A fun thread: How do you keep your car's interior?

Just spent the last 90 minutes or so, maybe a couple hours, doing some much-needed spring cleaning on my car's interior. Now all I want to do is drive because it's so nice to have a clean car. Bought some floor mats from Auto Zone for like $14.99. Rescued all the stray CD's, empty Coke bottles, trash bags full of clothes that have been heading to Goodwill for about six months but sitting back there, coins, pens, etc. Vaccumed everything. Got some Armor All wipes. Put the wiper fluid bottle in the trunk along with the emergency starter kit - you know the drill.

Anyone able to keep their interior clean all the time? How do you do it? Or is it just a hazard of the profession?

 

That took 90-plus minutes? You got a limo?

 

I used to keep the interior of my car so clean, but right now it's a freaking disaster.

I need to clean it out and organize my trunk so badly.

 

Cleared my passenger side yesterday.

Doing as much as I can on the rear seats, today.

Great days to work, weatherwise.

My mentor in this business was a great man, but he was a horrible example in this area.

 

Well, yeah, because I drove to the car wash, stopped at Auto Zone, etc., etc.

 

Usually spotless. No crumbs. No spills. Still smells new. My best friend joked I step out of my car to fart. That might be true. I abhor a dirty interior.

I had a neighbor at an apartment complex whose car was a rolling dumpster. There was a literal pile of fast food bags and empty cups so high it was up to the dashboard in the passenger seat. He had a coating of dust so thick on the dash it could repel bullets. And his cup holder was nothing but empty cigarette butts. Grotesque.

But after a rafting trip on the Etowah River, mine is less than spotless. I think I brought much of the dirt on the banks back with me. That's my project today.

 

I think it's hard to keep committed when you never have any passengers. Our children ride in the other care, which is equipped with car sets, DVD player, etc., so I only use mine for work and solo errands. What sucks is, then, in that once-in-a-blue-moon moment when you do get a passenger, they get in there and there is just shit all over the place and you look like a total slob. Happened to me a few days ago. Good sign that it was time to clean it out. Like I said, though, it's amazing how keeping your car interior clean - and, I suppose, your spaces clutter-free in general - can make you feel less stressed.

 

My car is spotless. I can't imagine riding around with garbage in the car. How hard is it to take the empty soda bottle or food container out when you stop at a gas station or home?

 

Harder than you think when you have a bunch of other shit you're carrying. That's the problem. Laptop bag. Couple notebooks. Keys. It all adds up quick. Especially when it's cold outside.

You're right, in a way, but it is a matter of habit-building. Making it a habit to do what you say - cleaning out the car each time you exit it instead of always saying, "I'll get that bottle/McDonald's bag later on. Right now, I want to get in from the cold ASAP."

 

My problem is going from one job to another and keeping up with the elements. I usually keep a bag for trash and one for change of clothes.

It will probably take me 10 minutes to clean it out this weekend, 15 if I clean the dash and glass. I used to be much worse. We won't go there.

 

Mine is a disaster. I try to clean out the trash once a week but fail on that most of the time. My trunk has all of my baseball equipment in it and I try to repack, but on a weekend of calling 8 games, I'm ready to go after the final out.

I need to shampoo the seats and get new seat covers. But then again, no one ever rides with me, so I really don't care.

 

I've neglected my car lately. Then again, I only drive to work once a week, so all it needs is a quick vaccuum and the dash and edges need cleaned. Might do it after work one evening this week. 20 minutes, tops.