When it comes to taking trips with children - whether long or short - it can mean your car's cleanliness can take a hit. Whether it is stinky food and snack crumbs through to fingerprints across the windows there is usually plenty to clear up.
Now experts at van leading firm Vanarama have come up with their ultimate five cleaning tips for travelling with kids in your car. And one costs as little as 30p.
A 30p lemon eliminates hand marks and finger smudges on windows
With long car journeys comes numerous smudges and fingerprints on car windows. If you’re looking to restore the lustre of your windows, a simple and cost-effective solution is a common household staple: a lemon.
A lot of families may have some already, but you can buy one for as little as 30p or lemon juice itself for 80p. To make the solution, use two parts lemon juice to one part water. The acidity of the lemon juice should give a streak free finish on the glass, while leaving your car with a fresh citrus fragrance.
Banish sick and food odours with 35p household essential
Thanks to travel sickness, feeding time or potty training, unsavoury smells are common after a long road trip with kids and they’re often hard to dispel. However, are you aware that using vinegar in your car can mask the odours?
You can get your hands on white vinegar in most supermarkets costing as little as 35p from Aldi. To put it to work, leave it in a small bowl in the car to sort out the odour.
Vinegar, containing acetic acid, possesses neutralising properties so will effectively clear the smell. Ventilate your car briefly after the smell has dispelled to get rid of lingering vinegar smells, but it will get rid of food and sick smells you have accumulated on your road trip.
Slime to clean crumbs out of hard-to-reach crevasses
Thanks to crumbs, dust and other particles, cleaning hard-to-reach crevices is tricky. There are plenty of TikTok videos of how to make DIY car cleaning putty at home, but the cost of ingredients may cost more than buying the ready-made version.
To save time and money, after hoovering to remove excess dust and crumbs, grab a pot of the car cleaning putty or gel - there are plenty of options online such as this one from Amazon or this one from e-bay. The slimy formula should pick up the crumbs that have found their way into the hard-to-reach areas, like the vents and around the gear stick, as it will mould into crevasses easier than your vacuum or a microfiber cloth.
Hairspray is not just for your hair - it can tackle pen stains
A colouring book is a great way to keep kids entertained on long journeys however they may stray outside the lines from time to time - and onto your car seats. The way to remove these kinds of stains includes hairspray, rubbing alcohol, or nail polish remover (all of which can be bought for as little as 99p), these could work well on leather interiors.
Using a small amount with a cloth and dabbing to the affected area will remove the stubborn stain, but not affect the leather. Apply hairspray cautiously and ensure it doesn’t dry when treating the stain to avoid damage to your seats. White vinegar is a good option for stains on fabric upholstery.
Bicarbonate of soda for spilt drinks on the carpet
To effectively address spills or stains on your vehicle’s carpets, a budget-friendly solution is baking soda, which can be bought for as little as 75p. To treat the stain most effectively, promptly dry the spill up as quickly as possible to avoid a stain when returning home.
Wipe up the bicarbonate soda after leaving it to sit for around 10-15 minutes. For stubborn stains, you could use a bristle brush to rub into the carpet a little more before removing it with a wet cloth or vacuum.
