5 no-brainer reasons why your car interior is just as important as the exterior

Buying a car is a significant investment. If you want to get the most out of that investment, you'll need to commit to undertaking regular maintenance. It's probably obvious that you need to maintain the exterior of your car and the components under the bonnet. What may be less obvious is that taking care of your car's exterior is just as important.

To explain further, Mudd-E, specialists in custom car boot liners share their insight into why the interior of your vehicle is just as important as the exterior!

The importance of protecting the car's interior

Taking care of your car's interior does a lot more than just improve how it looks and feels. It makes it a healthier and safer place to be.

Firstly, it improves the air quality inside the vehicle. Over time, your car will inevitably accumulate dust, dirt and airborne particles. Keeping your windows closed can slow the process but cannot stop it. (Also, keeping your windows closed can lead to other issues). Even low levels of pollutants can affect people with respiratory issues. If they are allowed to build up (i.e. if the car interior is not regularly cleaned), they will begin to affect people with healthy respiratory systems.

Secondly, it prevents the build-up of toxins and pollutants. Without proper care, the interior of a car can become a haven for bacteria, germs and allergens. Food spills, pet dander and other organic materials can contribute to bacterial growth and trigger allergic reactions. By promptly cleaning spills, using suitable cleaning products and regularly disinfecting surfaces, you can minimise the risk of bacterial contamination and allergen buildup, promoting a healthier environment inside the vehicle.

Thirdly, cleaning your car’s interior gives you the opportunity to check what is actually inside your car and replenish it as appropriate. For example, many first aid products have use-by dates. Cleaning your car’s interior gives you the opportunity to make sure that the supplies you have are actually in date.

Ways to look after your car's interior

The good news is that taking care of your car’s interior doesn’t have to involve a lot of effort. It can be done little and often. What’s more, if you invest in the right tools and equipment, you can make the job even easier for yourself.

Keep your boot space in good order

Unless you commit to keeping your car’s interior in good order, your boot can very easily become filled with clutter and dirt. Clutter adds weight to your car and hence increases your fuel costs. Dirt can create health issues even in your boot. It can also spread from your boot to the main cabin.

The first step to managing your boot space is to invest in a couple of boot liners. These are designed to be easy to clean. In fact, you can usually clean them while they’re still in the car. If, however, they get seriously dirty, you can take them out and clean them. The benefit of having two or more boot liners is that you can fit in a proper clean at your convenience.

Have rubbish bins easily accessible

This one is simple but effective, particularly if you have children. Instead of trying to keep food and drink out of the car, just accept that people are going to eat and drink in it. Provide rubbish bins for their leftovers. These can also be used for miscellaneous rubbish such as paper hankies.

Vacuum regularly

Give your car interior a weekly vacuum. To make the job easier, invest in mats for your footwells. These will catch most of the dirt and are designed to be easily cleaned. Then just use a cordless vacuum to pick up small pieces of debris such as crumbs.

Take care of your upholstery and carpets

Cleaning upholstery and carpets can be more of a pain, but it is worthwhile. Deal with stains as quickly as you can. Give your upholstery and carpets a full clean about once a month.

Let your interior get some air

This takes no effort and does wonders for dispelling odours. When you can safely leave your windows and/or doors open, do so. Let the fresh air get in and do its work.