How to Keep Your Car Clean While Owning a Dog | OK Carz

Dog wearing sunglasses in the drivers seat of a car

Preventing and Minimizing Dog Hairs and Odors in a Car

Many drivers love to bring their favorite pets along for a car ride. However, your furry companion will likely leave hair or odors behind. How can you prevent and minimize dog hairs and odors inside a car? Here’s how you can keep your car clean while owning a dog.

Clean Regularly

Happy yellow lab inside of a vehicle

To keep your car looking and smelling nice, you will need to clean regularly to ensure that fur and odor does not build up. For fur and dirt, vacuum the seats and carpet and be extra thorough in areas in which your dog often resides.

For odors, you should wash your interior using car shampoo made for pet stains. Follow the instructions on the bottle and do not soak the fabric as this could lead to mold. If odors continue to linger, try placing a bowl of baking soda inside your car overnight. Depending on how bad the smell is, the odor may be gone after one night or this could take several days. Another common method of eliminating bad smells is by mixing white vinegar with water equally and lightly spraying the mixture inside your car. Allow your car to dry if you choose this method.

[ READ MORE: How to Shampoo the Interior of a Vehicle ]

How to Prevent Messes

Wondering how to prevent messes now that your car is clean? Unfortunately, it’s inevitable for your dog to create some sort of mess inside your vehicle, which is why you will need to clean regularly. However, there are many ways to limit the size of the mess and save plenty of cleaning time later.

  • Use a seat cover. Hammock seat covers are great for dogs that like to lie down
  • Keep your dog in one area of the vehicle with a crate or car restraint
  • Groom your dog regularly to prevent excess fur from being shed inside your car
  • Give your dog regular baths
  • If you were hiking, give your dog a combing and rinse off its paws before letting it inside your vehicle
  • Designate one vehicle to your dog if you own multiple cars

[ Explore more ways to care for your vehicle | Follow the OKCarz blog ]

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