How To Properly Clean Your Car's Fuel Cap And Flap (And Why You Should)

As most vehicle owners know, keeping a car, truck or SUV clean is no easy task. Most might even contend that there is not only a right and wrong way to go about cleaning your vehicle, but a specific schedule you need to follow to ensure it's always looking its best. In all frankness, we'd agree with car washing diehards on both accounts. However, we'd also contend that even the most fervent of auto cleaners likely miss the mark when it comes to a legitimate full body cleaning of their vehicle, particularly if they fail to open the gas flap to clean the inside.

That part of the car is one of many that is easy to overlook, as most people don't actually look inside the fueling compartment unless they are actively putting fuel in their car. Once that protective flap is closed, it's exceedingly easy to forget about the buildup of dirt, grime, and grease that probably exists in there. Even still, it is important to remove that build-up on at least a semi-regular basis, as failure to do so may lead to a poor seal with the gas cap, or serious issues in your gas tank and fuel system.

Dirt can, after all, clog fuel system filters and not only reduce an engine's performance, but potentially affect anything from fuel consumption to emissions. And if you leave your gas cap and flap dirty, you're leaving the fuel system open to such contamination every time you fuel up.

Given the potential stakes, cleaning up your gas flap and cap whenever you suds up your car makes a ton of sense. Even more so when you factor in how little time it actually takes to do the job. You should even be able to undertake the cleaning of these fuel-adjacent vehicle parts with the same gear you use to clean the car itself, including a car-safe soap, water, a soft cleaning sponge, and a clean microfiber cloth. A small soft bristle brush may also come in handy. With your cleaning arsenal at the ready, follow these steps to clean your vehicle's fuel door and cap.

1. Open the fuel door via the vehicle-specific method to assess the level of built-up dirt and grime.
2. Using a soapy water compound, wet the fuel door.
3. With the damp microfiber cloth or sponge, wipe away any visible dirt or grime, then rinse the door.
4. Remove the gas cap, then repeat the cleaning process for the surrounding area. But do not rinse the area clean until the cap is back on.
5. While the cap is removed, give it a good cleaning with soapy water and microfiber cloth as well.
6. Rinse and dry the cap and replace it.
7. With the cap in place, gently rinse and dry the area surrounding it. 

If you are utilizing a sealant or protectant on your vehicle after you wash it, the compound can also be used on the fuel door and the area surrounding the gas cap. Feel free to add this cleaning process to your checklist of basic gas cap maintenance.