Maybe you have a spotless and clean vehicle that you carry your family around in, but mine … um … well … it gets messy. Very messy. Especially, because – well, we travel a lot.
This morning I decided it was time for the mama mini-van to get some love. I took it to a full service car wash place where I paid over $30 to have them armor all the interior, vacuum, clean windows, wax, wash and you get the idea. Let’s just say, I was not impressed. For one thing, they did not even vacuum out the back trunk area. I had to make them redo several things. Also, there were still some crumbs or some kind of dirt on the floor mat. And speaking of floor mats, they were not put back the right way. The quality was very careless and sloppy. The service was terrible and the wait was LONG. I honestly have myself to blame because I have been to this place before, and was less than impressed, but for some odd reason I decided to give them another chance. Ugh, never again. I can do this cheaper and quicker myself.
So what’s a busy mama to do when her mini-van needs a makeover? It’s time to get oily, I say.
Let’s start with the air freshener issue. I am not going to be buy any green trees from the gas station. I can get the look and smell of a car air freshener without the chemicals. I will trace a pattern onto wool felt (because there is no way I can cut freehand) and then cut out my shape. Heck, maybe I’ll let the kids cut me out a shape. Then I will get another child to punch a hole at the top of said shape. I can then thread it with a piece of twine and tie it into a loop for easy hanging from the mirror. But before I hang it, I will drop several drops of my favorite essential oils onto the wool shape for an all-natural air freshener. Of course I’ll be using therapeutic grade essential oils and I get them from doTerra. Right now I am thinking Wild Orange, or maybe lemon, or both.
Now let’s talk about dirty windows. Can we say ‘fingerprints’ anybody? Um, yeah, we get those A LOT. Here’s what we’ll do: Let’s add 4 ounces of vinegar to a spray bottle along with 3 drops of dōTERRA Lemon. Then shake it all up to mix! When ready, spray onto windows and allow it to sit for a few moments. Finally, simply wipe the glass dry with a piece of newspaper for a streak-free shine. Yes, I said newspaper. My husband taught me that trick.
Ready for the Chrome? Let’s make it shine. Just mix together equal parts white vinegar and water with 4 drops of dōTERRA Lemon per each cup of liquid. Then, spray it on your wheels and work it in with a sponge or cleaning rag. One thing to know: Vinegar should not be used on aluminum alloys.
Tired of dull tires? Just miix 2 parts baking soda and 1 part water together to form a paste. Add 2-6 drops of dōTERRA Lemon oil. Then work the paste into the tires with a scrub brush. Let it sit for several minutes. Then, rinse off.
Meanwhile, I am so OVER the Armor All thing. From now on, when my interior needs protecting, I will combine 1 cup olive oil and 5 drops of dōTERRA Lemon oil in my handy dandy spray bottle. Then I will use a clean cloth to wipe a small amount of the mixture into the dashboard and any other plastic or vinyl surfaces. I have leather and this is safe for my leather. I will finish by wiping off the excess with another cleaning rag. This is a great natural way to protect your interior. Easy peasy. Now as for just simple cleaning on any surfaces such as vinyl, leather, wood parts, etc. … you can mix together equal parts white vinegar and water with 2-6 drops of dōTERRA OnGuard essential oil. This helps disinfect and kill germs. Spray the cleaner where needed in your car. Then allow it to soak in and wipe dry with a clean rag. It is worthy to note: You should test this out on a small area before applying to the entire surface.
And if we’re talking mini-van makeover here, let’s talk STAINS. Yes, I have them. I have kids – need I say more? For tough stains in your vehicle carpet, let’s mix together 1 part white vinegar, 2 parts baking soda, and 2-6 drops of dōTERRA lemon or wild orange oil to form a paste. Work the paste into any carpet and upholstery stains with a toothbrush or small scrubbing brush. Then simply allow the paste to dry and vacuum to remove stains. Please note: Stubborn stains may need to be treated more than once. Yeah, I’m thinking my kids need to learn this technique for sure. And is it just me, or does anyone else have a crazy van and crazy family where a sock can end up locked under the stow-n-go seat rail?
So in summary – YES – I want an oily van. And I want it to smell good. And I want random legos and crayons to not mysteriously run amok in the cup holders 🙂
This is my van on one of our many camping trips !
As always, make champion choices,
The Healthy Habit Lady
The Healthy Habit Lady 