Tips to Keep Your Car Clean With Kids ( Car Mats, Organizing, and More )

Tips to Keep Your Car Clean With Kids

As a parent, keeping your car clean when hauling around messy, muddy kids seems next to impossible. From dropped French fries smushed into carpets to toys strewn about every nook and cranny, children have a knack for turning pristine vehicles into their own personal playrooms.

While it’s unrealistic to expect your family car will stay perpetually spotless, implementing a few kid-friendly cleaning hacks goes a long way. Reduce stress while creating a functional space for safe family travels with these handy tips.

Invest in Washable Seat Covers

Uncontained spills and sticky fingers spell disaster for vehicle upholstery. Washable seat covers act as a protective barrier between delicate fabrics and inevitable kid messes. Look for waterproof, machine washable varieties made from durable fabrics that withstand years of use.

Seat covers come in front and back bench styles, with some options extending up the rear side panels for maximum protection. Measure your exact seat dimensions before purchasing to achieve a custom fit. For best safety, ensure potential picks meet your car seat manufacturer’s recommendations.

While seat covers successfully defend against surface messes, deeper cleanings require lifting them to access crevices where dropped snacks love to lodge. Schedule periodic upholstery shampooing for a refresh.

Embrace Rubber Car Mats

As with seat covers, heavy-duty rubber car mats create a stain-blocking fortification on carpeting beneath passengers’ feet. Deep grooves trap everything from dripping ice cream to muddy shoes, keeping gunk off permanent carpets. Plus, most rubber mats allow spilled liquids to conveniently run right out the door every time you open it.

Look for car mats with anti-slip backing and raised edges to effectively contain major messes. Custom-fit options hug every contour precisely for optimal protection. Easy removal allows quick cleaning with a garden hose or pressure washer as needed.

For maximum security, use rubber mats in conjunction with upholstery covers to armor all key kid contact points. Maintain their potency by promptly replacing mats at the first sign of cracking or wear.

Mount a Car Trash Bag

Roving trash piles clearly arise more readily with unruly passengers onboard. Make containment a non-issue by installing a convenient mounted car trash bag within arm’s reach of riders. Waterproof varieties with drawstring closure protect vehicle interior from leaky or smelly contents.

Mount small trash bags along the rear side panels, behind front seat headrests, or even hang larger bags from cargo area hooks if accessible to passengers. Just ensure placement doesn’t pose safety risks by obstructing views or interfering with airbag zones.

Also provide separate emesis bags for carsickness prone kids, clearly labeled to avoid mix ups. Having effective vomit containment helps minimize panic and mess during stressful driving incidents.

Embrace Plastic Storage Containers

Plastic storage containers help impose order amidst the chaos of family vehicles. Use see-through bins to organize toys, books, electronics and other portable kid paraphernalia prone to migrate throughout your car.

Waterproof varieties work best to securely transport wet swim gear or contain minor spills without leakage. Attach lids while driving to prevent Flyaway items during erratic stops, turns and acceleration.

Mounting multi-bin storage organizers is another space-efficient way to neatly access necessities. Affix them along seat backs, consoles or cargo areas using slip-resistant straps. Just ensure all containers remain securely closed while driving.

Bring Multiple Trash Bags

Even with mounting trash receptacles, free floating garbage still sneaks into cars. Arm yourself for success by packing extra trash bags within easy reach. Gallon-sized plastic sacks fit perfectly in door pockets and seat back pouches.

Teach kids to self-manage refuse by distributing bags at the onset of trips. Make quick cleanups a family affair by designating a “trash patrol” responsible for rounding up all loose rubbish at each pit stop.

Combining preparedness with clear responsibilities trains young passengers to play an active role in maintaining cleanliness. Celebrating their efforts creates positive habits that foster gains beyond just a tidy truck.

Institute a “Lost and Found” Bin

For families perpetually puzzled over missing socks, water bottles and rogue baby shoes lost amid vehicle void spaces, instituting in-car lost and found bins brings order. Stash collapsible fabric bins in handy spaces like behind the driver’s seat or in the far back cargo area.

Enlist all riders in hunting down and collecting wayward items upon arriving at your destination. Bins serve as the singular repository for personal possessions and other orphaned objects. No item gets left behind to wedge irretrievably into vehicle crevices!

Make periodic bin dumps part of your regular cleaning routine to restore belongings before they disappear into the abyss forever. You’ll curb clutter while avoiding frustrating scavenger hunts.

Bring a Handheld Vacuum

Even the best protected family vehicle needs regular debris removal adventures. But hauling out a heavyweight corded vacuum or relying on germ-ridden car wash vacuums seems less than ideal. For ultimate convenience, store a compact, rechargeable handheld vacuum onboard.

These lightweight, portable vacuums boast powerful suction perfect for quick, effective cleanups. Many feature specialized tools like crevice nozzles, soft dusting brushes and extension wands to effortlessly reach tight spaces.

Stash your hand vac in the trunk alongside other cleaning tools like antibacterial wipes, scrapper blades and upholstery brushes. Schedule mini vacuuming sessions while pumping gas on long trips to easily manage messes. Teach older kids how to safely lend a hand so they learn accountability.

Remove Car Seats to Deep Clean

While portable vacuums dispatch surface debris beautifully, deeper cleanings require lifting out bulky car seats for complete access. Schedule thorough interior scrub downs every couple months or whenever grime visibly accumulates.

Start by removing seats along with the associated debris lurking below. Use your hand vac, scrub brushes and antimicrobial wipes to address buildup on carpets and upholstery underneath. Pay special attention to cracks and crevices where most gunk hides.

Tackle car seats themselves by scrubbing the base and buckles using soap and water or sanitizing wipes. For fabric components, use your vacuum’s soft brush followed by an approved upholstery foam or steam cleaner for stains.

Let everything dry completely before carefully replacing components. Celebrate your renewed—and sanitized—mobile family room!

Protect Vehicle Exteriors Too

While interior tidiness garners significant attention when hauling kids, don’t overlook the importance of maintaining your vehicle’s exterior too. Young riders also inflict their share of dings, dents and scratches inadvertently while entering and exiting.

Install protective door edge guards to shield paint from damage by flinging doors and car seats. Consider using protective seat belt pads for child safety seats to prevent cracks in leather or vinyl upholstery. And remain vigilant supervising all door opening/closing and loading/unloading of gear.

For parents willing to invest a bit more, commercial grade vinyl wraps protect a vehicle’s entire painted exterior from scratches, chips or fading from inevitable exposure to the elements. Just be sure to use reputable installers experienced with applying high-durability wraps.

Stay Proactive Against Messes

Managing ongoing cleanliness around exuberant kids poses undeniable challenges. But consistent diligence pays off by preventing irreversible stains or damage in vehicles over time. Start by deploying durable barriers like washable seat covers and rubber mats across primary dirt zones prone to abuse.

Bring tools like portable vacuums, waste bags and cleaning wipes wherever travels take you. Make quick cleanups during natural pit stops (like pumping gas or bathroom breaks) part of your family travel routine.

Most importantly—get the kids involved! Assign age-appropriate tasks so they take ownership of tidiness too. Make it a family affair by praising their efforts and celebrating collective success maintaining your mobile sanctuary. Establishing these constructive habits from the start grooms little ones for future responsibilities while ensuring your current car survives their childhood.