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Your BMW features a luxurious and well-designed interior that should provide you with a refreshing space for any journey, whether you're making the morning commute or heading off on a special trip. To fully enjoy the sophisticated details of your BMW, however, you need to keep up with routine maintenance and regular interior cleaning tasks. Perform the following cleaning routine at least twice a year to detail your BMW's interior and keep it in pristine shape long into the future.Prep Your Car's Interior
The first thing you should do when cleaning the interior of your BMW is clear out any loose items. Get rid of things like wayward straw wrappers, tissues, or other trash hiding in the door pockets or storage cubbies. Remove items that typically live in your vehicle as well, such as your roadside emergency kit, so you have full access to all the surfaces in your car while you're cleaning.
Once the BMW is emptied, go over it with a clean cloth to quickly dust down the surfaces. This will lift the top layer of dust and dirt from the dash and other areas so it's easier for you to vacuum. This is also the time to inspect your vehicle for more problematic messes, like melted candy in the cupholders or sticky stains on the dash. Make a note of these messes so you can spot-treat them in subsequent steps.
Vacuum Thoroughly
Vacuuming your vehicle is a big job, so you want your vacuum in top condition before you begin. Change the vacuum filter and dump the dirt compartment so you have maximum suction at your disposal. Take your time vacuuming every accessible area in your vehicle.
Use the floor brush for the large flat surfaces on the floor and in the trunk. Remove any mats or floor coverings so you can vacuum thoroughly beneath them. Vacuum any carpet rugs that you use in the vehicle as well. In extreme cases, you may even go the extra mile and use a hand-held carpet cleaner on your BMW's floor rugs or interior floor carpeting.
Put the crevice tool to work in all those small and nearly invisible places in your vehicle, including:
- Between cushions.
- Under the seats.
- Between the seats and the door.
- Between the front seats and the center console.
- In door pockets.
- In storage compartments.
Use the upholstery tool to go over the surface of the seats in the front and back of the vehicle.
Clean the Glass
Use a glass cleaner that's formulated for cars so you don't damage any tinting on your BMW's windows when you wash them. Spray the glass cleaner onto a microfiber cloth and wipe down the windows in circular motions. Don't spray the window cleaner directly on the glass, as this can leave a streaky appearance. Clean the windshield, rear window, side windows, and any moonroof or sunroof for a sparkling view in every direction.
Treat Your Seats
Your BMW's upholstery covers the majority of the interior and makes a big difference in the overall look and feel of the vehicle. Many BMW vehicles come with upscale leather upholstery that requires extra care and attention. When humidity is high in our York climate, your porous leather seats can soak up moisture. Left to linger, that moisture might give way to mold or mildew growth. Dry days are equally hazardous to leather, causing it to become brittle and eventually crack without the proper care.
If you have stains or scuffs on your leather upholstery, gently scrub them with non-gel toothpaste and a soft toothbrush. Wipe the toothpaste off with a dry, clean cloth when finished. Clean and rejuvenate the entire surface of your leather seats with a commercial leather cleaner or a mixture of five parts warm water to one part Castile soap. Dampen a soft cloth and wipe it gently over the leather. Don't saturate the surface. When you're finished, go over the leather with a dry cloth or towel.
If you have cloth upholstery, you can treat stains with commercial upholstery stain cleaners, a paste of baking soda and water, or a mixture of one cup of warm water, one cup of vinegar, and a tablespoon of dish soap or laundry detergent. You can usually leave these products to sit for about five minutes to work on the stain. Read the directions carefully on any commercial products. Rinse the upholstery with a damp cloth and wipe clean when you're finished. A steam cleaner can help with extreme stains.
You shouldn't need to shampoo or otherwise clean the entirety of your cloth seats unless they're extremely soiled. Regularly vacuuming and spot cleaning are usually sufficient.
Give a Final Polish
Go over the hard surfaces in your BMW one last time to complete your cleaning job. Use a soft microfiber cloth dampened with water and a small drop of dish soap. You can also use an oil-based soap or water and vinegar solution to scrub tough stains on plastic, rubber, or vinyl surfaces. If your dash features fine materials like leather or wood, treat these with commercial cleaning products that are designed specifically for those surfaces.
You can use a soft toothbrush or small paintbrush to detail your BMW and get dirt and grime out of even the smallest cracks and crevices. Use a car cleaning gel product to get dust and dirt out of your car vents. This sticky goop grabs onto dust particles and other offenders and pulls them out of difficult places, like the underside of the small fins on your air vents. Wipe down infotainment screens and other digital displays with a screen cleaner and microfiber cloth.
Keep Up With Routine BMW Service
Keep up with your BMW's recommended service appointments to maintain your vehicle's mechanical components as well as maintaining its interior. You can schedule service online. If you're not sure when you're due for maintenance, contact our team at BMW of York to find out what your BMW needs and when. We can help with all aspects of car care for your BMW.