Cleaning Cup Holders

Written by Lee Wyatt (last updated May 25, 2010)

1

I don't know about you, but I find myself spending more and more time in my car as time every day. Even with the rising cost of gasoline, I just can't seem to find ways to limit being in my vehicle. As a result, I have noticed that my cup holders have a tendency to get dirty. It is apparently the nature of these holders to be the collection point of the car's junk. After a little while, it is necessary to clean out this mess. Luckily that is not a hard task. All you have to do is gather a few items, and you are on your way to having perfectly clean cup holders again.

Things you'll need:

  • Armorall or other cleaner/protectant
  • Sponge
  • Detailing brush
  • Washcloths or towels
  • Napkins
  • Warm soapy water

Procedure:

  1. Begin by removing as much of the trash, dirt, or whatever from the cup holder as you can. Use your fingers and some napkins. This shouldn't be too hard, just stick your hand in there and pull it out. If something seems to be stuck, use your detailing brush to loosen it up as much as possible.
  2. Spray enough of the car cleaner onto your sponge to get it wet. Using the dampened sponge, wipe out the cup holder. Since there are some cup holders that have a special divot for the handle of a cup, simply wrap your detail brush with a washcloth and spray some of the cleaner/protectant onto it, and work it into the crevices.
  3. If there are some really tough stains, or gunk in the holder, then pour a little warm soapy water into the cup holder and let it soak for a few minutes. After about 10 minutes, take your washcloth or sponge, and remove the water and gunk.
  4. Allow the newly clean cup holder to dry completely. You can do this by either allowing it to air dry, or using some of the washcloths that you have collected. Before using your cup holder again, you need to make sure that it has completely dried out.
  5. Prevent further stains or nastiness by using napkins as a miniature table cloth. Simply change out the napkins every so often, and you are going to notice a dramatic decrease in the moisture accumulation in the holders. Without that accumulated moisture, the chance of nasty buildup is less likely.

Author Bio

Lee Wyatt

Contributor of numerous Tips.Net articles, Lee Wyatt is quickly becoming a regular "Jack of all trades." He is currently an independent contractor specializing in writing and editing. Contact him today for all of your writing and editing needs! Click here to contact. ...

MORE FROM LEE

What is Chapattis?

Have you ever gone out to eat at a wonderful Indian restaurant and wondered what that tortilla-looking piece of bread ...

Discover More

Installing Seat Covers

Seat covers are a great thing to get for your car or truck. They can protect the seats from rips, tears and spills and ...

Discover More

Basics of Choosing Windows

Windows do more than simply make your home look pretty. In fact it could easily be said that choosing the right window ...

Discover More
More Car Tips

Making Your Car Smell New

One of the things that most people love about getting a new car, is that new car smell. The smell of a new car helps you ...

Discover More

Cleaning Auto Carpets

Are tired of paying someone else to clean your vehicle's carpets? If so, then use this method and you are going to have a ...

Discover More

Removing Tar from Your Car

Tar from road work and construction is an annoying and sometimes costly hazard to your car. Here are a couple of simple ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is five less than 6?

2015-08-17 21:55:49

April

I read that, after giving your cup holders a thorough cleaning, line them with silicone cupcake holders to keep them clean longer. It's much easier to pop out the cupcake holder and clean it than it is cleaning the cup holder! Thank you for the information on how to clean them first!