Removable car mats
If you don’t have any, it’s a great idea to get some. It’s much easier to take out dirty mats and clean them rather than trying to clean everything in the confined space of your footwell. When your mats get dirty, shake off any dirt or sand (outside of the car), spray with laundry stain remover, and throw them in the washing machine. If they’re made from rubber, just give them a hose down.
Use seat covers
Seat covers catch spills, dirt, and crumbs. Just remove and wash them regularly to keep your car's upholstery clean. Choose machine-washable seat covers for easier maintenance.
Keep a small bin
Use a plastic cereal container as a rubbish bin (if you’re lucky, it could fit into your door’s storage compartment). Make sure you empty it at the petrol station, every time you fill up.
Keep a microfibre cloth handy
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Dust and crumbs: Keep a microfibre cloth in your glove compartment to quickly wipe away dust, spills, or smudges on the dashboard, console, and seats.
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Quick tip: A lint roller can also work wonders on cloth seats and carpets.
Keep your shoes clean
To reduce the chance of sand and dirt being dragged into your car on shoes, give them a kick before getting in. You could even keep a clean pair of shoes in your car for driving and store your dirty shoes in a plastic bag or put a shower cap over the soles.
Avoid eating inside your car
This is a tough one, especially if you have young kids or going on a long journey. If you do eat in the car, try to clean up any mess as soon as you have reached your destination.
Pets
If your bestie is along for the ride, make sure you cover the back seat with a purpose-made cover, a blanket or even a towel (we’re talking about your dog, not your best mate from high-school!). You can also run a rubber squeegee (or a rubber washing up glove) across car upholstery or carpet to collect any stray pet hair.
Vacuuming
To suck up hard-to-reach gunk from the nooks and crannies inside your car, insert an empty paper towel roll into the end of your vacuum cleaner. Bend or flatten it to squeeze into those difficult spots.
Air vents
Use a paintbrush or foam brush to clean narrow vents and vacuum away the dislodged dust and dirt, otherwise, you are just moving it around.
Cupholders
These can quickly become the grubbiest area inside your car. To clean, grab a jar or travel mug that fits into your holder, put a clean (fluffy) sock over the bottom and spray with cleaning fluid. Press into the cupholder and twist. The dirt will attach itself to the sock. Another option is to make your own cleaning slime - which is great for getting bits out of hard-to-reach places.
To keep them clean, put a silicone muffin case into the cupholder to catch any spills - or use paper muffin cases and change them regularly.
Remember: every time you leave your car, take something with you!
