5 Car Cleaning Tips & Tricks for your Summer Road Trip

We all know how quickly the car can turn from transport to tip. If you and your loved ones are preparing to spend a decent amount of time buckled in over the summer holidays, having a clean car will make a huge difference to how much you enjoy the journey.

So with road trip season upon us, we've pulled together our favourite tips and tricks for keeping your car clean this summer.

1.  Cleaning Your Car

Okay, so this one isn't exactly a 'trick' but taking some time to clean your car before your next adventure is going to reduce the cleaning aftermath at the other end.

How to clean your car's interior:

• Start at the top and work your way down
• Wipe down surfaces including the dashboard and arm rests
• Clean door handles
• Wipe down the steering wheel
• Clean the air conditioning grills with a small brush and vacuum afterwards
• Clean out any rubbish, remember to check the seat-back pockets
• Slide seats forward and clean out under the seats
• Remove the mats and vacuum the carpet

How to clean your car's exterior:

• Start by rinsing the car to remove larger pieces of dirt
• Get scrubbing and use multiple buckets - fill one with clean soapy water and another with just water for rinsing your sponge or brush
• Show the windows some love, you're going to be spending lots of time looking out of them on your adventure!
• Use a separate bucket for wheels and tires or do them last, as they will be especially dirty

2.  Stock up on key roadtrip items

A little preparation will go a long way when it comes to stocking up your car for extended drive times.

• Bring a rubbish bag or bin liners, this will be your main defence against rogue rubbish
• Keep some cleaning supplies in the car - antibacterial wipes, paper towels and tissues are particularly handy
• Invest in a car air freshener - if you're going to be spending extended amounts of time in the car, smells will start to build up
• Fill a travel-sized spray bottle with Rug Doctor Spot Remover to handle grease spots as they occur

Now that you're all stocked up, it's time to hit the road!

3.  Set some road rules

Want to stop the bulk of mess before it starts? Set some basic ground rules - or 'road rules' to stop the car from getting trashed too quickly:

• Put rubbish in the rubbish bag, not on the floor
• Keep feet and shoes off the seats and the dashboard
• Wipe mud and knock sand or dirt from shoes before getting in the car, or put dirty shoes in the back
• Only drink from bottles with lids - nothing open that can easily spill
• You may even want to ban eating in the car if you have some particularly messy passengers on board!

4.  Compartmentalise

So that your car doesn't become one big compartment of mess, there are few simple ways you can control the clutter:

• Bring seal-able containers for food or other small items that would otherwise be left to roll around on the floor of the car
• Keep food in sealed containers to prevent smells from sticking around in the car
• Keep a plastic box or bucket in the boot of your car - this will come in incredibly handy for storing wet towels, togs and sandy shoes

5.  Tidy as you go

Empty drink bottles, dirty serviettes and hamburger wrappers will quickly accumulate out of nowhere, so each time you stop for petrol, the toilet or for food, spend a few minutes tidying up the car. Frequent tidy-ups will reduce the headache of that one epic clean at the end of your trip.

• Quick rubbish sweep
• Check for any spilled liquids or food
• Fold up blankets and clothing
• Tidy up any cables or electronics lying around

And once you get back home after the road trip, you can easily clean up any mess or stains with the Rug Doctor Machine and Hand Tool connection - perfect for the carpets and upholstery in your car.

Find your nearest Rug Doctor Machine using our store locator.