One of the most difficult problems most car owners have is figuring out how to keep their vehicle clean and organized all year long. For the sake of keeping yourself safe, comfortable, and stress-free, your vehicle must become a clean and convenient place for you to spend time in – After all, we spend most of our time on the road! Thankfully, there are 12 tips to keep your car clean.
This is by far the simplest way to keep your vehicle looking neat all the time. Using pre-moistened auto wipes for a quick rub of the glove compartment, steering wheel, dashboard, and all of the other little stuff in between will get rid of dust and grime left from your finger. You can keep pre-moistened auto wipes in the glove box for this purpose.
How often have you been somewhere and wish you had packed x, y, z? Then you need to create a car kit! You could get a big bag with lots of pockets, or a small storage tub. The next step is to collect everything laying around the car that you use often, organize these in the bag or box, and stuck it somewhere convenient. You don’t necessarily have to organize everything in order, but doing so will save you time when looking for an item.
Remember and keep track of vehicle maintenance so you don’t have mechanical issues that cause the build-up of unpleasant odors or dust inside the car. Replacing your air filter regularly is one of such. There are cabin air filters with built-in antimicrobial technology that helps to keep the filter cleaner and you safe during use.
Doesn’t matter if your city is the sandbox of the world, it’s inevitable that the floor of your vehicle will get dirty from people’s shoes – or maybe yours. You can go longer in between vacuuming if you shake out your mats regularly.
Cup holders contribute their fair share of car dirt, especially when the condensation dripping down from your drive-through drinks creates a sludge over time. You can remedy the situation by using a cotton swab to quickly get rid of crumbs or liquids before they dry up.
A cleaning too will go a long way in removing extra sticky spills in your cup holder and other surfaces, plus they have built-in antimicrobial and odor control protection to keep your vehicle clean and fresh for longer.
Other than holding our weights, car seats also collect lots of stains on them along with a significant amount of dirt, hair, and crumbs stuck in the cushion seams. And, if you have kids or pets the odds of winning against dirt is not really in your favor. An old toothbrush will help get everything out of the cracks; you can use a magic eraser to get rid of stains or sticky things on leather or vinyl.
Another thing you could do is handle a messy situation as they happen, the longer you wait the more work you’ll have. A napkin or few paper towels in the car will come in handy when such a situation arises. If your pet is the source of the dirt or hair, I recommend getting a car seat cover to protect your vehicle interior.
Nothing too big or fancy. A simple plastic grocery bag hanging from the back of the passenger seat should do. Having a convenient place like this for everyone to toss the tissues, cans, wrappers, and coffee cups will go a long way in keeping your vehicle neat otherwise trash will end up on the floor, in the back seat, or stuffed inside door pockets and tiny crevices. Oh, and please, if you take this road do not wait for someone to tell you to take out the trash.
Remember when your car came in new – and neat. Everything that has made a mess of your car came from outside; things you brought into the vehicle and didn’t take out. Which makes the in-and-out rule pretty effective. If something goes into the car ensure it comes out, this includes toys, cups, snacks, or a jacket you took off because of the heat. Let your passengers know about this habit and remind them before they exit the vehicle.
If you follow these tips to a T, your car will be much tidier as you go about your daily activities. The benefit of these daily habits is that you’ll have an easier time when vacuuming and cleaning the insides of your vehicle at the end of the month.
Shiny headlights play an important role in making your car look new and fresh. The only downside about caring for this part of the car is that headlight cleaners aren’t very affordable and then there’s the gamble on which products works as advertised.
A simple trick I stumbled upon that keeps headlight looking new is to give them a good wipe with toothpaste and water.
If you are one of those that like to throw away the extra napkins from fast-food restaurants and drive-through, then you are missing out on an opportunity to save money. How? Well, buying a disposable paper from the store costs a lot of money over time, by keeping those you get for free you are automatically cutting down your expenses. And trust me, you can always find a need for them in the car – whether it’s to clean up spills or wipe dirt from your hands.
Air vents can get really dirty. And, without routine cleaning, it can be tiring and a time-consuming job when you finally get around to it. It’s super easy to prevent a nasty build of dust and other particles if you have a foam brush somewhere handy to give them a quick wipe with. You could keep a foam brush in the glove box, middle console, or your car kit to wipe the crevices.
Truth is, whether you follow these tips or not, your car is going to get dirty. That’s a given. What really makes all the difference is how you handle the dirt and how dirty it gets before you take action. If you take the time to follow these simple car cleaning tips, you’ll be blown away at how your vehicle stays neat and organized long after a full-scale cleaning job.
