A guide to maintaining the interior of your 4WD

Written by: Ian Bellert

Published on December 18, 2023

Time to read 2 min

Keeping the cabin of your trusty 4WD or RV is pretty simple, and there are plenty of products to help you out. Although, we still can’t find a deodoriser that truly replicates that new car smell which is a shame!

Floor mats

The first thing to invest in is a good set of floor mats, particularly if you are heading out and above on beaches, trails or muddy tracks. Good mats protect factory carpet from stains and wear and tear. Mats with a lip help contain sand and dirt, making for an easy clean too. Products such as Bushrangers Mud Tamers are good quality, well priced and can be trimmed to fit footwell. Australian made Sandgrabba are extremely durable and are vehicle specific meaning they fit very well and they secure to the floor via the kick trim.

Seat protection

Seat covers are an excellent addition to any vehicle. There are hundreds of options available, but the best option for true seat protection (and not just a fresh look!) are Black Duck SeatCovers, which are Australian made and specifically tailored for each vehicle model. Black Duck seat covers made out of 14.9oz military grade canvas which makes them extremely durable. They are your once in a vehicle’s lifetime seat covers.

If you don’t have or want seat covers, then Turtle Wax produces a great carpet and upholstery cleaner which comes with an applicator and shampoo, Turtle Wax Power Out Carpet & Upholstery. It's great at removing stains and bringing old upholstery back to new. Simply scrub on and vacuum off.

The wipe down

For hard plastics it's hard to go past the tried and true ArmorAll Original Protectant which cleans and protects the hard plastics in your cabin. It's amazing how its application brings a new sheen to your dash and other plastics.

Cleaning the glass on the interior of your vehicle requires a window cleaning product, plenty of elbow grease and constant changing of the wipe point on your cloth to effectively clean the glass. Getting it streak free is important as at night these streaks can be very annoying and impact on your vision. Soft lint-free microfiber rags help in this regard and Windex or diluted vinegar in a spray bottle are effective cleaning products.

Cleaning the windows

Even though it's on the outside, your windscreen needs a good regular clean. This can be done by adding either diluted methylated spirits or a specific windscreen concentrate, like Bar's Bugs Windscreen Cleaner. It certainly helps keep the outside nice and clear.

Refreshed and ready to go

Getting your car’s interior cleaned and tidied up will not be complete without some air freshening. The hanging bits of tree shaped cardboard which are soaked in some smelly solution generally last for a day or two. Running with the theme you get what you pay for, the other end of the spectrum is Meguiar's Air Re-Fresher — New Car. Retail pricing is $34.99, and it comes with mixed reviews but averages 4.4 stars out of five. A reasonable mid-ground is the Ambi Pur Air Freshener which clips onto the air-conditioning vent inside your vehicle. Just turn the air-con on and adjust the level of dispersion. You can also see when it’s run out.