Dogs have many wonderful qualities.
Keeping your car clean isn't generally one of them.
Between muddy paws, wet coats, dog hair, sandy walks and the mysterious nose marks that appear on every available window, travelling with a dog can quickly take its toll on even the most carefully looked-after car.
But you don't have to choose between taking the dog on adventures and keeping your car looking respectable.
A little preparation – and dealing with the mess before it has a chance to settle in – can make keeping your car clean considerably easier.
Here are some simple ways to stay on top of it.
1. Protect the Car Before the Dog Gets In
Prevention is considerably easier than spending Sunday afternoon trying to remove dried mud from the upholstery.
If your dog regularly travels on the back seat, consider a washable seat cover or dog hammock that protects both the seat and the back of the front seats.
If they travel in the boot, a washable boot liner can do the same job.
Look for something that's easy to remove and clean. The idea is that the mud, sand and hair ends up on something you can take out of the car rather than becoming embedded in the interior.
Rubber car mats can also be particularly useful for dog owners because they're much easier to clean after muddy walks than fabric mats.
2. Deal With Muddy Paws Before They Get in the Car
One of the easiest ways to keep mud out of the car is to deal with it before your dog climbs back in.
Keep an old towel or dedicated dog-drying towel in the boot so you can give muddy paws, legs and wet fur a quick wipe after a walk.
For particularly muddy adventures, keeping a little water in the car can be useful too. A collapsible bucket is handy for rinsing muddy paws before drying them, and because it folds down when you're finished, it doesn't take up much room in the boot.
It won't remove every bit of dirt, but getting the worst of the mud and water off before your dog jumps back into the car can make a surprisingly big difference.
Just remember to take wet towels out to wash and dry afterwards. Leaving a damp dog towel permanently in the boot introduces an entirely different problem.
3. Deal With Mud While It's Manageable
If muddy paws have made it onto the seats or carpets, don't necessarily start aggressively rubbing at them with the nearest cloth.
The best approach will depend on the surface and how muddy it is.
For upholstery and carpets, remove loose or dried dirt first before using an appropriate interior cleaning product. Always follow the product instructions and check that it's suitable for the material you're cleaning.
For hard surfaces and rubber mats, cleaning is generally more straightforward.
The important thing is not allowing layer upon layer of mud to build up for weeks.
A quick clean after a particularly muddy trip is considerably easier than tackling the accumulated evidence of an entire winter.
4. Tackle Dog Hair Before You Vacuum
Then there's the hair.
Some dogs seem capable of shedding enough fur during a 20-minute journey to create an entirely new dog.
The frustrating part is that a vacuum cleaner doesn't always pick it all up.
Hair can become embedded in fabric seats, carpets and boot linings, particularly in areas where your dog regularly sits.
Before vacuuming, use a dedicated Pet Hair Remover to help gather and lift stubborn hair from suitable fabric surfaces. Once it's loosened, you can collect it and vacuum the remaining area more effectively.
Pay particular attention to:
- Seat edges
- Footwells
- Carpet around the seats
- Boot lining
- Corners and seams
- Under removable mats
It's one of those jobs that's much easier when you do it regularly rather than waiting until the interior has acquired its own fur coat.
5. Vacuum Little and Often
You don't need to deep-clean the entire car every time the dog goes for a walk.
A quick vacuum of the areas they use most frequently can stop hair, dried mud and grit becoming deeply embedded.
Remove the mats first and use smaller vacuum attachments to reach around seat rails, between seats and into corners.
If your dog travels in the boot, don't just vacuum the boot floor. Hair often collects along the sides, around the back seats and in small gaps around the edges.
Every few weeks – or whenever the car needs it – you can then give the whole interior a more thorough clean.
6. Don't Forget the Windows
You know the marks.
Your windows were perfectly clean when you left home.
Twenty minutes later, the rear passenger window has acquired an impressive collection of nose prints, smears and what can only be described as dog enthusiasm.
Keep a clean microfibre cloth handy and clean interior glass using an appropriate automotive glass cleaner.
Don't forget the rear window if your dog travels in the boot.
And if your dog likes travelling with their head near an open window, you'll probably be doing this fairly regularly.
7. Be Careful With Dog Smells
Wet-dog smell can linger in a car, particularly if damp blankets, towels or bedding are left inside.
Rather than simply trying to cover the smell with an overpowering air freshener, tackle the source.
Remove wet towels and blankets after journeys and allow them to dry properly.
If removable seat or boot covers are washable, clean them regularly according to their care instructions.
Vacuum hair and debris from the interior and clean suitable surfaces when needed.
It's also worth allowing the car to air when practical.
A clean, dry interior is much easier to keep fresh than one containing a forgotten wet dog towel from last Tuesday.
8. Keep a Small Dog Car Kit in the Boot
A few simple items kept together can make post-walk clean-ups much easier.
Consider keeping:
- Dog towel
- Spare lead
- Waste bags
- Water and a travel bowl
- Pet-safe wipes if you use them
- Small microfibre cloth
- Pet hair remover
- Seat or boot protector
You don't need to turn the boot into a mobile pet shop.
Just keep the things you regularly find yourself wishing you'd remembered.
A small bag or organiser can stop everything rolling around the boot between walks.
9. Give the Car a More Thorough Clean Occasionally
Even with the best preparation, a car that regularly transports a dog is eventually going to need a proper clean.
Every so often, take everything out and tackle it systematically.
Remove the mats and boot liner. Vacuum the seats, carpets and boot thoroughly. Remove embedded pet hair. Clean appropriate interior surfaces and glass, and deal with any areas that have been repeatedly exposed to muddy paws.
It's also a good opportunity to clean the exterior after all those trips to muddy woods, beaches and country parks.
If you'd like to go further, our Car Detailing for Beginners: A Simple 10-Step Guide takes you through the complete process of cleaning and detailing your car at home.
10. Adjust Your Routine With the Seasons
Keeping a car clean with a dog is considerably easier in some months than others.
A dry summer walk may leave little more than a few hairs behind.
A wet January walk through a muddy field is another matter entirely.
During autumn and winter, it's worth being a little more prepared:
Keep the dog towel permanently on standby. Use washable protection where possible. Remove wet items from the car after journeys. And stay on top of mud and hair rather than allowing them to build up.
Your car's exterior is likely to need a little more attention during these months too.
Our Winter Car Care Guide covers some of the additional things worth considering when dealing with road salt, winter grime, wet weather and colder temperatures.
What Should Dog Owners Keep in the Car?
If you regularly travel with your dog, we'd keep it simple:
For the dog:
- Water
- Travel bowl
- Lead
- Waste bags
- Towel
For the car:
- Washable seat or boot protection
- Microfibre cloth
- Pet hair remover
- A bag for wet or muddy items
And perhaps a spare towel.
Because somehow one is never enough.
A Clean Car and a Happy Dog Can Coexist
Realistically, if you regularly take your dog to the beach, woods, park or countryside, your car probably isn't going to remain spotless all of the time.
And that's fine.
The trick isn't trying to prevent every single hair or muddy paw print.
It's making the mess easier to deal with.
Protect the areas your dog uses most. Keep a towel handy. Remove wet items after journeys. Stay on top of pet hair before it becomes embedded. And give the car a more thorough clean when it needs one.
That way you can spend less time worrying about the state of the car – and more time deciding where you're taking the dog next.
For one of the more stubborn parts of the clean-up, discover the Kingsley & Harper Pet Hair Remover, designed to help lift embedded pet hair from car carpets and fabric surfaces.ell
