10 Car Cleaning Tips Every Dog Owner Needs To Know
If you typically take your dog anywhere, you probably know the struggle of cleaning up pet hair from your car. The best tip to clean up a mess is prevention! Don’t let the mess happen in first place. BUT easier said than done, right? Sometimes life happens and you need a quick and easy solution to clean up your car after your dog got dirty or car sick. Or maybe you just got a new puppy and he/she is not house trained yet. Don’t worry: This post will cover how to remove fur, odor and pee from your car.
How can I prevent a mess in my Car?
Below you will find four tips on how to prevent a mess in your car. Keep reading to find out six more tips on how to clean up the mess AFTER it already happened.
1.Use a seat cover for your backseat
To be honest: Im horrible at cleaning my car. It is just really tedious and I need the easiest cleaning solution ever, because I know I won’t go clean my car every time my dog rides with me. It happened waaaay too many times that I spontaneous took a friend somewhere and my car is full of hair. Ooops, kinda embarrassing…
I recently got a backseat cover for my car and let me tell you: best purchase ever! I choose this one because I do not have to take it out when I have somebody sitting in the backseat. You can simply open the zipper in the middle and fold down the cover. It is also waterproof which makes it easy to clean in case your dog gets car sick or is not potty trained yet. My dog never really looked comfortable driving because he would just fall back and forth whenever I would brake or accelerate (whoops, sorry). He never sat or laid down because he was just so uncomfortable. BUT with the cover he now lays down and feels secure when driving. I really hated seeing my dog this uncomfortable, so the cover was so worth it. I also like that it has an opening for his seat belt and uses zippers on each side of the door.
2.Use a Dog Seatbelt and a Blanket
I do think that everybody who has a dog should own a dog seatbelt. The seatbelt will not only provide safety for your pet in case of an accident, but it will also keep him/her from moving around in your car. The less your dog moves around in your car, the less he/she will spread his fur and dirt inside your car. Pretty straight forward, right? Place a blanket on the seat and buckle your dog up and you are ready to go! This seatbelt is convenient, because you can attach it to either the headrest or just plug it into the seat belt plug. It also comes with a free collapsable bowl for your dog. Yay!
3.Get rubber floor mats
If a backseat cover is not convenient for you, you should definitely invest in some rubber floor mats. They make cleanup so much easier. You can quickly take them off and throw all the dirt out without much effort. Once you place them back you car will (almost) look like new. It is a quick way to refresh your car here and there. Rubber mats are especially helpful if your car has a carpet and your dog likes to throw up while you drive.
4.Use a Kennel
This is a pretty good option of you have a big car. If you keep your dog in a crate while driving, you keep the dirt and hair in a confined area, which makes cleanup much easier. Place a few blankets in the kennel to make your dog feel comfortable while driving. In order to prevent your dog from slipping, I recommend you use a not slip mat under the blanket. I personally do not use a kennel, because a kennel takes up a lot of space in the back of the car, but I definitely see the advantages of it.
How do I Clean Up a mess in my Car?
It is always better to prevent a mess before it happens, but sometimes that’s not how life works. But no worries, I got you covered. Below are six more tips on how to clean up dirt, odor, pee or vomit from your car.
5. Vacuuming
This one is so easy, it almost gets forgotten. If you vacuum you car on a regular: dirt, odor and hair doesn’t even have a chance to stick around. Honestly, I do not vacuum my car as often as I should, and if you are with me on this one, you will love the next three tips.
6. Squeegee
It doesn’t matter if your dog sheds only twice a years or every day: If your dog has hair, you NEED a squeegee. Chances are you already have one at home so grab it and scrape away. The rubber on the squeegee collects the fur from textiles, which makes it super easy to remove. Pro Tip: Also works on carpets and rugs in your house.
7. Rubber glove
Very similar concept than the squeegee. Just wet the rubber glove with water and rub the textile in one direction. Fur will collect on the glove, which makes it easy to just throw out the hair. Works like a charm.
8. Dryer sheets
If you are sick of hair floating around in the air, I recommend having some drying sheets on hand. YES, drying sheets! The drying sheets attract dog hair, so you can easily wipe down your seats and dashboard after your pet leaves the car. Easy fur clean up.
9. Carpet Vacuum Cleaner:
Ok, this one sounds expensive but hear me out: if your dog peed and/or vomited on your car seat, get a carpet vacuum cleaner. BEST purchase ever! I clean mattresses, rugs and couches with it. This one is less than $100 but really does the job. It is so satisfying to see the dirty water tank after finishing vacuuming. You essentially spray down the dirty area and then vacuum it up in the next step. The dirty water collects in the dirty water tank and you are left with a spotless car. It is portable, so the only thing you would need is an extension cord. It comes with a scrubbing attachment and a cleaning solution already. Once I finished the solution, I mixed a little bit of laundry detergent with warm water and used that instead. Works wonders!
10. Baking Soda for Odors:
You might have heard of using baking soda as a cleaning solution before. Baking soda is great for absorbing any type of odors in your car. Sprinkle a little baking soda on your cloth seats or carpet and let it sit for a couple of hours or overnight. Simply vacuum it up and you will have an odor-free car. Easy enough, right?
These are 10 tips on how to prevent, or clean up a messy car. If you have any other ideas, I would love to hear them! Leave a comment in the comment section below!
Happy Cleaning!
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