Not everyone puts their car through a spring cleaning, but it’s a good habit to pick up if you want to avoid having a dashboard coated in dust and carpets gritty with sand and dirt. And to make that transition easier, there are a few things you can do to make cleaning cheaper and easier.

Line the Cup Holders

Your cup holders can be hard to clean out, especially since modern cup holders are deep so they can fit giant cups. But if you get a set of big silicone muffin cups, they can catch all the sticky spills and dust, and then you can throw them in the dishwasher to get them clean again.

Scrub Surfaces with a Toothbrush

If you have leather surfaces or any sort of textured plastic or vinyl, the best way to get the dirt out of the grain texture is with a toothbrush. The cleaner you use should depend on the surface, but toothbrushes offer the perfect compromise between stiff and soft bristles.

Moisturize Leather with Olive Oil

Over time, leather will start to dry out and crack. Modern materials add a few extra years, but no leather lasts forever. Still, you can bring some of that moisture back by rubbing a little olive oil into the leather.

A clean interior is much nicer than one full of sticky stains, piles of empty wrappers and bottles, and layers of dust in the vents and on the dashboard. And with the right tips, you don’t have to work too hard to keep that interior in good shape.

Image via Flickr by Toyota Motor Europe

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