Spring Muddy Dog Car Tips

Spring has sprung, bringing with it a combination of wet, muddy conditions. I’ve been using a couple of simple techniques for keeping the Subaru from turning into a smelly sandbox. The first is using a twin-sized fitted sheet for covering the backseat, aka Sugar’s dog bed. They’re much cheaper than specialty dog-specific seat covers (especially if you score one at the thrift store), and they’re easy to wash. If I think conditions are going to be particularly soggy, I’ll put down an extra sheet, blanket, or towel on the backseat, and then cover with the fitted sheet.
Next up is a gem of a trick gleaned from Michael de Jong’s awesome book Clean: The Humble Art of Zen Cleaning. To eliminate funky wet dog odor from your ride, soak a piece of bread in a bowl of white vinegar, roll up all your windows, and leave the bowl in the car overnight. In the morning, like magic, the funk is gone. There is a slight vinegar odor that dissipates in no time.
Last, but not least, for removing dog hair stuck to your seats, instead of expensive pet-specific fur removers, try a rubber dishwashing glove. Put that bad boy on, and run your hand across anything covered in fur (works great for clothing too).
I would never deny my dog Sugar (seen above after a brisk swim in the Sierra’s Donner Lake) the joys of getting wet and dirty, and these tips help keep my car not so wet and dirty when it’s time to load up and go home. Happy playing!