Tips for keeping your car interior looking really good

[Anonymous]

We just got a new car and I'm determined to keep it really clean and looking nice. I always had really clean, tidy cars until our last one -- for the first time in my life, I was sharing my car with my DH (we'd previously had our own cars) plus then we had a kid and we let it go a bit. I think after a certain amount of spit up and diaper blowouts you just give up a little bit? I would clean it regularly (vacuum, wipe down surfaces once a month) but it still felt like it was always full of cracker crumbs, random detritus (wrappers and receipts) plus the seats got stained and it just stopped looking nice.

With the new car, we've instituted a no eating rule unless it's a food that will not produce any mess at all (so like I'll give my DC some yogurt covered raisins and then make sure all raisins are accounted for). No crackers, no beverages other than water. I got a seat protector for under the car seat (something we never did with the last car and I really regretted). And I have a ritual where every Monday after school drop off, I go fill up the gas tank and vacuum it out.

What else should I do to keep it looking good? Should I get one of those little mini vacuums to keep in the car or is that overkill. I usually just use the industrial vac at the gas station. Can anyone recommend cleaners the like for keeping upholstery looking good? Seats are leather, everything else is vinyl. I also think I want to get some containers for the trunk so that we can put grocery bags in them (no more random items rolling out and getting stuff like onion skin or dried milk on the carpet. Can anyone recommend something they like for that purpose? Would also love recommendations for other car organizers. It would be nice to have something that is reachable for my kid from the car seat so she can access books or games easily without us having to get if for her on long trips.

Basically, give me all your favorite car interior cleaning, maintenance, and organization tips. All set on mechanical maintenance, but I want the inside of this car to feel good as long as possible after several years of driving around a car that pretty much always looked messy and gross.

[Anonymous]

Don’t allow children or pets in the car. Ever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t allow children or pets in the car. Ever.

Don't allow children, pets, or people in the car. Ever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t allow children or pets in the car. Ever.

This, and no eating in the car

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t allow children or pets in the car. Ever.

Ha! Okay assume the child is unavoidable. No pets though, and it's just one child who is relatively neat and old enough that we don't have to worry about the worst offenses (might get car sick but capable of doing so into a carsick bag).

[Anonymous]

I have elementary age kids and my car is clean. We don’t eat in the car except a few things that don’t make a mess - think apple slices not things that make crumbs. Water, not juice or soda.

My kids change out of their sports shoes and put on sandals before they get in the car - no muddy cleats.

Every single time we exit the car, everyone takes everything out of the car. No wrappers, papers, water bottles, etc. There is nothing in my car except the papers in the glove box and a few emergency items in the center console. I have a hatchback and have an organizer that hangs in the back area and holds jumper cables, flares, a first aid kit, and a few kid things we occasionally need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have elementary age kids and my car is clean. We don’t eat in the car except a few things that don’t make a mess - think apple slices not things that make crumbs. Water, not juice or soda.

My kids change out of their sports shoes and put on sandals before they get in the car - no muddy cleats.

Every single time we exit the car, everyone takes everything out of the car. No wrappers, papers, water bottles, etc. There is nothing in my car except the papers in the glove box and a few emergency items in the center console. I have a hatchback and have an organizer that hangs in the back area and holds jumper cables, flares, a first aid kit, and a few kid things we occasionally need.

Excellent, thank you! What do you do with muddy cleats or other items when you take them off? Just plastic bags or do you have somewhere to put them in the car.

We sprang for all the plastic floor thingies this time so that should help some, though I'm already noticing that they are somewhat more annoying to vacuum and clean than the carpet ones. But at least they do a better job of actually protecting the car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t allow children or pets in the car. Ever.

Don't allow children, pets, or people in the car. Ever.

No eating children or pets in the car, ever.

[Anonymous]

No food or drink. Other than water bottles.

Seriously, kids do not need to be eating, even yogurt raisins, in a car unless you are driving across the county.

And definitely no peppermint hot choc. That will smell a loooong time. Yes, ask me how I know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t allow children or pets in the car. Ever.

Don't allow children, pets, or people in the car. Ever.

No eating children or pets in the car, ever.

+1

we tried and failed at the no eating in the car but it would really have made a difference.
The alternative is to get into a routine of once a week vacuum and clean the car and then at regular intervals get a full detail

[Anonymous]

I like a clean car, but cars are super cleanable, so I don't worry too much about "keeping it clean" and I just devote an appropriate amount of time and money to cleaning it. I have a toddler and sometimes I would rather get crackers everywhere than let a 5 minute car nap f&* up my whole afternoon.

There's basically no amount of vomit or gummy bears that can't be cleaned out of a car. It's good to try to avoid anything that can fully soak in, so like if there's possibly pee happening you should put down an absorbent protector of some kind. But other than that, it's okay.

I find the $25 car wash, the kind where you get out and they vacuum and sort of wipe down is about 85% as good as a full detail which is pretty good for 10 minutes.

I definitely think having a roll of trash bags and some microfiber clothes is helpful and I also like having one of those soft sided thingies to collect/corral stuff but it's definitely not a necessity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like a clean car, but cars are super cleanable, so I don't worry too much about "keeping it clean" and I just devote an appropriate amount of time and money to cleaning it. I have a toddler and sometimes I would rather get crackers everywhere than let a 5 minute car nap f&* up my whole afternoon.

There's basically no amount of vomit or gummy bears that can't be cleaned out of a car. It's good to try to avoid anything that can fully soak in, so like if there's possibly pee happening you should put down an absorbent protector of some kind. But other than that, it's okay.

I find the $25 car wash, the kind where you get out and they vacuum and sort of wipe down is about 85% as good as a full detail which is pretty good for 10 minutes.

I definitely think having a roll of trash bags and some microfiber clothes is helpful and I also like having one of those soft sided thingies to collect/corral stuff but it's definitely not a necessity.

Wait… This is a thing? I hate vacuuming my car so I don’t do it enough. I would pay $25 in a hot minute, I just don’t want to pay 125 for an interior detail… (not OP)

[Anonymous]

Avoid snow and beaches. Seriously the worst offenders after food!

[Anonymous]

Also keeping a stick vacuum in the car helps a ton! I have two that I rotate between the house for charging and for keeping in the car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like a clean car, but cars are super cleanable, so I don't worry too much about "keeping it clean" and I just devote an appropriate amount of time and money to cleaning it. I have a toddler and sometimes I would rather get crackers everywhere than let a 5 minute car nap f&* up my whole afternoon.

There's basically no amount of vomit or gummy bears that can't be cleaned out of a car. It's good to try to avoid anything that can fully soak in, so like if there's possibly pee happening you should put down an absorbent protector of some kind. But other than that, it's okay.

I find the $25 car wash, the kind where you get out and they vacuum and sort of wipe down is about 85% as good as a full detail which is pretty good for 10 minutes.

I definitely think having a roll of trash bags and some microfiber clothes is helpful and I also like having one of those soft sided thingies to collect/corral stuff but it's definitely not a necessity.

OH I FORGOT SOMETHING IMPORTANT which is you need an extractor (and optionally a drill brush). This is to clean anything that spills on the carpet or upholstery and you don't have time or don't want to get it detailed. You spray the area with diluted cleaner, use the drill brush or a regular brush, then extract. I like our bissel spot bot. It's important to get to stuff like a spilled latte or juice quickly, but I don't always have time to take the car out of commission to be detailed. This takes a half hour.