Does your car need some tender loving care? Have your kids helped trashed your car? If you have kids, you probably are already aware of how much stuff tends to accumulate in the car and if you are a new parent, here is what you can look forward to in the future. I know that if I went out to the car right now, I would find all sorts of my toddler’s things scattered throughout the car including those old crusty fruit loops that find their way under the car seat, his toys, and spare clothes. Don’t be surprised what you find under your child’s car seat.
Clean out your car by using these great tips.
- Declutter – The first thing that I do when I am cleaning out the car is to pick up and toss all the trash into a small trash bag. Then I gather up any items that need to go inside the house and place them in a pile. Don’t forget to check the consoles for hidden trash, edges of the seats, those pockets behind the front seats, and the doors. Kids seem to stuff things in random places sometimes so you have to think like a child to find their hidden items.
- Vacuum – If you plan on doing this at home, make sure that your vacuum cleaner has hand held attachments. Make sure that you clean in all of the nooks and crannies such as the edges of the seats, underneath the seats, and under the car seat if you have one. Take out the floor mats and shake them out as much as possible outside. You can also place them on the garage floor or driveway and use the vacuum cleaner to pull the dirt from the mat.
- Wipe Down – When I deep clean the car, I always wipe down anything that is plastic or vinyl using the Armour All Wipes. These are great for removing dust and they help keep your vinyl moisturized.
- Steam Clean – If you own a steam cleaner, you can use the attachments to steam clean the entire vehicle or spot clean. Make sure that you don’t need to go any where in the next few hours, depending on the temperature outside, if you plan on steam cleaning your car. It does take a few hours for it to dry and it is important to make sure that you leave the windows down so that it can air out as well. Make sure that you steam clean the floor mats as well.
- Windows – Clean all of the interior windows using a soft rag such as a microfiber rag, an old 100% cotton t-shirt, or car window cleaner tool. Choose a window cleaner based upon the manufacture’s suggestions for your vehicle If you have aftermarket window tinting, I know that you aren’t supposed to use Windex on the windows. However, you can use any other window cleaner that doesn’t contain any ammonia in it such as Invisible Glass Product.
- Wash the Car – Wash the car at your home using the old fashioned method or take your car to the local car wash. If you wash your car at home, make sure that you immediately dry it to avoid streaking.
- Tires – Clean the tires and hubcaps or rims using a cleaner that is specially formulated for the tires and use a tire brush.
- Rainx – Adding Rainx to your windows will help keep your windows visible when it rains. I love being able to see out my front windshield after using this product during a rain storm. It causes the water to bead up and run off of your car.
- Waxing – It is important to wax your car at least once a year.
To get weekly updates to Uplifting Families, please subscribe to my newsletter or join in the conversation with me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and G+.
What is the weirdest thing that your child has left in your car for you to find?
