Taxi company shares tips on the proper way to clean your car

Between takeaway cups from late-night fares, muddy shoes, and the occasional spilled drink, keeping a taxi in top condition can be a challenge. For the best and most customer focused cabbies, they’re among the best at keeping their interiors spotless.

With searches for ‘car cleaning tips’ up by 49% over the last three months, the experts at The Taxi Centre reveal how to clean your car like a pro. Not only is a clean car a pleasant thing to have, but it can also help with resale value when you come to sell.

While getting rid of the rubbish and temporarily removing your stuff is the obvious place to start, they also recommend taking the floor mats out. This is to give them a thorough wash on a high heat setting.

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As for the outside, a snow foam wash, which is essentially a shampoo for your car, and ideally a pressure washer or hose to blast away dirt and grime from your vehicle’s exterior is the way to go. If you don’t have access to either of those cleaning tools, opt for pouring buckets of hot water over your car, after applying the foam wash.

Once the interior is empty, treat the car’s car upholstery with a dry brush, using it to remove dirt and mud on the seats. If you’re struggling to clean dirt or crumbs from certain spots, try using a toothbrush to reach any tricky nooks and crannies.

Next, it’s time to completely freshen up the car’s interior. They say to start by treating any stains in your vehicle.

An easy, cost-effective solution for this is to sprinkle bicarbonate of soda over any stains or bad-smelling spots in your car. Leave these to soak for up to an hour and then thoroughly vacuum the bicarbonate of soda away, along with the rest of the car.

Wipe down every inch of the car interior that isn’t its upholstery, such as the steering wheel and cup holders. When it comes to cleaning mirrors and internal windows, ensure that you use a cleaning spray specifically designed for glass with a lint-free cloth.

After spending plenty of time treating the interior and upholstery, it’s time to turn your attention back to the exterior of the car. While the pre-clean will have helped remove dirt and grime, this next step will allow you to properly scrub your car to give it a gleaming appearance.

Fill a bucket with a combination of car cleaner and warm water. Use a microfibre sponge covered in the soapy water mix, and scrub at every inch of the paintwork in circular motions, including your bumper and car doors, which can be easily missed.

Rinse the sponge with clean water in a separate bucket, to avoid your cleaning mix becoming contaminated with any dirt debris. Make sure to use your specialist glass cleaner when treating your windows.

If you really want to recreate that new car look, then consider polishing your motor after cleaning – just make sure to do some research to find a polish that will suit your paintwork. Finally, they say as important as it is to give your car a deep clean every few months, prevention is also key to keeping your car looking its best.

For example, it can be difficult to clean away the dirt that gets in the bottom of cup holders. But, if you line your cup holders with silicone cupcake cases you can avoid the crumbs and general residue that ends up at the bottom, and they are much easier to remove and clean.

Seat covers are also a fantastic investment for any drivers with furry friends prone to shedding, or little ones likely to spill or drop food and drink in the backseat. Make sure to store a packet of all-purpose cleaning wipes in your glove compartment, which are perfect to use on any unexpected messes or to simply maintain a fresh interior.