New Year's Resolution: A Clean Car

The holiday season hustle always has unintended consequences. We eat too much, maybe stay up too late, possibly spend more money than we planned and it’s harder to get things checked off the to-do list. Sometimes chores pile up or exercise goes off the rails. 

Often chaotic seasons of life are reflected by clutter in our surroundings like home, office or vehicle. Whatever your get caught up resolutions may be, we’re certain one area where it’s worthwhile to streamline this year is in the car. If you’re including a clean and tidy vehicle in your New Year’s resolve, we’ve got a few tips for making it happen.

Empty trash every time you leave your vehicle. This one is basic upkeep 101! When you exit your vehicle, we recommend grabbing any coffee cups and drink containers, fast food bags and tissues and tossing them right away. Regularly removing trash keeps the vehicle feeling tidier and helps make your regular interior clean-up a snap! A clean and tidy environment contributes to overall mental health and well-being. 

Wipe down the dash once a week. This is easy to do at Snap Clean where we provide towels and spray cleaner for our customers’ use. If you’re doing a wipe-down at home in the driveway, you can use an all-purpose cleaner or a simple solution of two parts water, one part white vinegar and a few drops of dishwashing liquid like Dawn to wipe down the dash and other hard surfaces. It is not necessary to use an automotive specific cleaner, though many automotive cleaners will include a protective ingredient that guards against UV rays which contribute to aging.

Limit the food and drink in the car to traveling or commuting. Heading to the grocery store with the kids or sitting in the school drop-off line? Skip the snacks and finish breakfast at home. Crumbs and bits of food make their way into the crevices of your passenger seats and end up on the carpet making the whole vehicle seem dirtier between visits to the car wash. By liming food and drink, you also keep the vehicle smelling better overall. 

Vacuum the car once a week. At Snap Clean, our high-powered vacuums are regularly maintained and perfect for helping with a thorough clean out. When you vacuum regularly, the job stays small and manageable. Prior to vacuuming, remove, shake out and hang your floor mats. Then tackle the interior carpet underneath your seats and all fabric and carpeted surfaces throughout the vehicle. Thoroughly vacuum the floor mats before replacing them in the vehicle. You can use our vacuums on child car seats as well. Please take a few minutes to remove any larger chunks that might be hiding in the car seat crevices that clog the vacuums for other customers. 

Clean out the glove box and console. We all have things that must be stored in our vehicles, things it just makes sense to keep there for use on the road. But do you really need that outdated map from 15 years ago? Take 10 minutes to remove everything from the console and glove box. Vacuum if necessary; then wipe out these compartments with your all-purpose cleaner. Look at every item before you replace it in your vehicle to determine if it’s truly needed or if it should be tossed. 

Wash your vehicle regularly. At Snap Clean, we have regular monthly pass wash packages to fit every budget. From our most basic Express Wash starting at just $15.95 per month up to our best value Platinum Wash pass at $55.95 per month, we have great options for helping you keep your car clean without even thinking about it. Stop by any of our North Texas locations and a friendly team member can get your monthly pass set up in just a few minutes. Regularly washing your car helps to retain its value for as long as you own it.

Ready to start 2024 on a clean foot? Stop by Snap Clean today. Find a location near you.