Going Nowhere – Fast!
The American commuter spends about 38 hours a year stuck behind the wheel of a car, according to The Atlantic. And, if you’re sitting on IH-35 or Mopac in the Austin area, you’re probably spending a lot more than just 38 hours a year stuck in your car!Just because we are in the driver’s seat doesn’t mean we know what’s going on in our car around us. The toddler probably stuck that snack you gave them in the crevices of the seat. The baby probably fell asleep while drinking a bottle which is now upside down and dripping in places unknown to you. And, you most likely have eaten, sneezed, coughed, had your morning coffee, and talked on the phone (at the same time) while driving down the highway. Oh… we forgot to mention that your dog is licking every touching surface while you drive 70 mph down the highway trying to clean all of that up for you! (Good doggie – right? Ick!) We need to clean it all up. Here are 5 easy ways to get that mess clean and, even more importantly, keep it clean.
photo credit: jadensmommy via photopincc
5 Easy Steps to Clean The Inside of Your Car
1. Discover
Schedule a day to spring clean the car. It’s best to tackle this chore in the daylight and at home (rather than a car wash area that is used by the general public). Before you even think of spraying, vacuuming, scrubbing and cleaning:
- let’s remove all of the children’s car seats
- look under the seats of the car
- open the trunk and glove compartment.
Now – all the dirt is visible and we can move onto the next step.
Meme provided via www.someecards.com.
2. Eliminate
Take a trash bag and begin removing all large objects that don’t belong in the car. It’s a great idea to have the children help with this task – especially if their toys and trash are part of the elimination process. This also teaches them to begin to be aware before throwing that cracker on the car floor or leaving toys in the car. Remove all trash, shoes, old papers, and anything else that will stop you from the next step of cleaning. We have to prep the space before we clean it.
3. Clean
Begin by spraying a disinfectant solution of:
- 1 cup of Vinegar to two parts water
- 20 drops of Tea Tree Oil
- 20 drops of Lemongrass Oil that has been pre-mixed in a bottle.
Spray the solution generously inside the car on car handles, on the fabric of seats, and under the seats. This solution is going to disinfect and also moisten any area that has become hardened with crud. Scrub and Wipe!
Tea Tree Oil and Lemongrass Oil are natural disinfectants that stop the development of fungi and bacteria. Please Note: To use the Tea Tree Oil and Vinegar alone is just fine; however, the aroma of the Lemongrass Oil is quite pleasant and helps to eliminate the medicinal smell of the Tea Tree Oil.
4. Vacuum
Use your home’s vacuum and it’s vacuum tools to get under the car’s seats and crevices that most of us don’t see while entering and exiting the vehicle on a daily basis. Slide the seats forward and back to be sure to get all of the crumbs and dust that have piled up.
photo credit: dagnyg via photopincc
5. Stay Prepared
Wet wipes, a disinfectant spray, tissues, and a bag or two to place trash in immediately can help reduce the chances of your car getting back to the germy infestation that it was. Have them handy. Remember the 6 P’s: Prior Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance is a great way to approach this one! When two hands are on the wheel and you sneeze, spill something, or some other catastrophe occurs, it’s nice to know you have prepared yourself and your car to quickly clean up a mess or direct one of your passengers to the emergency cleaning kit. The longer the dirt stays in the car the more the germs pile up and create more harmful environments than you could even imagine. So, let’s keep our cars clean (and those germs to a minimum)!
I hope these 5 easy steps to get the inside of your car clean are helpful. When we have serviced your home, you come inside to a sparkling fresh house. But, you don’t want to be sitting in a mess inside your car for 38+ hours a year! So, I hope you’ll follow these easy steps to keep all of the areas where you spend so much time clean.
And, speaking of cars, please watch for our smart cars (The Green Clean Machines) headed out to homes all around the Austin area. If you see one, let us hear from you on our Facebook page. We’d love to hear where you spot our little Green Clean Machines!
Watch for our Green Clean Machines around the Austin area!
Happy Cleaning!