How Often Should You Clean Your Car to Keep It Smelling Good?
by Chris Bauer | 04/18/2025
The whiff of stale coffee, the pungent aroma of takeout, and the musty smell of stagnant air are signs that it’s time to clean your car. While a healthy car-cleaning routine can help keep your car smelling fresh, sometimes you need a little boost of refreshing fragrance. Even if it’s not at the top of your to-do list, a clean-feeling vehicle can make your next ride that much more enjoyable.
You know when it’s time to change the oil and rotate the tires, but how often should you clean your car to keep it smelling good? Better yet, what scent products can you use to ensure your vehicle smells great year-round? Check out Drift’s luxury car fresheners, your go-to solution for a fresh-smelling car that’s available in multiple scents.
Signs It’s Time to Clean Your Car
It’s all too easy to get in and out of the car without really looking at the surfaces around you and noticing how dirty they’ve become. But the trips back and forth to the grocery store, work, social events, and every other outing can quickly take a toll on your vehicle, especially if you bring your pet along with you. Below are a few signs it’s time to schedule a car-cleaning session into your routine:
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Foul odors
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Lots of trash
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Stains and sticky drips
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Coating of dirt and grime on surfaces
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Smudged windows
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Dim headlights
For some people, a clean car is like a clean home: it’s an expression of their personality and values. Others know that modern vehicles are meant to be durable, so they can typically take a few months of busy activities before they need any attention. In fact, it often makes sense to wait to clean your car, especially when the weather’s promising to be nasty for the next few days or weeks.
How Often Should You Clean Your Car to Keep it Smelling Fresh?
You should clean your car at least once a month to keep it smelling fresh. Cleaning your vehicle monthly helps maintain its value, creates a healthier interior environment for you and your passengers, and enhances your driving experience. Plus, it’s also a great way to make a (good) lasting impression if you offer your crush a ride.
How to Clean Your Vehicle: A Step-by-Step Guide
Recognizing it’s time to clean your car can help you get into a routine, but actually cleaning it can prove challenging to tackle if you’re unsure where to start. Don’t get lost in all the food wrappers, crumbs, and dirty fingerprints smudging up your windows. Instead, follow the steps below—and don’t forget to infuse your clean car with a premium Drift car freshener to turn every ride into a luxurious experience.
1. Remove Trash and Any Unwanted Items
The first step in cleaning your vehicle is to remove anything and everything that doesn’t belong. Gather up all the wrappers, larger crumbs, bottle caps, and any other debris. While not everything has to go straight to the trash, it’s best to determine whether the items in your car have earned their place and remove those that are just taking up space.
If you have seat covers, it’s a good idea to remove them at this point. Washable seat covers should go straight into the laundry for a good cleaning. If your carpet floor mats are machine washable, throw them in, too.
2. Vacuum
When you’ve picked up all the big stuff, it’s time to suck up all the dirt, crumbs, and any other debris that’s left on the carpets and in between the seats. Angled vacuum attachments can help you get into tight spaces, while pet-hair specific attachments make removing that pesky hair a walk in the park. Be sure to stick the vacuum into the spaces between seats and into the cracks between seat cushions.
3. Clean All Interior Surfaces
With the major dirt and debris out of the way, it’s time to start the detail work. With a clean microfiber cloth—you might have to switch it out for a new one every so often—spray a cleaning product on the cloth and then start wiping down the interior, beginning with the headliner. Move down to the dash, air vents, center console, and seats before wiping down any trim pieces.
4. Scrub Out Stains
Suckers, crayons, pills, and gum can easily get stuck in your vehicle’s carpeting. Remove as much of the stain as you can with a vacuum, or use a small razor blade to cut the candy piece or gum out of the carpet itself. Then, scrub the stain with a carpet stain remover—similar to what you’d use in your household—and suck up the suds with a wet-dry vacuum.
5. Protect Your Car’s Interior
If your vehicle has leather seats, apply a leather protectant to the clean seats and other leather surfaces, such as the front center armrest. This product ensures your leather will remain supple and less prone to cracking or tearing. Leather conditioners also help protect your car’s leather interior surfaces.
Next, wipe down any electronics or screens with glass cleaner or an interior electronic-specific spray. Never spray the screen directly. Instead, spray one microber and use another to achieve a streak-free finish.
6. Wash and Wax the Exterior
Cleaning your car’s interior can help it smell good, but scrubbing and rinsing the exterior will help it hold value. Wash the car, starting from the top and working toward the bottom, ending with the wheels last. Apply a coat of wax to help protect the paint and keep it looking new.
The Best Method for Keeping Your Car Smelling Good
Routine cleanings can help keep your car smelling fresh, but sometimes, the secret lies in an unobtrusive car freshener that’s as upscale as your vehicle’s interior. Drift luxury car fresheners slip effortlessly onto your visor or air vents while infusing your car’s interior with distinctive scents. Once opened, Drift’s premium car fresheners last up to 30 days, but they can also be kept out of the sun and in their original packaging to use at a later date.
Available in Wood, Stone, and Metal, Drift’s car fresheners feature essential and fragrance oil blends infused into sustainably sourced alder wood, organic stone, and alloy metal. Drift’s scent experts curate several sumptuous scents, including the following:
Drift luxury car fresheners are vegan, cruelty-free, safe for pets and kids, and GMO-free. Our list of ingredients does not include phthalates, parabens, mineral oils, DEA, formaldehyde, petroleum, propylene, dichlorobenzene, and other harsh chemicals.
Infuse Your Clean Car With Luxury Car Scents from Drift
Cleaning your vehicle once a month can help it stay fresh, whether you do the work yourself or take your car to a professional detailer. Infuse your future journeys behind the wheel with distinctive scents exclusively available from Drift. Sign up for our newsletter and subscribe to our Scent of the Month Club for exclusive fragrances sure to keep your vehicle smelling fresh for years to come.
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