How to Keep Your Car Clean with a Pet

When the keys jingle and the garage door goes up, does your pet pant with joy at the notion of going for a car ride?

Of course, it is fun to take Fido along on errands or long trips to vacation destinations, but transporting pets can lead to plenty of clean-up. From dirty paws, nose prints, and dreaded pet hair everywhere, the experts at Autobell® have tips – both preventative and post-ride advice to make you want to bring your buddy along on every road trip.

Prevention

• You can prevent dog hair in your car by prepping your pup. Groom your dog before you go! A thorough bath and brush to capture the loose hair from the undercoat help you leave much of the hair in the rear-view mirror. For long-haired pets that can sport a summer cut, a close cut or shave can be a game-changer during the hot months when shedding dogs lose the most fur.
• Restrict your pet’s movement in the car. If your pet is crate trained, they can be just as happy in a temperature-controlled cargo area with a nice blanket.
• We are often asked how to keep your car clean with a dog? A good hack to keep things as clean as possible is to pack a clean-up kit. In a reusable bag, include paper towels, wipes, and a roll of masking tape for quick pet hair pick-up.

Clean-up

• The best way to clean dog hair from the car is to have your car’s interior professionally cleaned. Car washes offering interior cleanings like Autobell® make pet hair removal a priority with a commercial vacuum that puts your canister vac to shame. Add a specialty set of tools to reach underneath and between the seats and lift hair from the carpet and upholstery, and your car will look like your four-legged friend never put their paws near the driver’s seat.
• When people ask us how to keep their car clean with a dog, we simply smile. We are used to wiping down nose prints from the windows, using our microfiber towels, and Master AutoVac® service to tackle the nests of hair everywhere. We recommend cleaning often, especially if your pet is used to riding often. Keeping up with the hair and dirt on the doors and seats makes cleaning as you go an easier way to roll down the road. We have pets, too, so pet protocols are integrated into our service as a company.
• If you are looking for quick tips and tricks in between professional interior cleans, try these suggestions:

• Use a damp rubber glove to rake the carpet and pull up pet hair easier. Sometimes this method works better than a home vacuum with a hose.
• Having heavy-duty floor mats to cover the carpet also makes for a quick rinse to remove dirt and hair.

• If you are looking for ways to remove dog smell from car seats, simply vacuuming and removing the pet hair can be a quick start to address the issue. However, let Autobell® clean the interior and add a fragrance of your choice that is hand-applied under the front seats if that does not work.

Heeding this advice, the best overall approach is to have your car cleaned regularly with Autobell’s® interior cleaning service.