https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 01 May 2026 11:20:06 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/car-cleanliness#post-2371846 Sat, 28 Nov 2015 22:18:52 +0000 Mrs.KMM 2371846@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH can be the same way! My car is always really clean with no trash (because I always take it out with me as soon as it is generated) while he has empty wrappers, bottles, etc. throughout his car. While it drives me nuts and I especially hate it when he leaves things in my car, it is one of those things that I don't say much about because I would rather choose my battles. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/car-cleanliness#post-2371273 Fri, 27 Nov 2015 17:51:49 +0000 gingerbebe 2371273@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband is the WORST at this. I take his car to work a few days a week (he has the plug-in hybrid and he works from home a few days) and I'm always so embarrassed by the mess. I usually keep a brown paper grocery bag on the floor of the passenger side and BEG him to please put the garbage in there at least. We tried behind the seat garbage containers and they never worked. If he can't toss it directly into a container from his driver's seat he wont do it. I'm not the neatest person when it comes to the car either, but I don't leave like TONS of garbage in there. </p> <p>But I have to admit he's gotten better. When DH was a bachelor and you needed a ride from him, it would take him AN HOUR to clear out all the empty soda cans and trash out of his car before he could come get you. No joke. He used to drink sodas and then just toss the empty cups or cans directly into the backseat of his Jeep and they would rattle around back there for MONTHS. He had leather seats so he didn't worry about the mess and would EVENTUALLY round it all up (like when someone needed a ride) to take to recycling. He was disgusting. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/car-cleanliness#post-2371242 Fri, 27 Nov 2015 16:54:11 +0000 BananaPancakes 2371242@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Lilbear: Great idea to get it detailed first! I find as someone who lets her car get nasty, I try really hard for the first couple of days after I clean it on Sundays. And I try very hard to keep it clean much longer after I've dropped the $ to have it detailed. I really want a nice clean car, and admire people whose cars are always trash/stain free, but it's just hard for me for some reason. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/car-cleanliness#post-2371236 Fri, 27 Nov 2015 16:39:54 +0000 Lilbear 2371236@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BananaPancakes: That's a great idea! I might even see about an auto detailing gift certificate too, since his upholstery is a light tan color with many stains on it. 😬 Maybe starting fresh with a super clean interior would be motivation to keep it nice and tidy?</p> <p>@bluestriped bee: I feel the same way! Luckily he never leaves garbage behind in my car if he uses it!</p> <p>@Portboston: that is definitely an option. I saw on Amazon that they have car "garbage cans" that can hook onto the seats. At least it would keep the messes contained! </p> <p>@Mrs. Twine: he doesn't like the mess either and tries his best to stay on top of it. Most of the time his car is okay, it's just once in a while it starts to get a little out of hand. I think the containers idea is a good one. At least it keeps things contained to one spot, instead of rolling along the floor in the back seat! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/car-cleanliness#post-2371102 Fri, 27 Nov 2015 12:38:15 +0000 Mrs. Twine 2371102@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How does he feel about the way his car is? It's hard to get someone to make a drastic change in something if they aren't personally motivated to make it happen, but if he's on board with cleaning up his act, pun intended, then you might be able to help him get there. I tend towards having a messier vehicle, but don't prefer it that way. For me, much of the mess is generated by the girls. I use cloth shopping bags to help with some of it. One hangs behind the passenger seat as a garbage bag, and I empty it and exchange for a fresh one when we get gas. Another hangs in the back (we have a minivan) to collect anything that does't live in the car. I can pop things in there, carry the bag into the house, empty it, and put it back in the van for next time. I have a car organizer in the back, but honestly I think a Rubbermaid tote or something might be cheaper and work just as well. In there I keep things like some extra toys in a small bag, extra clothes for the kids, our portable potty seat, boogie wipes, a wrap, and anything else that might be otherwise homeless. There's a basket in the back with some books for each girl; I try to remember to take it inside from time to time to change the books that are in there. Between the girls' seats there is a basket with coloring books, stickers, and things for them to do. I find that having containers for things to go in helps me with the clutter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/car-cleanliness#post-2371099 Fri, 27 Nov 2015 12:28:09 +0000 Greentea 2371099@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Honestly I think it is totally normal to have a messy car. At least, my husband does! I think it is a choose your battles type thing, if this is EXTREMELY important, ask him to tidy or just do it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/car-cleanliness#post-2371097 Fri, 27 Nov 2015 12:24:47 +0000 winter_wonder 2371097@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just try to be really diligent about taking out trash when we park the car in the garage. There is a garbage right by the door so it's a constant reminder to throw the crap away! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/car-cleanliness#post-2371095 Fri, 27 Nov 2015 12:20:28 +0000 Portboston 2371095@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yikes that would drive me crazy! I keep all my trash in my door pocket and empty it about once a week. But if it's larger trash like a take out bag or drink container, it goes in the trash immediately. It helps that I use a glass water bottle so I am forced to take it out of my car to refill it. Would that be an option for your hubs? </p> <p>I am terrible about washing and vacuuming my car though. And we live on an unpaved road so I'm constantly tracking in dirt 😕 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/car-cleanliness#post-2371033 Fri, 27 Nov 2015 11:01:57 +0000 BSB 2371033@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When I was in college, I kinda lived out of my car because I traveled home and to my boyfriend (now DH) place, so my car wasn't the cleanest. While my DH had a clean car back when we are dating. </p> <p>Nowadays, 8 years later, he is the one with the messier car. It's one of my pet peeves is leaving food trash in my car. Now that I have a home and can easily take trash from my car and right into our trash can, I can keep a cleaner car. I hate it when he drives my car and leaves empty drink containers or fast food trash in my car. I ask him all the time to pick up after himself after he drives my car. </p> <p>I'm not sure why he does it. It's easy for me to leave my car and check to make sure I don't have any food trash. Our LOs are pretty young but I'm hoping he does a better job cleaning up since we got a bigger car so he can be a SAHD and tote the twins around. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/car-cleanliness#post-2371020 Fri, 27 Nov 2015 10:41:56 +0000 BananaPancakes 2371020@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a super clean person, but my car always gets gross. I try and keep a schedule to go through the car wash by our house every Sunday, and there's trash cans and free vacuums after you wash, so it kind of forces me to clean it out every week. I am shocked how bad it can get in 7 days. In any case, the car wash has a monthly club membership for $20 unlimited washes that I joined as even more incentive to keep on top of it. Maybe a something like that might be a good stocking stuffer idea for him? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/car-cleanliness#post-2371014 Fri, 27 Nov 2015 10:29:48 +0000 Lilbear 2371014@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband keeps a very messy car. It's mostly garbage (empty drink bottles, food wrappers, yogurt containers etc) that has accumulated which he only empties/cleans up when he pumps gas every few weeks. None of the mess is from our toddler, because we never give her any drinks or snacks in the car. </p> <p>He has gotten better since having a baby to drive around (as I have talked to him a few times about how she can be hurt by flying garbage in an accident - especially the empty glass bottles) but his car still gets pretty cluttered from time to time. I am the complete opposite where there is zero garbage and clutter in my car. If I eat or drink anything, I always take the container with me to throw out once I'm getting out of my car. I realize I am a little OCD about this in my own car, but I feel bad sometimes when I look in his back seat and realize how gross it gets on the floor in the back seat - my poor DD has to sit back there!</p> <p>Has anyone else had this issue? Is this normal and I'm just being a crazy pants? Do you have any tips for helping to keep a cleaner car? </p>