Seven Tips to Keep Your Car Interior Clean

Have you ever procrastinated cleaning out your car and waited until it was overwhelming? Afraid of what you will find under the seats? According to AAA Newsroom, Americans spend an average of 17,600 minutes behind the wheel each year, so it is important that you keep it clean. Below we have provided seven tips for keeping the inside of your car interior as clean and easy as possible. 

1. Keep a trash can in your car

You might be thinking: why keep a trash can in my car when I can just as easily take the trash out as I go? Well, while that is a nice thought, having a trash can in your car can help simplify reducing the mess in your car by making it easier and more convenient and leaves less opportunity for an excuse to leave trash strewn in your car. It can also help kids and passengers by giving them a place to put trash so they do not have to worry about it later. Once the trash can is full, you can just take it and dump it in the trash. You can either use a regular small trash can, a small garbage bag, or you can buy trash cans that are specifically designed for cars. 

2.Use wet wipes

Most drivers and passengers do not think about the dirt that they accumulate on their hands on a daily basis. All of the dirt, grime, and food transfers to everything you touch in your car: your steering wheel, infotainment system, seatbelt, dash, etc. Not only do cars get dirty from the dirt on your hands, but places like the dash also collect dust over time. In order to help control the dirt and dust, keeping pre-moistened wipes specifically designed for your car’s interior can help the interior look shiny and clean. Keeping them in the car also makes it easier for you to remember to wipe it down and do it on a more regular basis. 

3. Clean cupholders and use cup holder liners

Most people cannot make it through their morning commute without a cup of coffee to help them wake up. If you have children, you also know that they are always thirsty. Anywhere a drink is located, there is always a chance of a spill or mishap. Cold drinks also produce condensation, which after time creates a build-up of grime in your cup holders. 

Also, many people often use cup holders to store other items like trash or change. Cleaning your cup holders with a wet wipe can help reduce the sticky mess that always ends up in your cup holder. In order to prepare for messy cup holders ahead of time, you can place cup holder liners in your cup holder, so instead of scrubbing out the cupholders, you can just take the liner out and replace them. 

Image source: Pixabay

4. Clean up messes as soon as they happen

Many of us are always on the go, and sometimes it is difficult to take the time to clean up messes as soon as they happen. However, if you continuously delay cleaning up messes, not only does the mess accumulate, it can also cause permanent damage to your car’s interior. The longer you wait to clean up a spilled cup of coffee, the more difficult it will be to get it out of your upholstery. If your kids dump their morning snack like cereal, ignoring it could lead to potential problems, such as bugs or mold. Also, if you clean them up immediately after they occur, it will be less time-consuming in the long run. 

5. Clean your shoes before you enter the car

Your feet are one of the first parts of your body that make contact with your interior when you enter your car, but what happens when you do not make a conscious effort to keep your shoes clean? Ultimately, mud, dirt, or anything that you stepped in without noticing is going to transfer to your floorboard. Mud is one of the more difficult stains to clean from upholstery, so instead of staining your floorboard, look at the bottom of your shoes before you enter the car. This is also where the wet wipes can come in handy and you can wipe off the bottom of your shoes before you enter your vehicle. You can also shake your shoes to get off debris so you can keep them outside of your car. 

6. Replace your air filter regularly

While changing out your air filter should be a routine part of car maintenance, regularly replacing your air filter also serves another purpose, which is to purify the air. By purifying the air, it also helps reduce any airborne smells that will circulate through your vents, and throughout your car. Changing out your filter will help keep your car smelling fresh and clean. 

7. Use organizers throughout your car interior

Whether you travel for work or you transport your children back and forth between school and soccer practice or dance, keeping all of the everyday items you need organized is essential when you are trying to keep your car clean. Luckily, there are a wide range of options for organizers that are designed for whatever need you may have. There are organizers for the crevices in the front seats that can be used by either the driver or a passenger. Thus, being able to store everyday items such as chargers, personal items, or pocket change.

There are also organizers that hang from the back of the passenger or driver seat so that backseat passengers can neatly store their personal items, which would be perfect for children to store their toys or electronics. There are even organizers for your trunk space, so if you want to organize your cargo or groceries so they do not get crushed or rolled around, the options are limitless and reasonably priced. 

Final thoughts on your car interior

It is already difficult enough to manage the never-ending frenzy that is life: keeping up with the laundry, managing the kids’ extracurricular activities, and finding time to take care of ourselves. By using these tips, keeping your car’s interior clean will be easier and one less task you have to worry about.