You might be one of those people who keep a clean house but a messy car. That can happen to anyone who drives a good part of the time and is often in a hurry. If you take your kids or pets with you, the mess may be compounded. Here are four easy tips that can help to keep your car clean and neat.
Convenient Cleaning Items
Keep a door handle litter bag handy for food wrappers, crumbs, and other minor debris that you quickly flick into the bag while on the road. You might want to bring a regular size trash bag for larger rubbish items and discard it when full. Keep a pack of diaper wipes in the console or the glove compartment. They come in handy for sticky hands, coffee spills, and accumulated vent dust. A box of tissues or a roll of tissue paper helps for sneezes and coughs.
Mini-Vacuum
A small hand vacuum can be stored in the trunk for quick clean-up after hauling home messy items like plants for repotting or hay bales for fall decorating. Stray particles from clothing that releases lint and pets that shed fur can also be quickly vacuumed before it settles over everything in the car. Run the vacuum cleaner over the seats and floor once a week to remove dust and debris so it does not keep piling up.
Floor Mats
Install quality car floor mats in your vehicle to catch dirt, mud, leaves, snow, and other things you might step in before entering your car. Good mats are worth the investment because they can attach to floor hooks in your car to remain stable, and they can be easily cleaned. They are especially helpful after the kids have dropped candy bits or leftover lunchbox crumbs on the floor, or the dog has left behind some fur after a visit to the vet.
Trunk Organizer
Add a trunk organizer to help keep groceries and packages in order so they don’t tumble all over. A couple of plastic crates or even cardboard boxes will help. You might be able to find an organizer with movable dividers to arrange the space based on different transport needs. Keeping groceries and other purchases in the trunk can help to prevent spills or torn plastic shopping bags to avoid further cleanup.
Additions like these can make car travel cleaner, less stressful, and more enjoyable. Rearrange your car to reduce clutter and dirt.