Your car is probably one of your most-used possessions, and it’s easy to let it get messy and cluttered. You may even feel as though you live out of your vehicle, but that doesn’t mean the mess is inevitable or staying tidy is impossible. In fact, making a few changes in your daily routine can help maintain cleanliness and prevent the need for extensive detailing. Start using these five good habits to help keep your car clean and lengthen the amount of time between deep cleanings.
Avoid Eating in Your Car
Eating in your car may be impossible to avoid, but this habit is likely contributing to the dirtiness inside. There’s nothing better than digging into those fries as soon as you get them, but waiting until you get to your destination could be the best way to keep your car clean. There will be fewer food wrappers, crumbs, and odd odors that won’t go away.
Not eating in your vehicle is one of the hardest things to do, but it’s an effective way to keep your car clean. If you must eat in your car, be sure to take other cleanliness measures to ensure a sparkling interior.
Keep Trash Bags on Hand
Keeping a few trash bags in your vehicle is an effective way to reduce trash buildup. If you eat in your car or take longer road trips, it’s more likely that trash will accumulate. However, having a few trash bags on hand is a convenient way to ensure you always have a designated place to put the garbage. Otherwise, you’ll put it in cup holders, door cubbies, or other nooks in your vehicle.
Clean Up Spills As Soon as Possible
Liquid spills quickly seep into your upholstery and leave a stain or distinct odor. To prevent lasting damage, try to clean up spills as soon as possible. With that in mind, not eating or drinking inside the car is the best way to prevent spills. Although many substances cause sticky spots, water can also stain your upholstery. As a result, your upholstery is just one of the interior car parts you should clean more frequently.
Pro Tip
Clean your seats as soon as possible if you expose them to wet clothing or swimsuits to prevent water stains.
Dust Your Dash Weekly
You can’t prevent dust from forming on your dashboard, but you can keep it at bay. Wiping your dash at least once each week is an effective way to keep it clear of dust. When your dash is clean, you’ll feel like your entire car is immaculate.
Use Odor Eliminators
There’s nothing worse than a car that smells like stale food or pet odor. You can try to cover it up with air fresheners, but that only goes so far. Instead, you should use odor eliminators to remove the unpleasant scents first. If you still want to use air fresheners, do so after the odor is gone.
After learning these five good habits to help keep your car clean, you can maintain cleanliness without frequent deep cleaning. You rely on your vehicle to get you where you need to go, and it deserves to be clean and sparkling.