Keeping My Car Interior Clean

Lint-Free Cleaning Cloths

Dawn Powerwash// Scrub Brushers

Glass Wipes// Cleaning Wipes// Leather Wipes

Storage Bin

'Tis the season for spring cleaning! If you've been reading here even if just for a minute, then you know that I love to clean. I also just love clean and orderly spaces. We had a cleaning service for a short period of time pre-March 2020 and while it definitely freed up some time for me, I am not kidding you when I say that I missed doing the cleaning on my own and now we no longer have the cleaning service. 

Of course, there are some tasks that I don't love. Emptying the dishwasher is one of my least favorite things to do by far. Luckily, my husband does not mind doing that one! 

One thing I love to do is keep the interior of my car spotless. In the winter months, it is much tougher because of the salt and slush and just all-around unpleasant weather. Henry is always having wet paws and all sorts of messy things go on in the winter! 

I also take Henry with me anywhere and everywhere so he is in and out of the car a ton. We have this seat cover for him, which is amazing (especially if you have a tan interior) but the car still gets filled with Henry's hair (I wash in the washer with Tide powder when needed). Overall, it really is a lot to keep up with, so I thought I would share with you all how I keep my car clean in case you are anal like me! 

Always Take Things Out Of The Car With You

I mean this is a no-brainer but I've been in some people's cars that have SO much stuff in them! I don't have stuff in the car unless it's in there for the needed 'trip' that I am on. Example: packages going into the car to be taken to UPS or groceries in the car on their way back home or a tote bag with stuff inside for an event later in the day or some things in a tote to be dropped off at the dry cleaners. Otherwise, I don't let things pile up in my car. I definitely have things in the center console like napkins, hand sanitizer, etc. I keep my Orange Theory heart rate monitor in there for quick access and even a hair brush, but nothing is on the floor of the car or anything like that. If I get Taco Bell, I always take the wrappers/garbage with me out of the car. I do keep some reusable bags for things like groceries and all of that in the trunk! 

Use Windex on Interior Windows

I do this from time to time when I get out of the car. Mostly as needed and I would not do it as often if I did not have Henry. He loves to rub his nose against the windows to look out of them so it leaves residue. The Windex wipes are so convenient and remedy the issue quickly and easily! 

Keep Towels In The Car

I keep these Laundress towels in the car to not only clean the interior but clean up any spills that should happen as I'm often drinking coffee, water, etc. while in the car and spills happen! Cleaning something up immediately vs. waiting a bit is a good way to avoid any odors or stickiness. These towels are expensive, in my opinion. But, they truly get rid of dust/lint so I use them in the car to make sure dust is off the display screens and things like that. I have microfiber cloths to clean our home but I find that these towels are worth the 'splurge' for the car because it's a smaller space so I really need to get every speck of dust and these work slightly better! 

Use Cleaning Wipes

These wipes will truly get the dirt and grime from the winter months out of all of the crevices. I've used a lot of different products and this is my #1 favorite. It cleans up all of the wintery salt and sludge! I use the leather wipes for just the seats. I keep all of these things in the trunk in a little bin so it's all kept together and organized for easy access! 

Vacuum Regularly

I would say I vacuum my car out every other week (more often in the warmer months). If you are local to Pittsburgh, the GetGo's have free vacuums that you can use and they work SO WELL. I used to use my Dyson and while that worked OK, these GetGo industrial vacuums are amazing and truly get every single dog hair! I find that if I go frequently, vacuuming takes just 5 minutes to do a quick sweep vs. if I wait too long, it takes more like 30 minutes to really vacuum out the entire car! 

Deep Clean Your Mat

I keep the all-weather mats in my car year round. They are just so much more durable and make much more sense for the Pittsburgh climate and my lifestyle. They're rubber (I think) so I fill up the bathtub with really hot water and spray them down with Dawn Powerwash and let them soak for at least 20 minutes. I scrub them down and rinse them and they always look good as new! It's so easy and Dawn is the only thing I have found that will really get rid of all of the icky salt residue. I also usually remove the little mat things in the cup holders and all of those and scrub those clean, too.

I don't know, maybe you think I'm crazy with all that I do for the interior of my car, but I just cannot stand a dirty or messy car! I have gotten my car detailed before, which has been nice, but it's pretty costly and I find I can do just as good of a job myself!