Your vehicle's interior will continue to look its best if it is cleaned often. Although not always visible, dust and dirt can accumulate on your upholstery. Dirt can damage carpet, fabric, leather, and plastic surfaces. Regular vacuuming is recommended to remove particles from the upholstery. It is important to keep your upholstery from becoming and remaining heavily soiled. Soils should be removed as quickly as possible. Your vehicle's interior may experience extremes of heat that could cause stains to set rapidly.
Lighter colored interiors may require more frequent cleaning. Use care because newspapers and garments that transfer color to your home furnishings may also transfer color to your vehicle's interior.
When cleaning your vehicle's interior, only use cleaners specifically designed for the surfaces being cleaned. Permanent damage may result from using cleaners on surfaces for which they were not intended. Use glass cleaner only on glass. Remove any accidental over-spray from other surfaces immediately. To prevent over-spray, apply cleaner directly to the cleaning cloth.
Notice: Using abrasive cleaners when cleaning glass surfaces on the vehicle, could scratch the glass and/or cause damage to the rear window defogger. When cleaning the glass on the vehicle, use only a soft cloth and glass cleaner.
Many cleaners contain solvents that may become concentrated in your vehicle's breathing space. Before using cleaners, read and adhere to all safety instructions on the label. While cleaning your vehicle's interior, maintain adequate ventilation by opening your vehicle's doors and windows.
Dust may be removed from small buttons and knobs using a small brush with soft bristles.
Your dealer/retailer has a product for cleaning your vehicle's glass. You can also obtain a product from your dealer/retailer to remove odors from your vehicle's upholstery.
Do not clean your vehicle using the following cleaners or techniques:
| • | Never use a knife or any other sharp object to remove a soil from any interior surface. |
| • | Never use a stiff brush. It can cause damage to your vehicle's interior surfaces. |
| • | Never apply heavy pressure or rub aggressively with a cleaning cloth. Use of heavy pressure can damage the interior and does not improve the effectiveness of soil removal. |
| • | Use only mild, neutral-pH soaps. Avoid laundry detergents or dishwashing soaps with degreasers. Using too much soap will leave a residue that leaves streaks and attracts dirt. For liquid cleaners, about 20 drops per gallon (3.78 L) of water is a good guide. |
| • | Do not heavily saturate the upholstery while cleaning. |
| • | Damage to your vehicle's interior may result from the use of many organic solvents such as naptha, alcohol, etc. |
Fabric/Carpet
Use a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment frequently to remove dust and loose dirt. A canister vacuum with a beater bar in the nozzle may only be used on floor carpet and carpeted floor mats. For soils, always try to remove them first with plain water or club soda. Before cleaning, gently remove as much of the soil as possible using one of the following techniques:
| • | For liquids: gently blot the remaining soil with a paper towel. Allow the soil to absorb into the paper towel until no more can be removed. |
| • | For solid dry soils: remove as much as possible and then vacuum. |
To clean, use the following instructions:
- Saturate a lint-free, clean white cloth with water or club soda.
- Wring the cloth to remove excess moisture.
- Start on the outside edge of the soil and gently rub toward the center. Continue cleaning, using a clean area of the cloth each time it becomes soiled.
- Continue to gently rub the soiled area until the cleaning cloth remains clean.
- If the soil is not completely removed, use a mild soap solution and repeat the cleaning process that was used with plain water.
If any of the soil remains, a commercial fabric cleaner or spot lifter may be necessary. When a commercial upholstery cleaner or spot lifter is to be used, test a small hidden area for colorfastness first. If the locally cleaned area gives any impression that a ring formation may result, clean the entire surface.
After the cleaning process has been completed, a paper towel can be used to blot excess moisture from the fabric or carpet.
Leather
A soft cloth dampened with water can be used to remove dust. If a more thorough cleaning is necessary, a soft cloth dampened with a mild soap solution can be used. Allow the leather to dry naturally. Do not use heat to dry. Never use steam to clean leather. Never use spot lifters or spot removers on leather. Many commercial leather cleaners and coatings that are sold to preserve and protect leather may permanently change the appearance and feel of your leather and are not recommended. Do not use silicone or wax-based products, or those containing organic solvents to clean your vehicle's interior because they can alter the appearance by increasing the gloss in a non-uniform manner. Never use shoe polish on leather.
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic Surfaces
A soft cloth dampened with water may be used to remove dust. If a more thorough cleaning is necessary, a clean soft cloth dampened with a mild soap solution can be used to gently remove dust and dirt. Never use spot lifters or removers on plastic surfaces. Many commercial cleaners and coatings that are sold to preserve and protect soft plastic surfaces may permanently change the appearance and feel of your interior and are not recommended. Do not use silicone or wax-based products, or those containing organic solvents to clean your vehicle's interior because they can alter the appearance by increasing the gloss in a non-uniform manner.
Some commercial products may increase gloss on your instrument panel. The increase in gloss may cause annoying reflections in the windshield and even make it difficult to see through the windshield under certain conditions.
