3 Simple Ways to Keep Your Car Clean (With a Toddler in Tow)

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FRAMFreshBreeze  #CollectiveBias

 Hip hip, hooray! Spring is finally here! Around this time of year I always start planning out my spring cleaning plan of attack. All of the dirt and grime buildup that’s accumulated in my life over the past few months can no longer stick around, and something has to be done about it!  I’ll make a list of all of the things that I know need a good deep cleaning, and then I’ll make a secondary list of things that I’d like to get done…but they may or may not actually get done for the sheer fact that I have a toddler who can turn a room into a disaster zone in 3 seconds flat. Parents, I know you feel me on this one.

 This year, one of the things on the tippy top of my cleaning list is to get our car CLEAN! In years past, cleaning out the car was one of the things that sort-of got put on the back burner, but now that we’ve got a toddler in tow, a good cleaning is much more necessary.

I’m going to be real with you here for just a minute. Since becoming parents, our car has turned into a giant glorified junk magnet on wheels, for lack of better terms. I’m just calling it how it is, though, because when I opened up my doors earlier this morning, this is exactly what I saw:

While I can’t blame my toddler for all of the junk in our trunk, she definitely has made quite a messy nest in the back seat, and all too often things get lost back there that really don’t need to be lost. Important paperwork, receipts for things that need to be returned, her sandal that she took off and threw across the car, etc. One time a dirty diaper got lost up under a seat, and we had to learn the hard way that it was gone if you catch my whiff…I mean drift. (Insert gas mask emojii here.) It was terrible!

But now my husband and I are taking back control of our vehicle and getting it back to like-new with a few simple steps that we’ve vowed to start implementing. 

Step 1: Start with Cleaning the Air (Replace Cabin Air Filter)

One of the easiest ways to keep your vehicle clean all year long is to make sure the air that you’re breathing in in the cab of your vehicle is clean. Replacing your cabin air filter is a simple and painless task  that many people often forget to do. It’s recommended to change the cabin air filter annually, or every 12,00 miles. (Follow recommended change intervals as noted in your vehicle owner’s manual.)

Why is cleaning the air in a car so important? – I’m glad you asked, because I once wondered the same exact thing! I was shocked to learn that the air inside a vehicle can be 6 times dirtier than the air outside. I live on a dusty red dirt road, and I really don’t want to be breathing in all of that red clay into my lungs! Plus, with pollen season in full swing, you definitely want something in place to help keep all of those types of things outside of your vehicle.

When it comes to keeping our vehicle’s air clean and pristine, my family chooses FRAM Fresh Breeze® Cabin Air Filters, which you can find at your local Walmart! Earlier this week I headed out to my Walmart store to pick up a few groceries, and while I was there I made sure to swing by the automotive section to pick up a FRAM Fresh Breeze® Cabin Air Filter. Selecting the proper cabin air filter for your vehicle is super easy and takes only minutes. Before I went, I checked out this website to easily find the exact model number I would need, but you can also reference a book that is provided in-store that lists different makes and models of vehicles to find the exact one you need.

Click HERE to find your FRAM Fresh Breeze® Cabin Air Filter at a Walmart near you!

Just enter your vehicle’s information into the provided fields. The part or vendor number you’re looking for will begin with a CF, followed by a series of numbers (Example: CF10134) The number will be located on the side panel and the front of the box on the shelves. Easy peasy!

We trust FRAM Fresh Breeze® cabin air filters to give us the cleanest air in our vehicle because it filters out up to 98%* of dust, dirt and allergens (including road dust and pollen particles ranging in size from 5-100 microns.) It’s also the only cabin air filter that’s made with ARM & HAMMER® baking soda, which acts as a natural deodorizer (which is definitely a plus when you have a toddler!)

Installing the FRAM Fresh Breeze® cabin air filter was a total walk in the park, and it literally took me less than 3 minutes to do by myself.

Step 1: Remove Glove Compartment

(Note: I just had the press in the sides and pop mine out, but different cars may have different methods for removing this.)

Step 2: Locate cabin air filter and slide out

Step 3: Out with the old, in with the new!

Open up the brand new filter and slide it back into place. After you close the glove compartment box, you’re all set! It’s THAT easy, y’all! (Side note: Look at how gross my old filter was. Yuck!)

If you’re looking for a little extra assistance, FRAM Fresh Breeze® offers installation guides on their website in the form of video and written instructions. They also provide a super cool texting feature that allows any of your search results to be sent directly to your phone (installation videos, part numbers, etc.) so that you can easily recall that important information when shopping in store or during your installation experience. Talk about a company that has their customers in mind! 😉

Step 2: Pick up Trash During Quick Stops

When you stop at a quick mart, a rest stop, or even when you’re pumping gas, take just a few seconds to pick up any extra trash that’s laying around in plain view. Most places like that have a trash can available for your convenience, but it’s also a good idea to have a designated space in your car for the trash, even if it’s just a loose plastic bag. Turing this step into a habit will help keep the car looking clean and orderly instead of letting things slowly accumulate until you start mistaking your vehicle for a trash heap. 🙂

Step 3: Give the Junk a Home

My toddler is currently going through a phase where she has to bring something totally random with her on all car rides. When I cleaned out my car, I found a kitchen potholder, a whisk and a gigantic plastic clothes pin laying aimlessly in my back floorboard. Weird, right? Since babies and toddlers tend to require a lot of “junk” by default (snacks, juice cups, toys, blankets and so on) why not give all of those miscellaneous items an actual home? During the minute it takes you to unbuckle your toddler, go ahead and toss all of those things into a bin to keep them out of the seats and floor!

Doesn’t my car look SO much neater already? Doing these 3 simple things that only take up just a few minutes of your time can really turn your messy vehicle around and help you keep the car clean, even when you have a toddler on board with you!

If you’re going to be getting a jump start on your spring cleaning this season, make sure that maintaining clean air in your car is at the top of your list, and don’t forget to pick up a FRAM Fresh Breeze® Cabin Air Filter at Walmart when you go to pick up all of your other cleaning supplies!