Time to freshen up your car

With our on-the-go lifestyle, it can be hard to maintain the interior of our vehicles. Life gets busy and things can get downright messy and smelly, in fact. If you are struggling to maintain that fresh new car smell, don’t fear. Following are some easy (and natural) ways to keep things on the up and up:

• Baking soda: This is a go-to odor remover, because it works! First, take out all of the mats, and vacuum the surfaces. Inspect for any moisture on the carpets. (If any spot feels damp, don’t put baking soda on it, or it will solidify and not work.) Once dry, sprinkle the baking soda all around and leave it overnight. The next morning, vacuum it up and check for odors. It should tame any funkiness.
• Citrus: The natural oils in orange peels do double duty in that they smell good and can mask a variety of smells. (We’re assuming you don’t mind the smell of citrus.)
• Coffee grounds: Your morning cuppa joe packs a powerful punch! That’s because coffee can both absorb odors and it won’t leave behind a coffee smell. Simply place fresh coffee grounds into a paper bag and leave it open inside your car overnight. In the morning, remove the bag and take inventory of the air quality. More often than not, it should be fresher than before!
• Herbs: Do you have a garden? Clip a few sprigs of your favorite herbs and lay them in your car’s back seat (on a towel of course). Pungent herbs like lavender, rosemary or sage work the best. You may need to leave the herbs in your car for a while to get maximum results.

If you’ve had success with these or any of your own odor-removing techniques, share your tips and tricks on our Facebook Page!