I cleaned my car (here's why you should too!)

I detailed the inside of my car today. It was the husbands idea. He's into the whole clean car thing. Like, really into it! I like having a clean car, but honestly it sometimes gets pushed aside amid all the running around I do. I mean, I've always been on board with having a clean car on the outside, but he's recently won me over to the clean side...inside the car too!

It just naturally gets messy in there! I don't think we're particularly rough on it, but we do eat in the car sometimes. (I do more often when I'm alone but shhhh, don't tell!) I drop kids off at school, work, practice, friends, grandparents etc etc.

It doesn't suddenly get dirty like some bizarre explosion, it's a slow buildup that often doesn't get noticed until its bad. Then he gets on my case about it and I finally clean it.

The funny thing is that even though I don't notice the dirt building up, I sure notice how nice it looks when it's clean! It's just so much nicer driving around in a clean car and it makes me feel just a little better as I go through my day. 

So here are my reasons why I 'detail' my car and why you should too!

Why you should clean your car

1) I drive everywhere! I spend 4 hours a day in my car, twice a week while oldest daughter is going to the community college. When I'm working it's an hour round trip. Grocery store runs, shopping trips, dropping both teenagers off at work etc.....all this time in the car adds up, why not spend it in a clean space?

We make our beds every morning so our bedrooms are neat for the day, why shouldn't the car be a clean/neat space too? 

2) Clean spaces make me happy. (that one's simple) It just feels nicer being in a clean space. We don't often recognize it on a surface level, but messy places tend to make us feel more stressed out.

3) It teaches the kids to respect other peoples belongings. If they spill something they have to clean it up. If I kept it filled with garbage they would treat it like garbage.

4) Protect my investment #1. Pens laying on the seats can poke holes, or leak. Half eaten drive-thru food stinks up the interior and leaves stains. ChapStick melts out of the tube etc etc.

It's easier to just grab the stuff you brought with you when you leave the car then to scrub a seat for an hour trying to remove a stain.

5) Protect my investment #2. When I'm cleaning the car I'm looking at every piece of it. I see if a seat is tearing, something is broke or needs replaced and then I can handle it right away. Small repairs are often cheaper to fix and prevents the problem from getting bigger. 

6) I get an hour of me time! Nothing to do but daydream while I wipe and vacuum. Or the kids can help by taking their stuff into their rooms and wiping up with a damp rag. 

It's also a good way to kill time waiting for the kids to do whatever activity they're at. Just find a gas station with a vacuum and get started! Bonus, there's a garbage can right there!

Cheap car cleaning supplies

7) It's super cheap to do it yourself! You could easily pay over $100 to have it done commercially, or do it for yourself for less then $3!

The husband detailed cars as a teen and swears by 4 things:

• window cleaner for windows
• a Dawn dish liquid & water combo for cleaning dirt and spills
• Endust for the dash/doors
• plus the vacuum cleaner of course.

8) Once it's done.....it's done! All you have to do is take the fresh garbage out with you each time you exit the car and wipe up any fresh spills. It's easy to keep clean and you know it just feels nice driving a clean car! Should stay clean for a few months at least.

and finally
9) It might be your first impression! Ever offer somebody a ride? Would you really want a co-worker thinking your car is a pigsty? Or your kids teammate needing a ride home and you have to push garbage off the seat to make room? Embarrassing!

These days most of us "live in our cars" but they don't have to look like it! I drive through those 'brush free' car washes instead of washing it by hand, but as much as I like the car to look good outside....when it looks good inside, I feel better too!

~L

Want gardening and healthy living information sent right to your email weekly? Click right here to join my newsletter list and get new posts sent directly to you the day they're published!