Car Cleaning Guide: Keep dirt, dust, and germs away from your Ferrari

Keep your Ferrari Interior Clean and Germ Free With Our Handy Tips while also maintaining its beauty.

No one likes a dirty car. Cars can be filled with dust, dirt, and germs. On average, Americans spend 18 days in their car per year[1]. That’s a lot of time sitting in traffic jamming out to music on your way to work or driving your kids around town. Cars are high-traffic areas and breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses. Keep your vehicle and family germ-free with Ferrari of Fort Lauderdale’s Car Cleaning Guide. Protect yourself and your loved ones this season.

Clean Car Tip #1: Grab the RIGHT Cleaning Products and Gloves

Not all cleaning products are made equal.

Understand what your car’s interior is made of. Is it fabric? Is it leather? Or maybe a combination of both? Choosing the right cleaning products will allow you to clean your car thoroughly while also maintaining the quality of your Ferrari vehicle. If you aren’t sure which cleaners will do the best job, the CDC has provided recommendations. Make sure to also have a vacuum ready to pick up the dirt and dust.

In addition, make sure to glove up since you don’t want to harm your hands with harsh chemicals and spread more germs in your car. Gloves will also come in handy when picking up trash – like used tissues. Practice proper glove removal by peeling off and turning inside out. The CDC also recommends you wash your hands immediately after removing your gloves and not to use reusable gloves since they can hold onto viruses and spread it to another surface.

Clean Car Guide Tip #2: Don’t Forget Between the Seats or Other High Touch Areas

When a car is dirty, it is easy to notice large dirt particles such as receipts and bags. Make sure that you look for the smaller dirt and dust particles that inhabit between and under the seats. Some overlooked areas that still need cleaning are the infotainment touch screen, the climate and audio controls, the steering wheel, the gear shif knob, the turn signal, power window, mirror, and locking buttons, keys, and push-button ignitions. Avoid damaging your electronics by using disinfecting wipes and avoid using ammonia-based cleaning products. These products can deteriorate the anti-glare coating. Instead, it is best to spritz an alcohol-based cleaner onto a microfiber cloth for a quick wipe down. The EPA even has an approved products list of products that are effective and safe to use.

Clean Car Guide Tip #3: Remove your Floor Mats

Using an upholstery attachment without bristles on your vacuum for this step. First, begin with your carpets. It is best to go over the carpet area multiple times to ensure all dust and dirt is removed. The next area is one of the most forgotten areas. Check the area around the accelerator and the brake pedals. It is usually the dirtiest area since the driver’s legs rest here. Pay special attention to this area. Lastly, using the same attachment, vacuum the floor mats and give them a quick tap outside of the vehicle to ensure all dust has been removed. If there is some tough dirt remaining, repeat this step.

Car Cleaning Tip #4: Clean the Plastic and Vinyl Segments

Grab a microfiber cloth and a vinyl cleaner. First, using one side of the cloth, wipe the dust away. Next, spray a little vinyl cleaner on the cloth and wipe the surface. Make sure to get the door panels, glove box, steering wheel column covers, and anywhere else that has plastic or vinyl. If your Ferrari has carbon fiber, use a microfiber cloth and a detail spray to enhance the weave and shine. In case you can’t find detail spray, you can use any soap that is safe for car paint as well. No spot should go uncleaned!

Car Cleaning Tip #5: Clean the Seats and Windows

If you have leather seats, make sure you have a leather cleaner, a leather conditioner, and a microfiber cloth. The American Chemistry Council and the Center of the Biocide Chemistries has a list of products that are approved to be used on soft surfaces. Spray the leather cleaner onto the cloth and wipe all leather surfaces. Once the surface is dry, apply the leather conditioner to maintain a wrinkle-free leather seat. Windows should be cleaned last so that you can remove any other conditioners or cleaners that landed on them during the cleaning process. This will retain the glassy condition and streak-free shine. To clean your windows and windshield, apply glass cleaner onto a microfiber cloth and wipe until windows are shiny and clean. Don’t forget to remove the dust in the window seal. This is the area that the window goes in when it is rolled down completely.

Why is it Important to Clean My Vehicle?

Not only is cleaning your vehicle important for maintaining your new car look and feel, but it can also help prevent the spread of germs and reinfection. If you have children, you know they make it easy to spread germs. Pay attention to surfaces that your children touch all the time. Wash items like car seats, car blankets, rear-seat entertainment systems, climate controls, seat belts, and even books or toys that are kept in the car. Make sure to follow the care instructions on your child’s favorite stuffed animals or let the toy take a ride in the washing machine on a gentle setting. Hard plastic toys should be washed in a diluted bleach solution. According to the CDC, the best solution is mixing four tablespoons of bleach into a quart of water or five tablespoons in a gallon. Never mix ammonia and bleach-based cleaners!

Prevent Reinfection by Keeping Wipes and Hand Sanitizer Handy. It is always good to keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in your car. Not only is it great for giving your hands a quick clean after pumping gas, but also for cleaning hands when soap is not readily available to stop the spread of germs. Look for a hand sanitizer that has an alcohol content of at least 60 percent. Regularly disinfect your steering wheel, gear shifter, and any other surfaces you touch often. We hope you enjoyed this Car Cleaning Guide.

^[1] The Car Connection: News Article