your car smelling amazing–and you feeling great about taking care of the environment too.
Ready to learn what goes into a proper professional interior detail? This goes way beyond expectations.
Here’s what you’ll learn
- What Professional Car Interior Detailing Actually Is
- What’s Included In A Full Interior Detail
- Why Eco-Friendly Car Interior Cleaning Makes A Difference
- How To Know You’re Getting A Quality Service
What Professional Car Interior Detailing Actually Is
Professional interior detailing is not your typical car wash. And honestly, it’s not even a ‘simple clean’ kind of job either. It’s a comprehensive, professional deep clean of every surface inside your vehicle. From removing dirt embedded in carpet fibers to bacteria hiding out in your headliner. The idea is to eliminate everything basic cleaning can’t reach: dirt, allergens, bacteria, and odors.
When searching for “car interior detailing near me,” it helps to know what you should expect from the service. If eco-friendly car interior cleaning is important to you, it’s even more important to know a quality provider will use non-toxic ingredients that don’t leave behind harmful chemicals on surfaces after cleaning.
This really does make a difference.
What’s Included in a Full Interior Detail
So what goes into an car interior detail? Here’s the breakdown:
Deep Vacuuming
Expect every surface to get vacuumed. This includes:
- Seats (including underneath!)
- Floor carpets and floor mats
- Trunk
- Crevice tool around center console and door pockets
Done properly, vacuuming is the foundation of any eco-friendly car interior cleaning service. Period.
Steam Cleaning & Sanitization
Steam cleaning remains one of the most popular services in professional detailing. Here’s why:
It blasts high temperature vapor onto surfaces to lift stains, kill bacteria and sanitize fabrics without spraying chemicals all over the place. Professional detailers use steam on upholstery, carpets, air vents, and any other surface that could benefit from deep cleaning.
Pro tip: steam cleaning is effective and natural, making it a fantastic eco-friendly car interior cleaning method.
Upholstery & Carpet Treatment
Yeah, vacuuming your seats isn’t enough. Professional upholstery cleaners treat fabric seats and carpets with a process called extraction cleaning. It involves injecting a cleaning solution into the fibers, scrubbing and then vacuuming it right back out along with dirt and debris. Leather seats get treated separately so they don’t dry out and fade.
The finished product? Upholstery that looks and smells fresh.
Dashboard, Console & Door Panel Detailing
Every hard surface inside the car’s cabin gets detailed. That includes:
- Steering wheel
- Dashboard surfaces
- Gear shifter and console
- Door handles and armrests
- Cup holders
Believe it or not, there are correct and incorrect ways to clean your center console. Professional detailers know which products work best on different surfaces: plastic, vinyl, rubber and leather. Each cabin surface is unique and deserves individual care. Get this step wrong and surfaces can end up looking greasy or attracting more dust.
Window Cleaning (Interior)
Ever noticed how the inside of your windows always seem to get left behind? Yeah, professional detailing wipes that notion right out the window. Interior window cleaning is standard for any professional detail. Your windows and inside mirrors will look so good you’ll want to roll down the windows every time you drive into the sun.
Air Vent & Odour Treatment
Car air vents are nasty. They breed dust, bacteria and mold without you even knowing it. That’s why professional interior detailers take extra care to clean deep inside vents and use non-toxic treatment solutions to eliminate odors at the source. Eco-friendly car interior cleaning is ideal here because odor treatments can use plant-based formulas instead of synthetic chemicals that just cover smells up.
Why Eco-Friendly Car Interior Cleaning Makes A Real Difference
Okay, so eco-friendly car interior cleaning is a ‘nice to have.’ Right?
Wrong. A lot of time gets spent in the car. An interior detail uses products that touch every surface touched every time someone gets in: steering wheel, gear shift, armrests. Using eco-friendly products means none of these surfaces will have harmful residue lurking around. It’s healthier for people and the environment. Heck, it could even be good for business if you’re in the carwash industry.
The U.S. carwash and auto detailing industry was expected to grow to $20.2 billion by 2025, and eco-friendly services have been credited as one of the major contributors to this growth. Specifically, the interior detailing sector is one of the fastest growing. Interior car detailing services alone are expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.7% from 2025-2030 as a direct result of increasing customer knowledge and concerns over allergens, bacteria and overall healthier cabin air.
Pretty wild when you think about it.
How To Know You’re Getting a Quality Service
Not all car interior detailing services are created equal. Here are four signs you can trust your provider:
Check the time. Professional interior detailing takes time. Usually between two to five hours, depending on the size of your vehicle and its condition. Got it done in under 30 minutes? Don’t bother.
Ask about products. Inquire as to the cleaning products being used. Reputable, professional service providers will have zero issues explaining exactly what they use on your vehicle. This is especially true for businesses that specialize in eco-friendly car interior cleaning!
Evaluate the results. Take a minute to really look (and smell) at your car after detailing. Does it smell better? Are surfaces visibly clean? Are there still crumbs and dirt in cracks you can see? Upholstery should not feel greasy or slippery after treatment.
Do your research. Yelp reviews about anything can be hit or miss, but reading about interior detail results can clue you into how well a business actually cleans interiors. You’ll learn a lot from other customers who had their expectations exceeded.
The interior of your car should look and feel good. When cared for with the right products, it will.
Putting It All Together
Professional car interior detailing is more than vacuuming seats and steering wheels. Professional interior detailers clean every inch of your car’s cabin: surfaces, fabric, glass, air vents and even the air your passengers breathe. When you use eco-friendly car interior cleaning products you can feel good about your service every step of the way.
Here’s a quick rundown of what goes into a quality interior vehicle detail:
- Deep vacuuming of seats, floors, boot, console, and door pockets
- Steam sanitizing and cleaning
- Upholstery & carpet extraction cleaning
- Dashboard, console, and door panel detailing
- Interior window glass cleaning
- Cleaning air vents and eliminating odors
Your car’s interior will feel and smell like new after a professional detailing. It’s amazing what you don’t notice about your car until it’s been done. Then you’ll never want to go back.
