Clear Trash
Before you pull out the vacuum and cleaning supplies, clear out all the obvious trash. Check everywhere thoroughly. There will likely be trash on the floor, under the seats, and in the seat cracks.
Tackle Floor Mats
Pull the floor mats out of the vehicle and shake them out as much as possible. This will make vacuuming easier. Scrub them with soap and hot water or a foaming carpet cleaner and allow them to air dry completely before reinstalling them.
Wipe Away Grime
Now that the car is vacuumed, grab a soft cloth or cleaning wipes to wipe up all that dirt, sticky stuff, and dust. You can also spray a small amount of car-specific cleaner over the console.
Wipe Windows
Spray a window cleaner solution on windows and wipe clean with a paper towel or microfiber cloth. You can also mix: one cup water, two tablespoons vinegar, and one cup rubbing alcohol for an effective homemade window cleaner.
Freshen Up
Create a homemade car freshener with one cup of baking soda and five drops of your favorite essential oil. Place both the soda and oil in a sealable plastic bag or glass jar for 24 hours. Then shake it up, sprinkle on the car’s floor and let it sit for 20 minutes. When the time has passed, vacuum up the baking soda.
Getting a good wash is more than just applying some soap and water. Unless you love the look of streaks on the surface after the water dries, you'll need to put a bit more effort into your wash effort. The most important thing to remember is to work your way from top to bottom. Since you can't control the flow of water (or don't want to reveal that party trick to the neighbors), it's best to work with gravity.
Rinse the Car
A good hose rinsing across the entire car will help remove loose dirt and soften the encrusted debris.
Apply the Soap
After the rinsing, you will likely have smaller, hard-to-clean dirt and debris leftover. This is where automotive cleaning soap really gets the job done.
Remove Splatters and Droppings Separately
Bird droppings and bug splatters are typically more difficult to remove than simple dirt and grime. More importantly, they can damage the paint if you aren't careful when scrubbing them off.
Dry the Car
You'll need to give your car a helping hand when it comes to drying. Pure air drying will leave streaks on the paint, so you should remove the excess soap and water quickly.
Be sure to wash dead bugs, bird droppings, and road chemicals from your vehicle sooner rather than later. If they sit too long on your car's paint, they can damage it.
A good glass cleaner and microfiber cloth can also take care of the windows. Make sure you don't use typical window cleaner, however.
Do not use dishwashing detergent or other household cleaners to wash your car. They're not intended to interact with paint and may strip it of its protective wax. Use car wash products, which are milder.
