How to Keep Your Car Clean With a Muddy Dog

If you drive to your walks, your car takes the worst of the mud. Wet paws on the seats, a shake that hits the windows, and dog hair worked into every bit of fabric. You can't stop a dog getting muddy, but you can stop it all ending up in the car.

Keep a "muddy dog kit" in the boot

Leave this in the car all winter, so it's always there:

• Two towels: one for the worst of the mud, one for a final dry. Hand-pocket towels are quickest
• A bottle of water for rinsing very muddy legs
• An old blanket for your dog to lie on in the boot
• A boot liner or seat cover, waterproof and washable
• Poo bags and a lead, as a spare set

The two-minute routine before they jump in

1. Stop at the boot, not the door. Keep your dog on the lead so they can't jump in early.
2. Rinse the worst legs with the water bottle if they're caked.
3. Towel the legs and belly first, then the back. Squeeze rather than rub.
4. Let them shake outside the car, with the boot shut.
5. Second towel, a quick final pass, then in they go onto their blanket.

The second towel is the part that saves your seats: the drier your dog is when they jump in, the less ends up in the upholstery.

Protect the car itself

• Boot liners that cover the floor and the back of the rear seats are the single best investment for a dog in the boot.
• Rear seat covers (hammock style) stop paws reaching the footwells and the back of the front seats.
• Rubber mats are far easier to clean than carpet ones.
• Crack a window a little on the drive home. A wet dog steams up the glass fast, and a bit of airflow helps your dog dry too.

Safety first

The Highway Code (Rule 57) says dogs should be suitably restrained in a vehicle so they can't distract you or injure you or themselves if you stop quickly. A dog guard, a crate, or a seat belt harness all do the job. Whatever keeps the mud contained should also keep your dog secure.

Getting the hair out

Once the mud has dried, most of it brushes or vacuums out easily. The hair is the hard part: it weaves into fabric seats and boot carpet. A reusable hair roller lifts it in a few strokes, and a damp rubber glove pulls hair out of carpet surprisingly well too. Then vacuum.

A quick weekly reset

• Shake out or wash the towels and seat covers.
• Roll the seats and vacuum the boot.
• Wipe the inside of the windows, where the dog breath and steam build up.

Ten minutes a week and the car stays a car, not a kennel.