| How to Restore the New-Car Feel of Your Interior
(and keep it that way)
by Chris Delano, Customer Service Representative Isn’t it funny how your car always seems to run better after you detail the interior? While that may not be exactly true, the fact is, I know I feel better and enjoy driving my car when everything’s fresh and clean. Volvos are known for their ruggedness and ability to get you to your destination of choice. Hiking, biking, skiing, snowshoeing, even a day out and about can wreak havoc on your interior. But that doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. Here are a few tips to help maintain the interior of your Volvo. Before you get started, remove everything from the interior of the car. Throw away any unnecessary garbage or products that “float” around the vehicle. This will make cleaning much easier. Next, focus on the spots that usually get overlooked when vacuuming. Dirt collects between the seat bottom and the seat back. Adjusting your seat back will open the distance between the back and bottom of the seat so you can suck up all the crusty dirt that likes to hide in that crease. Another hiding place for dirt and debris is between the front seats and the center console. All sorts of particles like to collect along the seat rails in this hard-to-reach spot. Pry the seat cushions away from the center console so the nozzle of your vacuum can get down along the seat rails and floor. If you have floor mats, pull them out of the car and vacuum underneath them. After you’ve vacuumed, use a light cleaner (like 409 or Simple Green) and a scrub brush to clean the carpets. Cleaning the carpets on a regular basis will help keep away the musty smell that develops when water and dirt soak through the floor mats and into the carpets. While you have the floor mats out of the car, scrub those as well. For tough stains, use Lifter 1 Carpet Stain Remover. If your vehicle has leather seats, using good leather cleaner and conditioner (like Lexol, shown at right) will help keep the leather from becoming hard or cracking. If you have cloth interior, you can scrub the seats with a soft brush and the same light cleaners mentioned above. When cleaning the dashboard and trim pieces, stay away from products that leave a greasy residue. Even though it might look great, some products will attract dust and harmful UV rays. Body detailing shops most commonly uses tack cloth. You can find tack cloth at your local auto parts stores or purchase our interior duster which has the same purpose. Follow it up with Vinylex to keep the dash protected from UV rays. Once the dash is cleaned, you might notice the dirt that has accumulated at the opening of the air vents. Due to their size, it’s tough to get a rag to fit into all the small crevices of the vent cover. By using a Q-tip, you won’t have a problem removing that built-up dirt. Windshields and glass can be a hassle to clean. Left-over streaks can cause visibility to be worse than before you started cleaning them. That’s because most paper towels are not able to absorb the window cleaner fast enough. Using a smooth terry cloth or even newspaper will help keep nasty streaks from occurring. We also offer a cleaner called Invisible Glass. Check it out. Once the inside of your Volvo is back to new condition, you can keep it that way with out our full line of seat covers, heavy-duty floor mats, and cargo area mats. If you like to include your pets on family adventures, we also have Pet Pads that not only keep your four-legged friend comfortable on long trips, but also protect the interior from wet paws, slobber and pet hair. | 
