If you're a gardener, then chances are high that you've used your car to haul far more than your interior upholstery can really handle. These tips will make cleaning up messes easier and will help protect your car from dirt, scratches, and unpleasant smells.

I have tested the limits of quite a few vehicles over the years, from Volvo station wagons and small SUVs to 2-door hatchbacks and quite a few makes and models inbetween. From hauling mulch, hay, and livestock to transporting flats of vegetables and flowers, my cars are exposed to a lot of dirt and debris.

I don’t like dirty cars. Unfortunately, I don’t have a farm truck, and so my everyday vehicle has to stand in and take the heat. Here are some of the tricks I have learned over the years to prevent mess—and to clean it up.

Invest in Several High-quality Tarps

Hauling mulch, hay, and topsoil is filthy work for your car. A heavy duty tarp can save you a lot of trouble in the long run. Cheap tarps, sadly, have a tendency to rip and tear easily, especially as you shovel the materials in and out. Use your tarp as a seat cover or a trunk liner to contain your cargo and make cleanup a breeze.

Keep the Windows Shut

Several of my cars have had shot AC systems, and so I made the mistake of opening the windows while hauling loose materials. Needless to say, whatever was in the back quickly joined me in the front. Keep your windows shut while transporting garden supplies unless it is totally unavoidable to prevent debris from blowing around the car.

Buy Sturdy Floor Mats

Weather Tech makes custom floor mats, cargo mats, and trunk liners for every vehicle. Floor mats make cleanup easier, whether it is spilled coffee or potting soil, and are also great for pets. I don’t worry about tracking mud into my car anymore because all I have to do is shake out the mat and spray it down to clean it.

Waterproof Seat Covers

There are seat covers, and then there are waterproof seat covers. Waterproof seat covers prevent mud from seeping through and staining your upholstery, not to mention protecting your seats from inevitable coffee spills. I buy seat covers for the front and back seats of my car because I know that sooner or later I will run out of room in the trunk and a rose bush will find its way into the back seat.

Shop Vacuums and Lint Rollers

There are very few messes that a shop vacuum and a lint roller can’t take care of. Hay and straw are particularly insidious when it comes to clean up, which is where the lint roller comes in handy. I follow behind the vacuum with the roller to get up stray chaff and stubborn stems, and it works like a charm. This is also where that tarp comes in handy. Hay goes moldy relatively quickly if it gets caught underneath a seat cushion with any moisture, so prevention is the best way to avoid a full detailing.

Vinegar Spray

White vinegar eliminates odors better than Febreeze, although your car will smell like a pickle jar for a few hours. I use a vinegar spray to eliminate the particular odors associated with transporting small livestock and compost, or, god forbid, spilled fish emulsion.

Carry Wet Wipes

Time is precious, and I don’t have time to clean my car every day. I do, however, carry wet wipes in the glove box to wipe down any surfaces that come in contact with a lot of dirt, like the steering wheel. Gardeners, as a rule, tend to have dirt on their hands, and that dirt accumulates on the steering wheel. A quick wipe of both hands and steering wheel keeps this to a minimum.

The Boot Bin

Keeping a bin in the back of your car for boots, gloves, and other dirty accessories prevents dirt and manure from traveling throughout the vehicle. I also keep a spare shirt and pants in the car as well, in case I return from a gardening expedition particularly filthy.

Towels

Towels are wonderful things. They can remove mud from humans and dogs alike, they act as emergency seat covers, stand-in picnic blankets, and can be used to wrap lumber and other objects to prevent them from scratching up your car. If you are the sort of person who sees a window by the side of the road and thinks “cold frame,” you should definitely carry several towels with you at all times. Not only will towels protect your finds during transport, but they will also prevent sharp ends from scratching your car ceiling and dashboard.

Home Depot Rents Trucks

Sometimes, we need to learn the limits of our automobiles. Home Depot, among other companies, rents trucks for reasonable rates for local use. Renting a truck can save you time as well as clean up, especially when it comes to hauling large loads like topsoil, hay, and mulch. Better yet, some places deliver those things for you. Knowing when to quiet our DIY instincts is difficult, but it is an important skill to learn for the sake of our cars.

Gardening is dirty work. These tips should help keep some of that dirt in the ground where it belongs, and out of our cars. If you have any tips for keeping your car clean, please share in the comment section below.