Daily Maintenance Tips for EV Interior & Protective Accessories
Custom interior protective accessories are vital to shield your original EV cabin from dirt, scratches and liquid damage. However, many overseas owners ignore regular maintenance, leading to premature aging, discoloration, hardening and odor of TPE mats, leather seat covers and door protective pads. Improper cleaning with harsh chemicals will even damage the waterproof and anti-scratch coating, shortening the service life greatly.
Based on the material characteristics of our dedicated accessories for ZEEKR, XPENG, GEELY Starray EM-i (EX5 EM-i), AION V/UT and LEAPMOTOR B10/C10, we sort out standardized daily maintenance, deep cleaning and seasonal anti-aging tips. These simple operations only take minutes each week, which can effectively double the service life of your EV interior protectors.
1. Daily Quick Cleaning Routine (5-Minute Weekly Care)
TPE Floor Mats & Trunk Mats
After daily commuting or outdoor trips, sweep sand, gravel and dry debris off the mat surface with a soft brush or car vacuum cleaner. Do not leave sharp stones trapped under the mats for a long time, as they will scratch the anti-wear texture. For light dust stains, wipe with a damp microfiber cloth directly without detergent.
Leather Seat Covers & Door Anti-Kick Mats
Wipe surface fingerprints, shoe marks and light dust with a slightly damp soft towel every 3-5 days. Avoid hard scrubbing which may wear off the anti-fouling coating. Clear food crumbs and hair from seat gaps regularly to prevent long-term residue from causing discoloration.
Tempered Glass Screen Protectors
Wipe fingerprint oil stains with a dedicated microfiber lens cloth daily. Do not use rough paper towels which will leave tiny scratches on the glass surface.
2. Deep Cleaning Methods for Stubborn Stains
TPE Waterproof Mats (Mud, Coffee, Juice Stains)
Take the mats out of the car and rinse with clean water. For stubborn mud and oil stains, mix mild neutral detergent with cold water, scrub gently with a soft brush, then fully rinse and air dry in cool shade. Never use high-pressure hot water or strong alkaline cleaning agents — they will destroy the waterproof coating and make TPE harden over time.
Custom Leather Seat Covers (Sweat, Beverage Spills)
Prepare neutral leather cleaner and soft sponge. Apply a small amount of cleaner to the sponge, wipe the stained area in circular motions, then wipe residual foam with a clean damp cloth. After drying naturally, you can apply a thin layer of leather maintenance lotion to keep the surface soft and prevent cracking.
Plastic & ABS Protective Parts (Door Sill Guards, Console Trays)
Wash with warm soapy water and soft cloth. Avoid abrasive polishing paste, which will wear away the matte anti-scratch surface and leave permanent foggy marks.
3. Key Anti-Aging Maintenance Rules for All Accessories
- Avoid long-term direct sunlight exposure: When parking outdoors for a whole day, cover windows with sunshades. Continuous UV radiation will accelerate material aging, yellowing and coating peeling for TPE and leather products.
- Keep dry inside the vehicle: After rainy days or car washing, fully air-dry mats before reinstalling. Trapped moisture under mats will breed mold and produce unpleasant odors, corroding both accessories and original car carpet.
- No heavy object extrusion: Do not place heavy luggage, tools or hard boxes on leather seat covers and thin protective pads for long-term storage, which will form irreversible indentations and wrinkles.
- Regular recheck fixation: Every month, check anti-slip buckles of floor mats and adhesive edges of door protective pads. Re-fix loose positions to prevent displacement and abnormal driving noise.
4. Seasonal Special Care Guide
Summer High-Temperature Care
High temperature speeds up UV aging. Add car sunshades for long outdoor parking. Do not leave soda, alcohol or high-concentration cleaners inside the car; liquid leakage under high heat will leave permanent stains on protective accessories.
Winter Low-Temperature Care
TPE mats stay flexible in cold weather, but do not fold or bend them violently when the temperature is below 0°C to avoid temporary creases. After driving on snowy and muddy roads, rinse salt and snow residue off mats in time — road salt will corrode the surface texture over time.
5. Mistakes to Avoid During Maintenance
Many overseas owners damage their custom accessories by improper care: using bleach, toilet cleaner, strong alkaline soap to clean TPE mats; scrubbing screen films with rough rags; drying TPE mats under blazing sun; leaving wet mats installed inside the car overnight. These wrong operations will greatly shorten the service life of your high-cost dedicated protective parts.
If you follow the weekly simple maintenance steps above, your NiceEVS custom interior accessories can maintain brand-new appearance and full protective performance for 3–5 years without frequent replacement.
Final Tips
If you want to test the durable performance of our interior protectors, read our previous lab test article: Waterproof & Wear-Resistant Test for EV Interior Protectors. Shop our full range of tailor-made interior upgrade kits: Model-Exclusive EV Interior Protective Accessories to fully guard your vehicle cabin!