The Interior is as Important as the Exterior

Keeping your car clean on the outside is not the only thing that is important in maintaining you car's value.  Having a clean interior can also help keep the value of your car in tact.  Here are some great tips on how to keep your car clean.

If you have trouble keeping the interior of your car clean, you're not alone. Busy work schedules, parenting responsibilities, school activities, and other events often cause those with even the best of intentions to leave their cars in shambles on the inside. If you would love to have a clean car interior but can't seem to keep it tidy, here are some tips to help you out.
 
Start Clean. The first step to keeping a clean car interior is to start with a clean car interior. Set aside a time to clean your car out completely. Seeing how nice it is to have a clean car interior in the first 
place will help motivate you to keep it that way.
 
Have a Trash Bag. No car interior should be without a trash bag. There are products made specifically for this purpose, or you can just use some old plastic grocery bags. Just keep a stash inside a zippered top bag in your glove compartment. Hang one on an arm rest or other convenient spot and use it for food wrappers, empty drink containers, etc.
 
Keep Car Wipes Handy. Something else you should keep in your glove compartment is car wipes. These wipes, much like general disinfecting wipes used at home, are made specifically for cleaning car interior parts such as your dashboard, steering wheel, etc. Keep a stash in your glove compartment so if you're stuck in traffic, waiting at an extra long light, or arrive at a destination a little early, you can whip one out and do some quick cleaning.
 
Remove All Trash Immediately. Don't leave the car, and don't let your passengers (especially your kids!) leave the car empty handed. Make sure everyone grabs their empty cups and other trash. Getting in the habit of removing trash from the car each time you get out of it will make a huge difference in your ability to keep your car interior clean.
 
Enlist Some Help For Floors. If you take your car somewhere to have your oil changed, check about getting your floors vacuumed while you're there. Most places do it as a complementary service, but will only do so if there isn't a lot of trash or other items cluttering the floor already. Make sure the floors are clear so every 3 months or so you get some free labor to vacuum out your car interior.
Keeping a clean car interior does take some work, but with a few simple changes you'll quickly be the one every comments about, "wow, she keeps her car so clean!"

For more information please see Yahoo Voices.