Keep your car's interior as good as new

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When it comes to keeping a vehicle clean, drivers are often quick to take their vehicle to the car wash and make sure its exterior looks as good as it possibly can. However, a vehicle's interior often bears the visible brunt of its age, slowly looking worse and worse as time goes on.

While that rarely plays a role in how well a vehicle runs, it can influence other things, such as resale value and how much a driver actually enjoys driving the vehicle. To keep a car looking as smooth on the inside as it does on the outside, consider the following tips.

* Be prepared for pets. Lots of people love to take the family dog along for a weekend getaway or on trips to the park on a sunny afternoon. Though pets make great travel companions, they also leave lots behind after each car tip. This can include shedding fur or lingering odor in a vehicle long after they've retreated back to the house.

To combat these potential pet problems, consider crating your pet on road trips. For those who own sport utility vehicles (SUVs) this shouldn't be difficult, as depending on the size of your dog the animal and its crate should fit in the back of the SUV. For owners of smaller vehicles, cover the seats with a blanket to avoid pet hair attaching itself to a vehicle's interior.

As for animal odor, be sure to have an air freshener in the car at all times, and if you're driving on a warm afternoon, roll the windows down instead of turning on the air conditioner. This will greatly decrease the chances of pet odor lingering in the car.

* Make a no food rule. Particularly for parents, food is arguably the biggest foe to keeping a vehicle's interior looking as close to new as possible. To avoid this problem entirely, make it known that no one can eat in your vehicle. When it comes to beverages, only allow drinks that can be resealed when passengers aren't drinking. For parents, if on a road trip, leave time to pull over and eat meals at rest stops rather than eating in the car to save time.

* Vacuum frequently. Another way a vehicle's interior gradually deteriorates is when vacuuming responsibilities are routinely neglected. If a car's interior is vacuumed on a regular basis, vehicle owners can avoid stains setting into a vehicle's carpeting. Also, when leaves are falling or after weekend trips to the beach, it's common for a vehicle's interior to eventually fill up with dirty or wet leaves or sand brought back from the beach. A thorough and regular vacuuming won't take very long and will remove such items from a car's interior.

* Consider floor mats and seat covers. Floor mats and seat covers are very effective at keeping a vehicle's interior looking as good as new. For drivers who don't like floor mats under their feet because they tend to move around, look for custom mats that won't move each and every time you get in and out of your vehicle. Custom seat covers are also a one-time expense that will ensure your car's upholstery looks great when it's time to sell or trade in.