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Before having kids, you may well have kept your car in fantastic condition. But kids can be rough on vehicles, especially when they’re young and don’t know any better. While they’ll (hopefully) understand how to keep the car cleaner as they get older, here’s a list of 5 tips and tricks from the team at CARSTAR Robert’s Collision & Repair to help kid-proof your car.
Organize, Organize, Organize
There are a million gizmos and gadgets on the market to keep your car neat and tidy. Still, the biggest lifesaver when you have kids is knowing where everything is in your vehicle. But before you can figure out where everything is, you need somewhere to put it! You can get creative with what you have or go out and buy some simple organizing tools to make your life a little easier. For little ones who have to have everything within easy reach, remote control caddies and over-the-door shoe organizers are a cheap and easy option. Slip the caddy over your seats, and you have a quick personal organizer for every passenger seat. Or go the over-the-door shoe organizer route and hook it to the back of the driver and front seat. However you choose to get organized, this is your first step.
Make Cleanup Easier with Seat Covers/Protectors
While not all models of cars will have easy-to-clean seat covers available, this is a crucial tip for those with little ones in car seats or booster seats. Seat covers should fit over your upholstery snugly. With scissors, you can cut openings for the seatbelts and LATCH (lower anchors and tethers for children) system to install your car seat or booster seat. While commercial seat protectors are available, you can also make one yourself out of a thin and durable bathroom rug! Cut out the same openings for the seatbelts and LATCH anchors, making sure that it doesn’t interfere with the stability of the car seat. The rubber bottom makes it waterproof and keeps it from slipping, and you also can throw it in the wash with ease.
Fill Cup Holders with Cupcake Liners
Messes with little ones are a dime a dozen, but nothing’s worse than cleaning out grimy cupholders caked with all manner of things -- spilled juice, crumbs, and even melted crayons. Thankfully, you can say goodbye to those pesky cleanups by popping some silicone cupcake liners in your cup holders. Not only do they come in fun colors the kids will love, but they make cleanup a breeze. You can pop them out and wipe them down quickly without having to fight with removing the gunk stuck to the bottom of the cupholder.
Car-Safe Food and Drink Containers
With older kids who have a little more control, this may not be as big of an issue, but food inevitably gets everywhere when you’ve got kids. While you can try and institute a no food policy for your family vehicles, investing in spill-proof snack containers will save you a lot of time and hassle. You won’t have to keep picking up goldfish and Cheerios off the floor! Drinks can also be a struggle, so make sure that you’ve got sippy cups on hand, so you don’t have to pull over to deal with a big spill. Another way to combat food and drink stains is to make a rule that the only food allowed in the car is food that can be vacuumed. That way, you never have to worry about gum or applesauce stains down the line.
Rubber/Plastic/Vinyl Mats for the Carpets
You may not mind paying to have your car’s carpet shampooed and cleaned. But if you want to avoid having this done multiple times a year, protecting your carpet should be a priority. Buy cheap rubber, plastic, or vinyl mats to throw down, or get some fitted especially for your make and model of car. Another option to consider is covering your carpet with a plastic carpet liner, as you can buy this in rolls and cut it down to size. Covering your carpets will help keep dirt, debris, and whatever else your kids have to throw at your carpets from causing wear and tear.
Whichever way you choose to take on kid-proofing your car, the team at CARSTAR Robert’s Collision & Repair in Monterey is here to help. We would love to be your go-to auto body shop whenever you want an excellent, honest facility to repair your vehicle. We are here for all of your auto body repairs, paint jobs, and auto detailing needs. We strive to be your one-stop auto shop and we work hard to provide you with an outstanding customer service experience! Our skilled technicians provide the best service in the region. Make your appointment today! We're located at 234 Ramona Ave, Monterey, CA. 93940. We look forward to your visit!