Last year I bought a new car. Like brand new, less than 100 miles on this baby! I was super excited. But I quickly realized that I have a messy child and 2 large dogs that travel with us often. Not letting the dogs in the car was not an option. Neither was banning Peyton from being the car. So I had to find some solutions to keep my car looking new while embracing my crazy life.
Seat Cover
I cannot stress enough how much a full bench, waterproof seat cover has saved my car and Peyton from being banished. I use a seat cover that is made for dogs but it does have slits to pull the seatbelts through so your backseat is still fully functional. These are great because they are waterproof! And everyone knows kids spill. Like they spill a lot and frequently. Oh and then there’s this stuff called slime or flarf or some other sticky stuff they always bring in the car but conveniently forget about it, leaving it in the back seat, with the cover off. Guess what happens? Well, it gets warm in the car and that “stuff” oozes out of the jar, all over your back seat. But, if you have the seat cover on your upholstery is safe! You can try and clean the seat cover or do what I did and toss it. Just buy another one. Trust me, your time and sanity are worth it.
Trunk Cover
If you are travelling with pets you’ll want to invest in a trunk cover. I have one by INNX and it fits really well. Took me just a few seconds to install and one of my favourite features is the bumper protector! Before the dogs jump in or out of the car I pull out the protection so their nails don’t scratch my bumper. Then I toss it back in the trunk before I shut the door. It has saved my paint job so many times! Another reason I love this trunk cover is because it catches all the fur. The dog fur is not caked on to my upholstery it’s on the trunk liner. So, if I want to take Peyton to a drive-in movie, I don’t have to spend hours vacuuming out the cargo area, trying to get every piece of fur up. I can just unclip the trunk liner and pull it out. Toss in a few blankets to make the cargo area a little more comfortable and off we go to the drive-in!
Floor Mats
Invest in quality floor mats. Living in Minnesota we have some messing seasons, so I invested in floor mats that are made just for my vehicle and have a large lip to catch water, mud and slush. They can be removed and pressure washed to get all the sand and dirt off and then placed back in my car. I have no spots or discolouration on my floor thanks to these mats. The mats take the beating from the elements, not my car.
These are just a few of the tips and tricks I use to help keep my SUV looking and feeling new.
Leave a Reply