An unfortunate truth about vehicle ownership is that it involves a lot of messes and subsequent cleaning. The more miles you put on your ride, the dirtier the exterior will get and it is likely your car interior will follow suit.

It’s inevitable that dirt will find its way onto your floor mats, or french fries will find their way between your seats, and you’ll forget something in the back seat or trunk. While messes are a given when it comes to your car, they don’t have to be permanent or get to a point where they’re seemingly impossible to clean.

Between your daily commute to and from work, or getting the kids to school, you probably spend hours a day in your car. This should be a major incentive to keep it clean at all times like you would your house and to help protect you and the ones you love from getting sick from whatever bacteria or dirt that has found its way inside your car.

With a few easy tips to follow and a few spare minutes a day, keeping your car interior clean is easier than you’d think. Check out these easy tips

Get organized.

If you’re someone who treats their car as practically their second home, it’s easy for things in there to fall into a bit of a mess. The first step to keeping your car interior clean is to get organized and keep it that way. Take stock of what’s sitting in your trunk and backseats and try to remove as many items as possible. It’s never a bad idea to invest in some organizational car interior tools like baskets and seatback pouches.

Invest in some all-weather floor mats.

If your floor mats have seen better days, start by giving them a good shake and vacuum. Next, invest in some all-weather floor mats. These can cover your floor mats entirely and are easy to wash off. Your carpeted floor mats will be safe and clean underneath and your next car interior wash will be easier than ever. They are a tad expensive but definitely worth it.

Clean your car’s interior once a week.

It may sound like a lot to ask to clean your vehicle’s interior once a week, but doing so will save you time in the future and prevent you from having to do a deep clean. Keep a few essential tools in your ride, like a small vacuum and interior cleaning wipes.

Avoid eating in your car.

It’s always tempting to grab a bite on the way home from work and chow down before you arrive at your destination. After all, what are drive-thrus for? If you want to keep your car interior clean, wait to eat until you get home. During your meal, you’ll likely misplace a few food items under your seats or at least leave a crumb trail. Save your meal for home and be patient. Unless you really have to, then take note of the next tip!

Keep a designated container for your trash.

Some of us eat while driving and tend to throw our trash wherever. Keeping a plastic bag for your trash will keep your car clean and your mind stress-free.

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