May is all about spring cleaning. We covered things you shouldn’t forget to clean and 5 steps to spring clean your business. Let’s add our car to the list. Just like with anything else, some are better than others at keeping their car clean and organized. Some treat their car as their personal collect-all, while others maintain the new car condition. And there’s everything in between. If you aspire to have that freshly detailed, new-car vibe years after you drove it off the lot, we’ve got some tips for you.
Invest in a Trunk Organizer
Don’t you hate hearing your groceries move all over the place in your trunk? Sometimes, it might even cause you to pull over to make sure the watermelon didn’t smash the eggs or bread. A trunk organizer fixes that! Here are some of the bestselling organizers for you to check out. Depending on your car’s trunk size, consider a hanging organizer for items you want to have in your car at all times (wipes, diapers, water bottle, first-aid kit, etc.)
Use a Car Trash Can
If you’re constantly finding trash all over your vehicle, get a car trash can. These are nice because they usually either hang from a headrest or fit in a cupholder. It eliminates keeping a loose bag for trash to collect in and potentially fall out anyway. Here are some car-specific trash receptacles that make good options. Plus, these are way more stylish and look better. Have you seen this one?
Keep Hand Sanitizer and Cleaning Wipes Stocked
When spills, coughs, or sneezes happen, keeping your car stocked with Clorox or Lysol wipes eases cleanup. After you’ve finished at the gas pump, having hand sanitizer nearby gets that gasoline smell off your hands and prevents it from transferring to the steering wheel.
Maintain a Cleaning Routine
In the car, certain surfaces get touched and have the capacity to transfer bacteria more than others. It’s helpful to establish a cleaning routine so that the inside of your car constantly feels clean and organized. Here are some areas to regularly clean
- Door handles
- Steering wheel
- Gear shift
- Dashboard
- Cup holders
- Middle console
- Window buttons
- Radio controls
Towels and Car Protectors
If kids and pets are your travel companions, we recommend keeping some towels handy and using car protectors. Keeping a towel or two in the car is definitely useful when traveling with kids or pets. They can help clean up kids, pets, or messes in a pinch. If your shoes or belongings become wet or dirty, they can also protect your car from the mess. If you have pets, there are several options available to keep hair and dirt off your seats. In a pinch, you can use one of the towels you keep nearby.
Vacuum
If you have space, keep a handheld vacuum in the car for quick and easy cleanup. Most of the handheld ones come with different attachments to help fit into the tight spaces like under the seats. For bigger jobs, use a heavy-duty shop vac.
Deep Clean/Detail
Keeping a cleaning routine and staying organized will reduce the amount of deep cleaning necessary. However, there are definitely times when your car will need to be deep cleaned or detailed. Doing this about once per quarter will give you a fresh start and help keep the routine cleaning manageable. If you decide to do the deep clean yourself, rather than pay for it to be detailed, here are some tips and tricks.
- Use Q-tips to get into the tiny crevices (also great for car seats)
- Lint rollers help pick up hair if your vacuum isn’t doing the job.
- This gel gets into tight places and cleans the air vents
- Take your floor mats out of the car before vacuuming. Smack them against the driveway to shake the dust loose.
- Put a few drops of essential oil of your choice on the floor for a long-lasting fresh scent.
Keeping your car clean and organized can be challenging. Especially if you have kids, travel frequently, or use your car a lot for your job. For some people, our cars are like a second home. Make sure that home is clean and comfortable. We gave some tips and ideas for keeping the interior of your car clean and organized. It’s also important to keep the exterior clean – take it through the car wash every two weeks. Lastly, it’s important to maintain your car – regular oil changes, inspections, and routine maintenance are vital to it functioning properly and lasting long.
