Keeping Your Car Clean (Inside)

Clean car....ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Yeah right! That is SO not on my priority list!

~I mean, we will clean it if we are going on a road trip or something...but other than that I leave it be and eventually my sister will come over and 'steal' my car and go clean it! HA! She is one of 'those' people with the incredibly spotless car! She is so OCD about that, it makes me laugh...she actually enjoys the car wash and the vacuuming, and such!

I just started a new routine. If the kids take something into the car (such as a toy or something) they can't take anything else into the car if they still have the first thing in the car. You take it in-you take it out...
Also, I put a small box (about the size of a shoe box) in the passenger seat for myself. Any thing I have in the car I put in that box (be it a coffee cup, mail, random craft project from the kids, garbage, whatever). When the box is full I take it inside and clean it out.
I used to let my car get completely gross and full that we couldn't see any of the floor boards. Then in a frenzy (usually because we were taking a trip) I would throw everything in a box and toss it in the garage. Months would go by and I couldn't find that darn sweater, then I remember the 6 or 7 boxes in the garage! It wasn't working!!!

Oh, one other thing that helps. I have always had the kids give me any and all trash the make in the car, be it a gum wrapper or a tissue, whatever. That way it makes it to the front of the car in one place and not all over the back.

I'm with your hubby and kids. The car is the last on my priority list. Now, if I can just keep my house from looking like it's been robbed, then I am making strides!

It doesn't have to be high on your priority list to keep your car clean. The car, just like with anything else, needs to be taught that we treat our things with respect and don't trash or tear it up.

#1. If you take something in the car, toy, games, etc. you take them back in the house. With smaller kids keep a basket behind the back seat with things in it for them to play with and then they go back in there when done.

#2. Keep a trash can somewhere and if old enough need to throw they're trash in there, the car isn't the garbage can. If they are little then they can pass it up to you and you throw it away.

#3. All these rules apply to the adults, you bring something in the car, you take it out when you get home or to destination. Kids learn by our examples and as far as I'm concerned if you don't teach them early to respect their belongings, including a car, they never will.

We've done this with our cars from the get go and it's no big deal and not that difficult.

There is a commercial that speaks to my heart.

Narrator is standing next to pristine minivan with child in it. Narrator closes door. Narrator opens door after leaving it shut less than 1 second (enough to click). Car looks like a hurricane hit it.

Welcome to my car. The mess is springloaded.

I also have to add... whenever I have my car and my son and I'm NOT IN WASHINGTON STATE... my car stays clean(er). It's like magic. It's because in other states I don't have rain running down the small of my back, dripping over projects, blowing in open doors, soaking seats/causing mold issues, soaking my hair/ clothes/ pants/ getting mud & grit everywhere. Snow, my car stays clean. Sun my car stays clean. In WA it's the "mad dash" through the wet to and from the car with the greatest amount of cumbersome things shoved under arms as I'm herding kids to and from. There is never enough space in anyone's arms to take everything in. Then it's stripping of kids' wet clothes and muddy shoes... finding a place for the wet things I brought in from the car and then having to go BACK and DO IT AGAIN??? I'm only willing to do that for groceries. When the weather has a 90% chance to be 50 degrees out and raining during ALL 12 MONTHS OF THE YEAR... you don't see many "kid cars" that are clean 'round these parts.

Ha sounds just like me. I drive a fuel efficient compact car and meanwhile im surrounded by sparkling pristine SUVs/minivans. I chose for the smaller car, better gas mileage and its all mine, dont owe a damn thing on it.
Anyhoo, I have 2 kids (once was 2 under 2) I try as I might but that damn car cannot stay clean. I however will not pull my hair out forbidding my kids to have anything in the car and its hard enough being a married single to do it all the time. I guess as long as your car doesnt smell of rotten chocolate milk who cares!!! lol It bothers me sometimes but try not to let it get you. You dont have to be spotless to be a great mom. Also it more important to spend time twith your kids than worry about what others think and how clean everything is. I know, my mom was an OCD cleaner, I wish she spent more time with me than cleaning or making me do it :P

To hell with perfection, its unachievable. Your not any less than a mom, you probably do more than they do in a day.

I am entirely grateful to my husband who keeps our van cleaned out for us. My bff has a very dirty van. Her kids think it is fine to just drop trash where ever they want and to leave it. She laughs about it. I often get frustrated trying to get in while water bottles and trash fall into the street. I always make sure she cleans it out before we go on road trips so it is at least comfortable for everyone.

Yeah I know the feeling. I have an 05 town and country. Very nice looking car on the outside, but the inside is another story. Its like a traveling mess! I clean it and in a few days its a mess again.

If I ever get a new car, I will forbid any eating or drinking in it.
No exceptions.
And I will keep wetwipes to clean dirty kids hands off.
I too have noticed this and we now are trying to retrain our child to keep all markers, books, etc in a backpack so it doesn't spill out.

I put it this way...when you visit the cemetery, you will never see on a woman's headstone, "She kept a clean house or car, or desk or anything...". And things will get better when your kids get older. Then, they will leave the house and you will long for a messy car....

Well, I too live in WA State and yes it is hard to keep the cars clean. I am lucky enough to have a husband that cares, maybe a little too much, about clean cars and does all that for me. He gets frustrated that I don't care(as much as he does) and sometimes gives up. I have found that keeping a car clean, does give you your money's worth when/if you ever need to sell. I have a toddler and we do not eat/drink in the car much. We really are not in the car long enough that often to need to do it. If we do fast food, we either go in and sit down or take it somewhere. If we need to drink, it's usually water. We have a box with a few toys in it that stays in the car. If I put something in the car, I take it back out. Why put off something that can be done now, that is my philosophy.
I also don't care how others live, so if your worried about others looking at you, don't be. They can mind their own business. It's not like you are asking them to clean it. It's a car, as long as you and your family are happy that is all that matters.

A small crate in the trunk for toys.
A small, sturdy plastic bag w/a hole in top wrapped around a knob in car fro trash.
Car wash/vacuum.
Every few days (yeah right..once a week if I'm lucky "haul in trash and junk from the car in the driveway day)
A zip pencil bag from school aisle to hold bandages, floss, coupons, tape etc.

I had my wife in the same situation as you, I got her a monthly car steam cleaning service from DetailXperts, they provide on spot car cleaning service, and its water-less! they use steam to clean the car so no soaked up driveways. You should try DetailXperts as well they are the best car detailing http://www.detailxperts.net/automobile_detailing service in the US.

Keeping a bag in the car to corral the trash is the biggest thing. One little gum wrapper on the floor leads to a bigger mess. Trust me, I know. The kids have to clean up their stuff from the car - backpacks, books, etc. It does get easier as they get older. Hang in there.

It's called Saggitariun housekeeping. Don't worry too much over it. Just try to keep the actual trash to a modest amount by having a trash bag in the car.
Once or twice a month take it to the carwash and get it vacuumed that'll keep your car a bit cleaner.

Yes, I have car envy too. I hate a dirty crumby car and it drives me nuts, but with two kids I also can never keep it clean. Like many other posters said, I keep bring all the bags/stuff in each time. I try to keep the garbage picked up in a little trash bag. And once a week I'll run out when I have a minute and use my dustbuster to suck up the crumbs. It doesn't do a perfect job, but makes it look a whole lot better!! I have my dustbuster mounted in my laundry room so its always charging and easy access.
Before kids, I actually like cleaning my car. Now i'm just dying for a few minutes to myself.

Hey Mama-

I think it's important for kids to have spending money, even young ones, so one of the 'extra' jobs my kids could do was clean out the car for me. Since most of the mess was theirs, it seemed fair and worked great.

Provide guidance and direction and let them at it.

Good Luck

R. Magby

Mine is most often a mess (of course, so is my house as others have said!). I was going to keep mine spotless since my husband's was usually messier, but we end up transporting the kids equally. Some things I started doing that have helped me a bit include:

Keeping a bottle of cleaner and a few rags or paper towels in the car (Armor-All is my favorite). I can wipe off the dash and such when I'm stuck in traffic or at a train.

I keep extra grocery bags in stored for trash. I don't always get it emptied but it all goes in the bag.

I try to do a deeper cleaning every few months, including vacuuming, when my kids are playing outside. I bring everything in, clear out trash, vacuum, and wash down the gross things inside. If I have to, I strap my kids into their car seats and let them talk to me while I do it (otherwise they wander off where I can't see them).

One of my biggest problems with keeping my car clean are leaving half the coffee mugs from my house in my car (I don't own a travel mug) because I never remember to bring my mug back in when I get home from work. I also tend to leave junk from the work day on my seat, or in the winter my heels on the passenger side while I wear my boots in, or in the summer my sneakers are on the floor with my sweats from my lunch break exercise. I think I will also try to keep my car cleaner this winter since my commute keeps taking longer. :)

I usually sit in the driveway as long as needed...hand her a grocery bag and ask her to pick up her mess. Her mess, she cleans it.

First off, I love you. lol. I have the same problem and I feel your pain. My husband has no interest and feels no need to keep a clean car. My car used to be gorgeous inside, when I was on my own and had time to keep it up! Now I have car envy when I see all other spotless car interiors. I have a routine where I vacuum and clean the inside on Friday. That doesn't happen every week though, too many other things take priority..so it gets messy. Plus I have a bad back and that's the last thing I want to do when I'm in pain. I also have a dog that likes car rides so that adds to the mess. I try to at least take the stuff out each day when I get out. I also insist that the kids throw away their wrappers and stuff. Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading about all the ideas to keep it clean. I'm fascinated by people who can keep their surroundings so tidy...and seem to do so effortlessly.

I'm the same way. Even when I do clean it, with in a couple days you can't see the floor again. We are in a condo so it's hard for me to get out there in the parking lot and clean it out. If I had a place with a garage or if I was able to park closer to the condo, it wouldn't be so hard. I am embaressed too