How to keep the inside of your vehicle clean?

[blupupher]

In my truck, I pick up the trash every few days (not much, just receipts, occasional food wrapper, water bottle, etc). My kids tend to leave more trash in my wifes car (they are in it more) and I make them clean it out every so often.

As far as vacuuming, every few months on both of them (I do bring my wife's car to a local carwash every few months and gets a little better interior detail).

I had a co-worker that was a total car slob. Had a Toyota Tercell that was full of trash. It was a 2 door hatch and the hatch and back seat area was full of trash, passanger seat was about 1/2 full, no way anyone could ride with him. He had roaches in his car, and we make him park away from everyone else.

 

[Uregina09]

It's hard to believe how people can be such slobs when it comes to vehicles. I do a complete detail of both our vehicles once a week. Because they're so clean, it hardly takes any time at all. My vehicles have the new car smell for several years and I have two kids who make a mess. My wife wishes I'd tone down the cleaning, but it's a stress release for me.

 

[wdn]

I use a Mr. Clean duster on the dash and vents like a feather duster but synthetic. A 3M lint roller to clean the lint off of the fabric like material on the door panels. That's the roller wth adhesive backed sheets and that pick up the lint and when it gets used up you tear off the top layer ans there are more sheets underneath. Just doing those two things makes a big difference.

 

[Omahaug]

Originally Posted by Uregina09
It's hard to believe how people can be such slobs when it comes to vehicles. I do a complete detail of both our vehicles once a week. Because they're so clean, it hardly takes any time at all. My vehicles have the new car smell for several years and I have two kids who make a mess. My wife wishes I'd tone down the cleaning, but it's a stress release for me.

It really is boggling. I like to think it gives a window into what kind of people they are (but probably not much of a correlation). I think the minimum correlation it shows is what they do to things they don't care about, while what we do shows what we do to things we do care about, maybe. All I know is I wouldn't treat anything I didn't care about like they do with cars, I'll tell you that much.

Since I clean my car often, there's never a big mess to clean up. I can imagine if someone didn't clean their car ever, that first time clean up job would be pretty harrowing. Coffee stains, spilled drinks, random stains everywhere, garbage on the floorboards, garbage under the seats, disgusting.

Originally Posted by CT8
That is what the wife or girl friend is for.

I lol'ed at this one because I know someone who runs an independent mechanic shop and he said women consistently have the cars with the nastiest interiors. They use it like it's their home, literally, as in the back seat is usually filled with crap like a ton of clothing that's been there for who knows how long and garbage and crap everywhere. They just tell him "Oh don't mind the mess in the car", also don't stare at the chewed pieces of gum in the coin holder. The coin holder is the chewed gum receptacle.

 

[blupupher]

Originally Posted by NoNameJoe

It really is boggling. I like to think it gives a window into what kind of people they are (but probably not much of a correlation). I think the minimum correlation it shows is what they do to things they don't care about, while what we do shows what we do to things we do care about, maybe. All I know is I wouldn't treat anything I didn't care about like they do with cars, I'll tell you that much....


Not always. It is about priorities. Some people view vehicles as a tool to be used (and maybe abused).
My co-worker was a very intelligent guy (had worked at NASA for several years as an engineer), home was nice and clean, did his job well, just used his car as a trash can.
His Tercell was a late 80's model, so he had been driving it for 16 or so years. It got him from point A to point B. He did maintanance on it, but the interior being clean was not a priority.

 

[SeaJay]

I give mine a quick cleaning once every year, whether or not it needs it.

 

[glock19]

It seems pretty simple to me.

1. No food
2. Vacuum weekly

 

[carloz]

Rubber mats are a must to catch dirt and liquid spills.

 

[jimbrewer]

Originally Posted by SeaJay
I give mine a quick cleaning once every year, whether or not it needs it.

Originally Posted by SeaJay
I give mine a quick cleaning once every year, whether or not it needs it.


Haha! That would be me.

I learned late in life that the cosmetic issues are what chase me (and probably most other sunbelters) from my vehicles. Not an engine blowing up because I left the oil in for 6,000 miles instead of 4,000 miles.

I'm doing better about keeping my car presentable, but it doesn't come naturally.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted by Uregina09
It's hard to believe how people can be such slobs when it comes to vehicles. I do a complete detail of both our vehicles once a week. Because they're so clean, it hardly takes any time at all. My vehicles have the new car smell for several years and I have two kids who make a mess. My wife wishes I'd tone down the cleaning, but it's a stress release for me.


^^This

If you stay on top of things they'll never get beyond the point of no return. I do that same with my house too,clean it from top to bottom once a week. I,too, just don't understand the mindset of a slob.

 

[Silverado12]

Originally Posted by CT8
That is what the wife or girl friend is for.

LOL my wife says that's what I'm for.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted by JLTD
No smoking. No eating. Vacuum monthly or more often. Knock the dirt etc off your shoes before you get in. Detail once and awhile.


This^^

Avoid doing things that get the interior dirty and clean out all of the accumulated garbage on a regular basis and the interior will always be a nice place to be.
Drink only water when driving and the spills will evaporate and never be a problem.

 

[Cujet]

I have a simple method.

1) Windex spray bottle and Microfiber cloth always hanging from center console.
2) Shake out floor mats often
3) Throw out garbage at every fill up (I keep a plastic grocery bag for garbage)

The windex and microfiber cleans the doors, windows, cup holders, steering wheel, spills etc. It's at the ready and I use it all the time. Even at stoplights.

Car is always clean enough that way.