The proverb “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” stands true when it comes to the maintenance of your car interiors. If you drive a lot or have kids or pets, your car’s interior, with all its nooks and crannies, may be overwhelming to manage. But you cannot always keep your vacuum, brushes, and cleaners handy to wipe your car. We have some quick tips and tricks for the never-fading sparkle of your car.
Table of Contents
- 1. Place a Trash Bin in Your Car
- 2. Clean the cup holders
- 3. Keep your car fresh with air fresheners
- 4. Make use of organizers
- 5. Clean Spillage as soon as it happens
- 6. Shake out the floor mats before leaving the car
- 7. Make use of car seat covers
- 8. Vacuum the interiors of your car
- 9. Organize and keep an emergency kit
- 10. Take out anything extra from the car
1. Place a Trash Bin in Your Car
Placing a trash can in your car is the best way to keep it clean and tidy. This will save you time and effort gathering up the trash later. Trash can end up in several different parts of your car, such as its compartments, footwells, floor, or between the front seats and console. Equipping your car with a trash bin can prevent the litter from scattering.
A waterproof trash container with a lid can prove to be a great option. You can hang it from the front seat’s headrest. Even a simple plastic bag will do the job and can easily fit in your car door’s compartment. Just ensure you take out the trash can once it’s full.
2. Clean the cup holders
The cupholders in your car can be sticky and dirty due to spillage, crumbs, and condensation. An excellent trick to clean these cup holders is to take an old sock and rub it around the holder to wipe and get rid of all the grime. You can spray the sock with an all-purpose cleaner before cleaning, for better results.
Moreover, these cup holders can be prevented from getting dirty or sticky by placing liners or silicone cups in them. The silicone cups and liners catch any spillage or dirt, hence, making the cleaning of cup holders easier. All you need to do is pull them out of the holders.
The sticky mess can also be minimized by immediately getting rid of cups containing cold drinks or coffee once you’ve consumed the drink. This will help prevent any unwanted spillage or condensation.
3. Keep your car fresh with air fresheners
Using an air freshener is the best way to keep your car fresh and clean at all times. The pleasant aroma also has a soothing impact on the senses and keeps you refreshed throughout your drive. Several brands in the market manufacture excellent quality air fresheners and car fragrances. These can be found easily at affordable prices. Also, ensure to change the fresheners at regular intervals to keep the inside of your car fresh and clean.
4. Make use of organizers
Even if you have kids or not, the back and front seats of your car can be quite cluttered. It can get all mucky from your kid’s shoes, messy hands, or from the food they are eating during the drive. These issues can easily be resolved with the help of a car seat organizer.
An efficient seat organizer comprises various compartments that can be used to store toys, travel games, treats, accessories and more, and can be easily hung in the back seat of your car. This also prevents the back of your car seats from getting dirtied by your child’s shoes. You can also make a DIY car organizer of your own using a shoe organizer. For the front seats, you can try dividers with compartments. These compartments will also lessen the clutter.
5. Clean Spillage as soon as it happens
A spill or stain is always harder to clean up later. It is best to clean up the mess right away, and will only take a few minutes. This way, you can save your car from a permanent stain. Keep a microfiber towel handy in your car for that quick cleaning of stains on seats or carpets.
6. Shake out the floor mats before leaving the car
Floor mats accumulate the most dirt in the car, especially from shoes. While you are forming habits to keep your car clean, shaking the dirt off the floor mats should be on the top of your list. If you shake the dirt off after your last trip or at least once a week, your floor mats won’t be too dirty with loads of accumulated dirt. This will also reduce your efforts in car cleaning in the future.
7. Make use of car seat covers
Using seat covers is the best way to keep your car seats protected from permanent stains and dirt. When these covers get dirty, you can simply take them off, wash them in the washing machine or send them for dry cleaning, and spread them out again.
If you own a pet, you can use a waterproof seat cover instead of the regular backseat covers, whenever your pet rides with you. This will prevent your car seats from being spoiled with their muddy feet and fur.
8. Vacuum the interiors of your car
A lot of trash can end up on the car floor while munching during your trip. Vacuuming the car regularly is essential to keep it away from dust and dirt, and to clean off those food granules. Vacuum the floor, front, back seats, and even the trunk of your car at least once a week. A vacuum cleaner with a thin nozzle is best for your car cleaning as it can easily reach every corner of your car, including the pedals and side door panels. This way, every little inch of your car will be free of dirt.
9. Organize and keep an emergency kit
If you are travelling with the elderly, children or even with someone who is prone to motion sickness, they might feel under the weather during the trip. Always keep an emergency kit in your car with essential medicines, band-aids, and ORS solutions. Avoid scattering the medicines on your dashboard and keep them well organized in a box. Also, have a box of wet tissues, in case anyone throws up. This will not only make you prepared for the exigencies but will also keep your car clean and tidy.
10. Take out anything extra from the car
Leaving things in your car and letting them pile up over time, will leave your car feeling cluttered and untidy. Make it a habit to take what you brought with you, every time you step out of your car to get back home. That way, you won’t have a lot of stuff to carry when you plan to clean out your car. A pro tip: don’t forget to look under your car seats too.
These little tips and tricks will keep your car interiors organized and will save you from all the extra efforts to keep your car clean and fresh.
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