This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Fresh Wave. The opinions and text are my own.

As a mom, a clean car is usually the last thing on my mind. I mean, don’t get me wrong, if the trash starts falling out when I open the door or the funky smell starts to set in, I take action. Until then, cleaning the car is usually something that falls to the “will do eventually” category for me.

Between dropping kids and all the other pressure of everyday life, cleaning something that you literally sits outside doesn’t seem that important.. until someone asks you for a ride or it’s your turn for carpool.

Check out these simple, cheap, and unexpectedly easy hacks for a clean car in no time.

Wipe down your dusty dashboard with a coffee filter. The coffee filter attracts and holds the dust but also doesn’t leave behind lint. Clean inside hard to reach places like A/C vents with a paint/foam brush. Some A/C vents pop out for easy cleaning, but for those of us that don’t have that, a paint brush is the next best option to cleaning your vent. Use silicone cupcake liners in your cup holders. They will catch any spills and are super easy to clean. Keep your cup holder clean by storing your change in an empty gum container. Not only does this make your change more accessible, but it will also keep your cup holder from smelling like a rusty penny (or in my case, the change from all sticking together after spilling coffee). Always have Fresh Wave Handy! My child’s car seat tends to be one of the stinker places in my car. For some reason it’s a magnet for every crumb, sand particle, and sticky thing in that ends up in the car, and I have no idea why. Oh wait, yes I do… maybe it’s because he is a four-year-old, potty training, toddler. Fresh Wave products remove odors using natural ingredients meaning it safe to use around kids and pets! Fresh Wave contains no harsh chemicals, no heavy perfumes, and no toxic ingredients. And, even sweeter, Fresh Wave comes in a variety of forms. Personally, I like the spray for the fabric like in the car seat. I like to follow that up by tossing a gel pack into one of the cup holders to keep my car smelling fresh. Fresh Wave is available at national retailers like Target and Ace Hardware, as well as online. You can learn more about Fresh Wave here. Change your air filter. If you clean your entire car but still can’t get rid of that musty odor, it may be time to change your air filter. It’s a really simple process that require absolutely no tools in most cases. For you car guru’s looking at this, yes that is my engine air filter. My car does not have a separate cabin air filter, and changing the engine air filter really does help with smell issues. Use dryer sheets to get stuck on bugs off! Dryer sheets easily remove stuck on bug yuck from your grille and headlights. Use a toothbrush to get dirt out of textured surfaces. Toothbrushes are like amazing little tiny scrub brushes that work really well to get the ground in dirt out of places like the door of the car! Prevent your trunk from becoming a catch all. Reduce clutter in your trunk by investing in a trunk organizer. Always have a place for everything. Otherwise you’ll have to send your car to Junk Cars in Broward sooner than you think. Keep toys and other essentials organized. I use a cheap shoe organizer that I ordered from http://quickyclean.com. Just add a couple of zip ties around the head to store toys, tissues, and any other essentials you might need. This will keep them easily accessible while keeping your car neat and organized.

Being a mom is rough, make your life a little bit easier by never being caught of guard with a dirty car again! Am I missing some of your shortcuts? Share them with me in the comments! What are some of your favorite car cleaning hacks or ways to stay organized?



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