Interior care

A clean cabin makes all the difference to an enjoyable experience behind the wheel. Here's the best kit to go for to keep yours pristine. Plus, we list three top tips to help your car sparkling, whatever the weather.

Q. Recycling centre trips are messing up my boot. Can I protect it?

A. You can buy universal rubber mats that can be cut to fit from around £30. They're usually very thick and do a decent job of protecting the boot or hatchback carpet. Even better for spills is a model-specific tray (around £35) with its edges raised an inch or so: The Roof Box Company has a good range. For the ultimate protection, try a Boot Buddy or Hatch Bag. Both are made to precisely fit your car and protect up the sides. You can expect to pay around £120 for these depending on spec.

Q. My golf clubs punched a hole in my door trim. Should I replace it?

A. For a perfect job it is best to source a replacement. Door cards from car makers can be prohibitively expensive; a breaker's yard is a more reasonable alternative. Quickly find not only the panel you need but the correct colour too, by checking the classifieds or searching online for marque specialists. Depending on the size of the damage, a SMART repairer (Small and Medium Repair Techniques) can fill and spray the damage, replacing the texture too. This is better for smaller tears.

Q. I don't want to take my vacuum outside. How should I clean the car?

A. Handheld cleaners have been around for a while, powered off the cigarette lighter or their own rechargeable batteries. Black & Decker is a two-time winner of our 12V vacuum test with its Pivot design (£25.99 from Argos), while Dyson has an excellent rechargeable unit at arouynd £100. These do lack the grunt of a mains-powered machine though. As an alternative, robust garage vacuums can be bought for less than £50. They also tackle grit, dust and filings, and can clean up small liquid spills too.