“This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Armor All, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #LessTimeMoreShine http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV”
We bought a new car about a year ago, and have been establishing some good routines to keep it looking (and smelling) like new. I have all kinds of simple tips, tricks and routines to share with you, from using Armor All Ultra Shine Wash & Wax wipes to keeping a lint brush in your glove compartment to pick up all those small things!
As a Mom of 3 teen girls, I am in my car ALL THE TIME. Not only do I want to be a good steward of the blessing of a new car and take good care of it, but I also want to be in an environment that is clutter-free and easy to be in, where everything I need has a place.
Intentionality is the only way to keep life from overtaking our car, and routines are the answer! I have found that simple routines are the best way to keep the clutter out, and the interior and exterior of the car clean and shiny!
Simple Routines To Keep Your Car Clean
Routinely take trash and items that don’t belong out of your car
This is the most crucial step to keeping a clean car. If you can’t carry all items in right when you get home, do your best to get the rest either right away or next time you leave your car. The key is making a habit of pushing pause before heading inside to see what you can grab. Remind the kids to do the same as they head out of the car. Do this every time you arrive home and things won’t pile up or get overwhelming.
The simple decision to keep trash bags in the car has truly worked wonders for me. I keep a roll of small trash bags in the glove compartment and whenever I see more trash than I can carry piling up in the car, I will grab a bag off the roll and get rid of the trash in one easy sweep!
Keep items on hand to conveniently clean
The key to keeping routines is to make them as easy as possible. Having the right items on hand is the path to efficiency. I keep a cleaning kit in my glove box for easy grab and go clean for the interior of my car, which I will share below.
There is now grab and go clean for the EXTERIOR of your car, too! Armor All has 1, 2, 3 step system to be used anytime, anywhere. The Ultra Shine Wash & Wax Wipes and Ultra Shine Tire Sponges are NEW Armor All products – all THREE available at Walmart.
These products are pre-moistened and treated, so you literally need nothing else to clean the exterior of your car. These are the perfect go-to for making your car shine without requiring a bucket and hose. Talk about a convenient way to clean!
Rescue car once a week.
My Todd does this for me every Saturday. He brings in any items that do not belong in the car and throws away all trash. I so appreciate his faithfulness in this, and try hard during the week to bring things in to make less work for him. He often will vacuum the car out for me, too, so it is important to me that the car is empty and ready for him to do this. He also fills the gas tank. I am a spoiled girl! This weekly rescue does make a difference!
Make use of sitting time.
Use the time that you are already stuck sitting in the car. As a mom of teens, I am often sitting in my car waiting for my girls to finish soccer practice or socializing at church. Other times I find myself sitting is when I am picking them up from school, or picking one of their friends up to hang out. My girls will go in to retrieve their friend and more times than not take a few minutes to return to the car–teen girls can get distracted! Instead of getting annoyed, I try to use those moments to take a quick but purposeful glance around the car to see what needs to be rescued. This is when I make use of the tools in my clean car glove compartment kit.
Tips and Tricks To Keep Your Car Clean
Keep a small duster in the glove box
It is so easy to grab and quick dust the dash and areas around the driving seat during those periods of time when you are waiting or right when you arrive home. Don’t have a small duster? Coffee filters are great for inexpensive, lint-free dusting or wiping crumbs. I found that coffee filters are even great for wiping fingerprints off of shiny surfaces.
Use a can of compressed air for detailed cleaning.
I personally think this is super fun and satisfying way to banish dust anywhere that it has accumulated, especially in small cracks. Use a blast of air to move those trapped particles out!
Use storage spaces wisely
Decide what you want to keep on hand in your car, then create a space for those items. Use the storage spaces your car comes with, and add your own containers to maximize the usefulness of these areas. I added these small square containers to the little storage space between the front seats of my car.
Notice what makes up clutter in your car, decide what to keep in your car and create a home for it. Example items I like to keep around–lip balm, hair ties, mints, spare change, pens, an extra phone charger and my favorite essential oil to put in my car essential oil diffuser.
Throw carpeted floor mats into the washing machine
I had no idea you could do this until I stumbled upon this tip on the web. They suggested using the gentle cycle and air drying. I have not tried this because my floor mats are rubber.
Throw rubber floor mats in the dishwasher
Bang debris off of your car mats then lay them over the top rack of your dishwasher. A pressure wash that requires no work from you!
Use Armor All Wash & Wax Wipes to keep the EXTERIOR of your car sparkling
Armor All Ultra Shine Wash Wipes are extra large and sturdy, use to simply wipe your car clean. I absolutely love using these wipes for the car exterior and also for the neglected areas right inside the car door seal that tend to collect dirt.
The second step is Armor All Ultra Shine Wax Wipes, simply wipe and go. I was amazed that it only took one wax wipe for my entire car. I was also amazed at how shiny it left my car.
I will share the 3rd step —Armor All Ultra Shine Tire & Trim Shine Sponges— below, where you can see my hubcaps and tires shine! So simple. So easy! You can find all of these wipes at your local Walmart.
Use a foam brush to clean vents
Foam brushes are a great item to have handy in the glove box. They fit perfectly into the little slats of air conditioning vents. You can buy them at your local dollar store.
Use a trunk organizer
I LOVE my trunk organizer. It has 3 compartments that hold my groceries nicely, and also a detachable cooler that I take right into the grocery store with me. It is so convenient! This organizer has a zipper pouch on the end for storing an emergency car kit, maps, and my Armor All Wash & Wax wipes.
Keep a roll of small trash bags handy
I shared this tip earlier. You could also use plastic grocery store bags, but a roll is nice and compact to fit in the glove box for a quick grab.
Have tissues on hand to wipe up small messes as they happen and for multiple uses.
I like having items in the car that can have more than one use. These are great to use if my coffee drips, to wipe my hands if I’m putting on makeup in the car (can’t beat all that natural light!) or to blow my nose during allergy season.
Shine up those tires & hubcaps
This is an area I neglected all year until I discovered Armor All Ultra Shine Tire and Trim Shine Sponges. I had no idea my hubcaps were so dirty and how easy it would be to wipe them down with these sponges. It also made my tires look brand new again. I’ve been amazed at how my tires now seem to repel dust and dirt.
Vacuum from the top down.
Don’t forget the car ceiling! Make use of those detail attachments on your vacuum.
Use upholstery cleaner.
Along with a microfiber cloth, upholstery cleaner is great for spots on the ceiling (how do they get up there?) or on seats or even seat belts. They also can be used on a child’s car seat.
Use a toothbrush
Brush dirt and grime out of seat cracks with an old toothbrush. Use it with cleaner to get dirt that has embedded itself in the textures of your vinyl.
Use a wooden skewer.
Wooden skewers and a cloth to remove dirt from small crevices. This allows you to do your own detailed cleaning.
Keep a lint brush handy.
A roller-type sticky lint brush is a great to get crumbs from upholstery and carpets in between vacuuming. It can also be used on a child’s seat. These are fun to use! Hand them to your kids to do some cleaning for you as they hang out in the back seat!
Get those vacuum attachments out.
Use a vacuum attachment for sucking up dirt as you dust cracks and crevasses. Have the vacuum attachment in one hand, and a brush in the other, vacuuming the dust right up as you brush it out of all the nooks and crannies.
Move those seats.
Slide all your seats way forward to get all dirt and debris behind them.
Roll the window down a bit before cleaning.
This gets the very tip top edge of it clean, too.
Keep it smelling clean
I love using a car essential oil diffuser. It plugs right into the car lighter which gently heats it and sends the scent throughout the car. I store a bottle of essential oils right in my car, usually something citrus which is super uplifting and smells amazing. Hint: don’t use relaxing lavender oil in the car…you want to stay alert!
Play music while you clean
This is a must. Play your favorite tunes while you clean and keep those windows rolled down if it is nice out and let the fresh air in!
Glove Compartment Car Cleaning Kit Items
tissues
roll of small trash bags
lint roller
foam brush
coffee filters
mini microfiber duster
old toothbrush
wooden skewer
small brushes
toothbrush
microfiber cloth
essential oils for car essential oil diffuser
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What about you?
Do you have routines that keep your car clean?
Would you like to purchase your own Armor All Ultra Shine Wipes? If so, shop your automotive section in Walmart and use this $2.00 off any one (1) of the Armor All Ultra Shine Wipes coupon while supplies last!
