How to Remove Snow From a Car Interior

You probably know how to remove snow from a car exterior — scrapers and brushes are just a part of life when you live in a snowy climate — but it’s not only the outside of your car you need to worry about. Sometimes that pesky white stuff gets inside your car, too. Maybe the window was left open a crack, it flew in when you opened the door or you carried it in on your boots. Whichever way it got there, it’s a nuisance. Here’s how to remove snow from a car when it finds its way inside.

Snow on the Seats

You can brush the worst of the snow out of the car with your hand, but there’s always some that gets stuck in the seams. Once it melts … well, that’s just not a comfortable way to spend your morning commute.

Melted snow can also leave a mark, especially on leather surfaces, so you need to remove it quickly. Don’t use the hard bristle brush that you used to brush the snow off the outside of your vehicle. Those bristles are too rough for interior surfaces and can leave scratches.

Instead, use a softer brush like you would use if you were detailing your car. Even a duster will work well for grabbing the last of the snow from your seats to protect them and your clothes when you’re ready to drive.

Snow on the Floor

Sure, you have floor mats to protect your carpet from the snow, salt and dirt of winter, but they aren’t designed to hold piles of the white stuff. It only takes a minute to pop out a floor mat and shake off excess snow outside the car.

If the snow is everywhere, say from an open window or sunroof, then a wet-dry vacuum cleaner is the best way to clean up the mess. The long hose makes it easy to vacuum throughout the car, and the attachments let you get to those hard-to-reach spots. Don’t forget to check under the seats.

Snow on the Doors or Dashboard

Even hard surfaces shouldn’t sit in snow for long. Melting snow can stain and drip down into sensitive electronic components. Break out the duster again or use the softer attachments from your vacuum to remove snow from your dashboard as quickly as possible.

As much as we would like for snow to stay outside, it’s inevitable that some will make its way into our cars. Luckily, it’s easy enough to remove, getting you back on the road in no time.

Check out all the shop equipment available on NAPA online or trust one of our 17,000 NAPA AutoCare locations for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on how to remove snow from a car, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your local NAPA AUTO PARTS store.

Photo courtesy of Flickr.