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Non Toxic Car Cleaning and Best Products For The Interior

Have an allergy, sensitive to chemicals, or want to get rid of that new car smell? Then non toxic car cleaning is something you need to do. It will lessen your toxic load and provide you with a healthier riding experience.

non toxic car cleaning

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Non toxic cleaning is important for people who deal with allergies or sensitivities to chemicals. Guiding you through steps to thoroughly cleaning all areas of your car is what this post will do for you.

Having three busy teens means spending a lot of time in the car. This is especially the case since we live out in the country; Nothing seems to be close. It is very important to keep a clean car if one is sensitive to chemicals, dust, dander or has allergies. We know this well with having two daughters who are both extremely sensitive to chemicals.

Chemicals from the car's heating and air unit, upholstery, plastics, glues, and engine are a few of the smells and chemicals off-gases that can bother a person sensitive to their surroundings. I go through the steps on what you can do to thoroughly clean your car to make your body a little less toxic.


This post shows you how to keep a car properly cleaned to combat allergies and chemical sensitivities.


Natural Products to Clean Car

non-toxic car cleaning

Recommended Products to Use:

  • Branch Basics Concentrate or Spray
  • Scrub Brush
  • Scrub Toothbrush
  • Microfiber Cloth
  • Medina Spray
  • Mold Spray (Optional)
  • Paper Towels
  • HEPA Vacuum
  • Air Purifier

 #1 Remove all loose dirt and debris

You will need to use a vacuum with a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter. These vacuums are designed to remove 99.7% of debris such as mold, dust, bacteria, airborne particles and so on.

Different filters trap debris of different sizes, so investigate when buying a vacuum. Also, it is important to make sure your filter is clean for it to work properly.

  • Carefully remove the rugs or rubber inserts on the car floor and lay them aside. Thoroughly vacuum the inside of the car with one of the vacuum attachments.
  • Do it systematically to make sure no area goes unvacuumed. Start in the front and work your way to the back.
  • Next, move to vacuuming the seats. The time this process takes will be depend on whether you have cloth or leather car seats. 

Remember, try your best to get into the crevices of the seats. This is particularly true when you or family members eat in the car or have furry riding companion. And don't forget your trunk.

Food can grow mold and bacteria and the more debris, the more mold and unwanted particles are able to stick to the dust and debris.

 #2 Wash Rug Inserts

  • Spray Non Toxic soap cleaneron Rug Inserts and scrub them with a hard bristled brush.
  • Rinse off with hose or pressure wash if you are able to.
  • Let Rugs Dry in a Sunny Spot in direct sunlight. The sun will draw toxins further out of the fabric.
  • Repeat this step with plastic inserts.

 #3 Spray Car Interior and Scrub

  • Next, move on to the cloth interior of the car.
  • Clean the fabric well with a car cleaner such as Branch Basics as listed above or ECOS spray.
  • Scrub in the non toxic cleaner with a hard bristled brush.

 #4 Vacuum up Loose debris

  • Use your HEPA vacuum to vacuum up loose debris. This can be done rather quickly since you already vacuumed. 

 #5 Dust hard surfaces

  • After washing the fabric surfaces, move on to the hard surfaces.
  • You will want to spend a lot of time dusting hard to get places every so often. However, it does not have to be done every single time you clean if you do it carefully.
  • Use premium microfiber cloths. Not only are they eco friendly car cleaning products, they are scratch resistant and do a great job at cleaning allergens.
  • Take the wet cloth or gently spray and wipe surfaces beginning in the front and working to the back. Use several cloths as needed. Again, the spray should be a spray without harmful ingredients.
  • Make sure places like cup holders and tight spaces are cleaned thoroughly with the surface cleaner as well.

 #6 Spray Vents

  • After thoroughly vacuuming and dusting your car,  you will move on to cleaning the vent system.
  • Many harmful chemicals come from the heating and air conditioning units. Therefore, using a spray such as Medina Spray will alleviate some of these toxins.
  • Turn your car on and turn the heating system on high with the all vents open. Spray the spray into the air all around the car.  Allow the venting system to naturally take in the natural ingredients. This will combat many of the irritants.
  • Do this with both the heating system and the AC system depending on the time of the year.
  • Leave the car running for about 3 minutes or so for it to thoroughly clean venting system.

 #7 Air Out Car

  • Additionally, airing out the car is important as well depending on the area in which you leave. If you are in a construction area, this may not be a good idea. However, if it is a clear, sunny day, allowing the car to release as many toxins as possible is beneficial.

 #8 Air Purification (Optional)

This is a great but pricey option. However, using a car air purifier is a great way to help with allergies and unneeded dust and scents in the car. This car purifier attaches to the back of the seat and plugs into the car's USB port. It comes with a filter which indicates it needs changing when the light changes from blue to red.

I use this in my car. Our dog loves to ride in the car, and this helps tremendously with pet hair and dander as well as any other dust and unwanted odors. I highly recommend purchasing one of these if the budget allows.

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