Even with the best intentions, we have all experienced spills in our cup holders. Maybe your child’s juice box from soccer was left lying on its side. Perhaps your morning cup of coffee escaped from its cup after slamming on your brakes. Often, our busy lives prevent us from cleaning up these small messes right away which then results in a much more difficult, sticky mess to deal with later.
No matter what the source, there’s no need to stress! Here are some quick and easy steps to get your car’s cup holders squeaky clean again.
Car Cleaning Tips
- First, be sure to vacuum out any loose crumbs in the cup holder. You don’t want to create a bigger mess for yourselves by soaking any food or paper particles that have found their way into this space.
- Take an old rag and soak in hot water. (A couple of paper towels or even an old sock will do the job too.)
- Press the rag down into the cup holder, making sure it’s firmly against all the bottom edges. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Firmly wipe in a circular motion as you remove the rag. Repeat these steps if not all of the sticky residue has been removed.
- If the build-up is extra stubborn and is not responding to the hot water, try spraying with an all-purpose cleaner or a vinegar and water solution. Allow it to break down the mess for a few minutes before attempting to wipe again. It’s always better to start with a milder solution then work your way towards more abrasive ones as needed. Take care not to get the cleaner on your car’s other surfaces as the cup holders tend to be made of hard plastic, but often the surrounding materials can be much more delicate. Be sure to do a final wipe with just water to completely remove any of residual cleaner. Any cleaner left behind could actually attract future messes more quickly or even damage the cup holder.
- Once the majority of the stickiness has been removed, take a pointed object such as the back end of a paintbrush or kitchen skewer, wrap in a damp paper towel, and gently dig out any remaining residue in the crevices. Take your time so you don’t damage the surface of the cup holder. If needed, a quick vacuum can pick up any stray leftovers.
Problem Solved
Depending on the type and severity of the mess, it may take a few cycles of soaking the cup holder before the mess is completely gone, but we’re sure you’ll find this is a task worthy of your time. Before you know it, your cup holders will be like new and ready to catch the next spill.
While Fabulously Clean House Cleaning doesn’t clean out car cup holders we do a pretty great job cleaning up all of those sticky situations in your home. Call us today and schedule your in-home estimate so see how our affordable house cleaning can make your life and weekends better: 208-608-4648.
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