There’s nothing better than having a freshly cleaned car, but it’s a job that many people put off because of the effort involved, and instead spend hundreds a year having someone else do it.
Although it might be convenient, nothing is stopping you from doing the job yourself and giving your car a deep clean that can rival the professionals.
Can you deep clean your car at home and how much does it cost?
There are loads of products that allow you to provide a professional interior detailing to your car, and if you’re someone who cleans it once a month at least, it’s a good idea to invest in a few of them. You can save a few hundred dollars a year doing the job yourself, with just a little bit of effort on your part.
If you’re someone who spends a lot at the detailers and wants to save some money, you can start giving your car a deep cleaning at home.
We’ll break down the pros and cons of cleaning your car and how much you stand to save, so you can see whether or not it’s worth it.
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The Pros And Cons Of Cleaning Your Own Car
Cleaning your car isn’t something that most people consider a good time, but it can be a rewarding and satisfying way to spend your time.
These are the pros and cons of giving your car a deep clean, to sway you either way.
Pros
- Cleaning your own provides a level of satisfaction that is only done by doing a job for yourself, and you’ll feel good every time you drive in it.
- When you purchase a few of your own supplies and use them regularly, you can save hundreds of dollars a year in detailing costs.
- Learning the correct way to detail a car’s interior teaches you a new skill, so you’ll be able to clean a car professionally any time you want.
Cons
- It can take at least an hour to provide a deep clean to a car, and it’s not something people want to spend time on their weekends doing.
- You might feel the quality of your clean doesn’t compare to the type of clean a professional detailer provides.
Costs Of Cleaning Your Car At Home
When you plan on taking over the cleaning of your car at home, you’ll need to make an initial outlay of the products that are needed.
Once you’ve purchased the basics for cleaning the car, you won’t need to spend any more for a couple of years, so it works out to be a good return on investment.
- Glass cleaner ($10 – $30): A auto glass cleaner product made specifically for cars, that doesn’t contain any ammonia that can be harmful to the paintwork or interior surfaces.
- Carpet and upholstery cleaner ($10 – $30): This provides a deep clean to the carpets, carseats, carseat covers, and floor mats when needed.
- Car vacuum ($60 – $200): A compact type of vacuum that fits into the small spaces of the car, so you don’t have to use a standard size household vacuum.
- Interior trim care ($10 – $30): Depending on the type of trim your car has, a cleaner made for plastic, leather, vinyl, or any other material.
Professional Car Cleaning Cost
If you’re someone who prefers to have their car professionally cleaned, you’ll already know that it’s an expensive ongoing cost.
Depending on the type of clean you’re having, the condition of the vehicle, and its size, this service can vary dramatically in price.
A basic car detailing service where the car is vacuumed, polished, and the trims are polished will cost around $60 for an average size vehicle and around $100 for an SUV.
For a deeper clean that involves carpet cleaning and upholstery you might pay an additional $100 for the service.
When you consider that your car should be cleaned once a month to keep it in the best condition, this could end up costing over $1,000 a year.
If you include an exterior wash as well, you might be spending close to $2,000 each year just to clean your car.
Related Questions
Keeping the inside of your car clean is just as important as washing the outside, but it’s an often-overlooked job.
If you want to start doing your own deep cleans at home and save yourself some money from using professional detailing services, we’ve got the answers to some FAQs that can point you in the right direction.
Can You Deep Clean Car Seats?
If your car seats require a deep clean, you can use an upholstery or carpet cleaner.
These products are usually sprayed on and then left to set a few minutes, before brushing it into the carpet.
The stains are lifted and it provides a deep clean to the car seats without having to get it professionally detailed.
What is A Good Substitute for Car Wash?
Car wash products were designed to be gentle on a vehicle’s paintwork while still being effective enough to clean off the dirt and grime build-up on them.
If you’re unable to get a specialized car wash product, it’s best to do a basic wash with just plain water until you can get the right cleaning agents.
How Do You Clean Vinyl Dashboard?
The vinyl dashboard of a car is fairly easy to clean and doesn’t always require polishing as long as you have the right cloths.
First, you need to wipe the dust and debris from the dashboard using a rag, and then use a microfiber cloth to finish it off and add a layer of shine.
