12 Things People Who Always Have Clean Cars Do

Avoid Eating or Drinking in the Car

“This is one of the biggest habits that separates clean car owners from the rest,” advises car detailer Parham Koukia. Crumbs, wrappers, and sticky spills don’t just make a car messy, but they also attract pests and create long-term odors.

My particular weakness is almonds, which often end up on the floor or between the seats, where they are difficult to retrieve. On a hot day, consumables like potato chips and cookies can easily get out of control. “Crumbs are evil,” warns Alex Black, a longtime car expert who maintains a website that reports used car histories. “Once eating’s permitted, game over.”

Wipe Up Spills as Soon as They Happen

Koukia calls this the golden rule. “While the ‘No Eating or Drinking in the car’ rule might not be possible for everyone, wiping out the spills immediately is always possible! Most people with clean cars don’t let the spill sit and become sticky.”

Cars have drink holders for a reason (because who among us hasn’t packed a take-out cup of coffee or a soft drink for a long trip)? When they hit a bump, and some of the drink spills out, people with clean cars wipe the spills as soon as it’s safe to do so.

Keep Cleaning Supplies in the Car

When a drink spills, a crumb settles into the crevice on the console, or you drive down a dusty road with the window open, you’re at a loss if you don’t have anything around to use to wipe up. Here’s a clean car tip from locksmith Tomer Ruderman: “Keep a microfiber cloth in the glove box, ready to tackle dust before it settles. A quick wipe-down of the dash, console, and door handles once a week keeps grimy build-up at bay. Even little five-minute touch-ups make a huge difference over time.”

Manage Trash

What will you do with that paper waste, apple core and other trash that tends to pile up in a car? According to cleaning expert Scott Schrader, drivers with clean cars “remove trash, receipts, and wrappers after every drive to keep the car from getting cluttered up.”

Schrader and Black both also suggest tossing trash every time you gas up. Still, Koukia maintains that clean car drivers often go even further: “Instead of accumulating wrappers, receipts, and empty bottles inside the car, they have a trash can or a bin for everything that needs to be thrown out.”

Vacuum the Car Interior Weekly

Here’s another clean car tip from Schrader: “Vacuum the interior, seats, and floor mats at least once a week to combat dirt and crumbs.” If you have floor mats—which you should if you want a clean car—remove them before vacuuming, because debris has a habit of collecting around the edges of the mats and getting ground into the fibrous floor carpeting.

If you heed this tip, Koukia adds, “As a professional, I would recommend doing it at home instead of using self-serve vacuums. Self-serve vacuums are more contaminated!”

Use Floor Mats

“If you see someone with a clean car in areas with rain, snow, or dirt roads,” says Koukia, “it’s probably because they use all-weather floor mats. Using floor mats traps sand, mud, and water, which can be easily hosed down.” This habit alone, he maintains, can save hours of scrubbing and extend the life of the car’s interior.

Avoid Clutter

“Clean car people treat their interiors like their living rooms. No eating (or very careful eating at least), no mess, and definitely no clutter,” says Ruderman. Of course, storage space is limited in a car, but you can always do as Harper suggests and make sure that keys, pens, receipts, lighters, etc. get stowed in the glove box or other compartments prior to picking up passengers.

As a handyman, I have a habit of keeping my tools in the back of the car, so they are there when I need them, but according to Black, that’s a bad way to keep a car clean. “Clean car drivers don’t overpack. The trunk and back seat are not closets,” he comments. “Less is more.”

Use Idling Time Proactively

Stuck in a long line at a red light where you’ll be for several cycles of the light? That’s a perfect time to proactively clean things up. Clean car drivers clean the dash as they are waiting, says Black. “Parked in a parking lot? Quick cleaning.”

Schrader suggests that idling time also provides a great opportunity to wipe down the windows to maintain good visibility and keep the fogged streaks away. Ruderman adds, “A quick wipe-down of the dash, console, and door handles once a week keeps grimy build-up at bay. Even little five-minute touch-ups make a huge difference over time.”

Watch What Passengers Bring Into the Car

“If you want to keep your car clean, I think it’s OK to be aware of what is getting into your car space,” says Koukia. “It’s not about being rude, but just a quick check for excess dirt on shoes, messy bags or containers won’t hurt!”

While you’re at it, make sure your passengers take everything they brought into the car with them when they leave. “A good rule of thumb is if it comes in with you, it leaves with you,” says Ruderman. “That fast food bag or coffee cup should leave the car the same day it enters.” Of course, this is one of those clean car tips that applies to drivers as well as passengers.

Avoid Smoking

“Don’t smoke!” warns Harper. “Or at least don’t smoke in your car. If someone has smoked in your car, there are a number of quality air fresheners on the market that you can keep in your glove box.”

I used to violate this rule before I stopped smoking, and I learned the hard way that it negatively impacts a car’s trade-in or resale value. According to Harper, professional detailers have the right equipment and chemicals to get your car back smelling like new, but having to resort to them is a hassle you’re better off avoiding.

Clean the Exterior Too

Drivers with clean cars don’t just observe the above tips for the interior; they also focus on the exterior. “Wash the car regularly to keep it looking clean and to protect your paint from dirt and other contaminants,” says Shrader. How regularly? Every two to three weeks, says Black. “Even a drive-through wash prevents the dirt from building up.”

Maintain a Cleaning Routine

Koukia advises that keeping your car clean becomes much less onerous if you do it regularly. “As a detailer, I have some repeating customers who have a fixed cleaning schedule once every two to three months. They say that they don’t have a cheat day for car cleaning! And I agree to it because routine maintenance makes the process much easier for me, too.”

“Essentially, clean car people do a little bit of maintenance on a routine basis. No magic, just habits,” adds Black.

About the Experts

• Tomer Ruderman has been an automotive, residential, and commercial locksmith for six years, working on small—to large-scale projects across Canada. He is the founder and owner of Car Keys Ottawa.
• Parham Koukia has been detailing cars for nearly 15 years. He is the lead detailer and operations manager of Panda Hub, located in Toronto, ON.
• Robert Harper is the Director of product development and technical support at Ziebart International Corporation.
• Alex Black is the chief marketing officer EpicVIN, a company that provides vehicle history reports. A car expert for more than 15 years, he has worked at car auctions, vehicle history providers and more.
• Scott Schrader is the Chief Marketing Officer at CottageCare, a home cleaning company with over 41 locations across the U.S.

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