How to Protect Your Car Interior from Wear & Tear

Step-by-Step Process

Protect the Surfaces You Touch Most

Seats and the steering wheel see more contact and wear than almost any other interior surface. A seat cover on your most-used seat and a steering wheel cover both extend the life of the materials underneath while improving grip and comfort in the meantime.

Consumer Reports has noted that interior materials degrade faster with consistent UV and sweat exposure, which makes these high-contact surfaces the smartest place to start when protecting your interior.

Block UV Exposure

Sunlight is one of the most consistent sources of interior damage, fading dashboards and cracking vinyl and leather over time. A windshield sunshade used even on shorter parking stops adds up to meaningfully less cumulative UV exposure over a vehicle's life.

Parking in shade when available costs nothing and works alongside a sunshade rather than replacing the need for one — UV rays still reach the cabin through side windows even in partial shade.

Build a Light Weekly Habit

A quick vacuum of the floor mats and a wipe-down of hard surfaces once a week prevents dirt from grinding into upholstery and trim. This is far less time-consuming than a deep clean every few months and catches small spills before they set in.

Address any spill — drink, food, or otherwise — as soon as safely possible. The longer a spill sits, especially on fabric seats, the harder it becomes to fully remove without staining.

Continue learning: How to Keep Your Car Cool in Summer Heat · The Complete Car Interior Cleaning & Organization Guide