Car interiors can get dirty quickly, especially with pets and children aboard. It can be hard to figure out where to start, especially as dust, allergens and mould can thrive under the right conditions, but cleaning your car's interior is actually a very simple process.

In this article we take a look five simple steps for cleaning your car interior quickly and effectively at the same time.

Stage 1. Preparation

Before you start cleaning, it's important to prepare all the tools/accessories you’ll need to clean. Making sure you have the following on hand:

1. Vacuum cleaner with crevice tool, stubborn dirt brush or multifunction brush, and mini turbo brush. Read our Dyson Cordless vacuums: Understanding the tools and accessories article for a full list of accessories and instructions for use.  
2. Garbage or recycling bags.
3. Bags or containers to collect any object in your car.
4. A damp cloth.

Step 2. Empty the car

The first step is to open all car doors to ventilate the interior while cleaning, avoiding getting the interior wet on those rainy days. With a trash bag, remove the litter scattered around the car. Look under seats, in compartments and in cup holders.

In a separate bag or container, collect any items you don't want to throw away, like sunglasses or instruction manuals. Finally, remove the floor mats from the footwells and store them in a clean, dry place.

Stage 3. Cleaning the seats

Start with cleaning the seats. Use gravity to your advantage, allowing dirt and debris to drop on the floor of the car, ready to be removed later.

Begin in the front of the car and move both seats as far back as possible. With the crevice tool of your vacuum cleaner, vacuum as close to the crevices of the seats as possible. Pay particular attention to the gap between the seatback and the seat, as this is where a surprising amount of dirt and debris can accumulate.

Then, use the Dyson mini turbo brush to vacuum the seats to remove loose debris, invisible dust and allergens that can build up in fabrics. Use the "Boost" mode on your vacuum cleaner for more power.

After you've cleaned the major seating elements, use the crevice tool to vacuum along the sides of the seats, under the seats, and along the seat rails. For particularly hard-to-reach spots, use a crevice tool with built-in LED to illuminate dark areas, or a flexible crevice tool to reach awkward corners under the seat. Repeat the procedure until you have vacuumed all the seats.

Stage 4. Cleaning the interior bodywork

Use the multifunction brush and its soft nylon bristles to remove dust and dirt from the interior bodywork. Gently vacuum the dashboard and between the vents of your air conditioning system. Use a damp cloth to gently remove stains from the dashboard and let it dry thoroughly.

Don't forget the door side compartments, which may need to be cleaned. Use your vacuum cleaner's crevice tool and "Boost" mode to reach into tight corners and remove loose crumbs and invisible dirt. If the dirt is particularly stubborn, use a damp cloth after vacuuming. 

Step 5. Get rid of stubborn dirt

Finally, take care of the lower part of the car. Start removing stubborn dirt, such as dried mud or food stains. The tough nylon bristles on your vacuum's tough dirt brush will help you scrub away dry dirt from your most frequently used surfaces. The durable polypropylene design allows you to clean harder, without damaging the accessory.

If you don't have a brush for stubborn dirt, use the multifunction brush without the soft nylon bristles. The Dyson multifunction brush has a wide nozzle to cover a larger surface area with each stroke and is designed with a woven nylon roller to remove pet hair and other debris, for example from car footwells. Once stubborn dirt has been removed, vacuum the rest of the interior with the mini turbo brush or the stubborn dirt brush.

If pet hair or long hair is the main problem, the Dyson Tangle Free Brush will be your best friend. The roller picks up hair, without tangling, and can pick up even microscopic pet hair from surfaces - perfect for a quick boot clean.

What’s Next?

For a closer look at the additional accessories available, including specialist tool combination kits for pet grooming, detailed, advanced and furniture cleaning, storage, filters and more, please navigate to our online store. Once here, select your model from the on-screen options and continue through the journey to view all associated parts.

For tips and advice on cleaning the high-traffic areas of the home, hardwood floors and carpet, along with which accessory to choose, visit our How to: Clean the common areas of your house article in our ‘Tips and tricks’ forum.