Auto Detailing When You Have Kids

We all know the benefits of having your car detailed: you get a showroom-perfect finish on both the inside and the outside. Gone are all the water spots and streaks on the exterior. The windows are clean on both sides. And the interior, which tends to get the most use, has nary a speck of dust to be seen.

Of course, if you have kids, you might be wondering how long that sparkle will last. Tiny hands, tiny feet, and not-so-tiny crumbs have a way of taking over a car and ruining even the most detailed detail out there. It may seem silly to worry about a detail until your kids are grown or able to better handle their own messes, but we believe that parents should actually get their cars detailed more often, not less.

Why Detail with Kids?

Yes, it’s true. No matter how much you clean or how well organized you are, your kids are going to make a mess of your car. Snacks and drinks, toys, dirt on hands and feet, bodily fluids…you name it, they’re going to drag it in. It’s inevitable when so much time is spent in the car and on the road.

The amount of time we spend in cars with our families is exactly why it’s important to detail when you have kids. Because an automobile is a contained space, any germs that gather in there are likely to stay for the long-term. Food that’s left out and drinks that have spilled can gather mold and mildew. Dirt dragged in on little feet can contain lots of unpleasant particles. And if there’s any kind of smoking or pet transport taking place in the car, those smells can linger long after the activity has ended.

A quick vacuum and dusting will take care of some of these issues, but in order to truly eliminate any health hazards, it’s a good idea to get a regular detail. Because the goal is to restore the car as close to new as possible, it’s like starting with a fresh, clean canvas every time.

Maintaining the Clean

After the detail is finished, you’re likely to want to keep your car looking great for as long as possible. With kids, this means you may need to step up your organization/cleanliness game.

Options include:

• Keeping baby wipes, tissues, and other cleaning supplies handy
• Carrying an in-car garbage
• Eliminating food and/or drink in the car
• Installing kid-friendly trays and drink holders
• Hanging over-the-seat organizers
• Separating pets from the rest of the family during travel

You should also plan on having your car cleaned and detailed more often. A monthly visit to the car wash will go a long way in making sure that your vehicle stays in good repair both inside and out—no matter how many kids you carry along the way.