As warmer weather sets in and we emerge from our winter hibernation we take one look around us and see a disaster. Chores like cleaning the windows have been long forsaken in an effort to keep warm and cozy, but now that the ground is thawing, it’s time for a phenomenal event we all know as Spring Cleaning. Sorting, dusting, sweeping, scrubbing, the fresh air revives us to put our homes back in order, but is there something we often forget? Something that perhaps is in a more dire state of filth than our house? I’m speaking of course of our vehicles.
Cleaning a car in the winter is dreadful. Cold freezes your fingers and all you can think about is your warm home and a cup of hot cocoa. “It’ll get done another time” you fret, “the thing is still running fine, right?”, and the job is dismissed entirely. But, now the weather is warmer and you are actually looking for a reason to soak up the sun. Why not include your car in your spring cleaning endeavors? It’s like taking a break outside while still being productive. The best part: you can turn up the tunes as you work.
Recently, I had had enough of the mess in my poor car. It really needed to be cleaned.
Like, so bad I’m really embarrassed to show you!
Anyone else out there get this lazy with their vehicles or is it just me?
Yikes. Ok, now that that horror show is over….Obviously it’s important to maintain the interior of your car by taking out what you put in every time you drive it. Mine just tends to become a moving office/closet/toy bin for Jordan.
Now, if you have a car situation like mine and you don’t even know where to begin, fear not. I have put together a simple checklist that will help motivate and guide you for spring cleaning your car. You can download it by clicking here.
I suggest using laundry baskets to remove EVERYTHING from your car. This way you can scrub it all down without having to work around things. My car looked like it was full to bursting, but actually everything fit into one load.
That was taken into the house and sorted into three piles: garbage, put away in the house, return to the car. Be really picky about what goes back into your car! You don’t want to clutter it up right after cleaning it out.
Then the ol’ girl got a thorough wipe down of every hard surface. I like to use just a wet soapy rag. It’s important to start from the top and work your way down, first, because that is the way dirt will fall, and second, because the lower surfaces in your car will have a tendency to get dirtier and you wouldn’t want to fill your rage with dirt before wiping the cleaner surfaces off.
Areas that you don’t want to miss are: the steering wheel, cup holders, door handles, glove compartment front, dashboard, and control panel. It’s amazing how buttons, shifting levers, and knobs get so grimy!
It’s easy to want to skip the back seat as there aren’t as many hard surfaces, but I urge you not to! It’s worth giving your car a very thorough cleaning now during the spring.
Another thing I like to do is clean the interior windows and mirrors. During the winter, the car heater has a tendency to leave a film over the windows, which may not seem to make much of a difference for visibility until you wipe it off.
Next you’ll want to shake out your floor mats…really well, and vacuum the seats and floor.
That’s better. It’s so nice to travel in a clean car! By the way, for those of you who are local, this cutie is for sale! It’s a great gas saver and runs amazingly! (I’ve officially become a minivan Mom and don’t need the extra car). If you are interested you can find my contact information under the “About” menu.
If you never thought of Spring Cleaning your car, I hope this has inspired you to get out there and make your automobile like new again. You’ll be so glad you did! I know I am!
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