My significant other and I are expecting our first little bundle of joy, and I have heard that they can total the interior of a vehicle in no time at all. So my question is, does anyone have any good or great ideas on how to keep the interior the way it is now, even with the atrocities that jr. will unleash?????

 

Put the baby and the baby seat back in the bed of the truck! Seriously, There are pads/covers for the back seat to cover it up. Don't freak out though. I've never had any issues with my kids when they were babies. It's when they get a bit older that you have to worry about. I only allowed a water bottle in my ride. No crackers, cookies, etc.. in dads ride. I let moms car get trashed for that!

 

This isn't a problem for 3-4 years...by then you will have figured out what to do and what works for and your application.

Try having a King Ranch...you think you have problem? My girl is 4. Think my exterior posts are OCD....that ain't nothing.

 

What? Keeping the interior the way it is now? Friend, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

Actually, the answer is Scotch-Guard, Scotch-Guard, and more Scotch-Guard. Then, seat covers with more Scotch-Guard. Follow up with good, deep grooved floor mats. Some will recommend floor liners. Use good vinyl protectants. That should take care of the spit-up.

You then come to experience the phase of childhood where crayons and pens hold a particular fascination, and children will feel the need to use them, on paper, seats, indeed any surface within arms reach. That said, keep a stash of paper accessible for the child to draw and doodle on.

A DVD player or the venerable Game Boy can occupy a child on long trips, thus reducing the destructive inclinations of the little one to a manageable level.

Eating in the truck poses challenges of a different nature. Stop too quickly once and, yes, the Coke will spill and run under the seat. The fries will go flying into recesses and crevices only to be found a year later looking like a biology experiment gone wrong. I've found a piece of hot dog, in a customer's vehicle a year after it went missing, but won't describe what it actually looked like.

My wife, being the doting mother she is, allowed my kids to destroy the interior of our MPV. I tried my best to keep the thing looking good, but to no avail. That said, instilling a little discipline would have gone a long way. You want them to enjoy traveling and to have fun, but that can be coupled with teaching them to respect things. It's hard to do, but it's a good life lesson.

I sold my son on the idea that the truck is "our" truck. Mine and his. It worked pretty well as he doesn't go out of his way to leave his imprint in there. The most he does is make the little greasy chicken nugget smears on "his" side window.

The daughter on the other hand...........has exhibited destructive qualities in the van that have left me worried. Once, when about 11, she noticed that the push-in cigarette lighter gave off a nice warm glow, and I can only assume that she had watched a cowboy movie with a cattle branding scene. Hey! It worked!

..............on the front passenger seat.

Short answer? Become OCD as hell so that no one will want to ride in your truck.

Beyond that, invest in protective coverings as mentioned before.

If you can, invest in a grocery-getter, also called a loser-cruiser by my 15 year-old daughter, for transporting the kids. The money would be worth the peace of mind if your aim is to keep the truck looking great. I'm here to tell ya that ball games, cheerleading and Tae Kwon Do trips are hell on a vehicle interior...........regardless of what you do. The mandatory stops at McDonald's after practice add a whole new dimension to it. I won't bother going into detail, unless requested, on long vacation trips. Medication is required here, and that demands a new thread.

Any help there?

 

Lmao, your screwed I have a 2 and 4 year old, both boys. I just had to adjust there kids seats straps and when I pulled the seats there was more Cherrios then a box can hold. I usually blow out the interior with an air hose. Like stated before if you have cloth interior Scotch Guard is your best friend. My truck is 2.5 years old and it still looks new. Spray down the interior a few weeks prior to putting the baby in because it stinks to high hell.

 

Boy, flashback to a 1 year old, a full bottle of milk drank, and a brand new rotovirus. I've seen pressure washers with less force.

problem with that stuff is it will drip and run into every little crease.

My best suggestion would be to pick a baby seat that ALL of the cloth can be removed and put back in. I've had a few that will "almost" come out but not quite. After learning the hard way the one I have now can be taken out and thrown in the washer.

 

HAHA good luck! Your dreaming! lol j/k

We just had a new baby, bought accodingly for when shes with me for short trips.. vinyl....dont want to spend my life trying to prevent the inevitable or spend my weekends cleaning cars. One its easy to clean, 2 i dont give a crap if it gets trashed...used vinyl seats are cheap even if they were to get ripped open. I save my nice interiors for when young or old. Middle is for getting things done.

You could scothgard, put seat covers on off,etc but that to me would get old quick and believe me....you aint going to have time to put on seat covers when kids come, its be this that do this move, get in in, shove it in, gotta be here gotta be there, get back feed, diaper, and maybe....just maybe....you'll be able to clean it up once a month =)

Best thing if you have a nice vehicle/interior...seat covers leave em in, rubber mats, then you'll only have to worry about the cups, toys,etc slamming the door sides as thats there thing...they like when the discover they can make sounds,noises =)

I consider kids & vehicles like buying a work truck...dont get the king ranch if your going to beat the crap out of it if your the type to go nuts over every little scratch or speck of dirt. Got a buddy with beamer, he doesn't let kids drink, eat or do anything in the car...too much work for me...i'm surprised he doesn't shave em to keep hair from getting in the car humans loose couple hundred a day i hear =)

kids are great though, lot of fun.

 

Man, that sounds like me!

 

you need to be proactive on this, and when buying truck is the easiest way to have you interior look good....leather seats is a definate plus and black leather at that would be better (light color leather has light colored stiching and will stain with oils from skin or orange drink from mcdonalds black seats have black stiching, i think you could pour motor oil on the seat and wipe it off and not be able to tell)..as far as carpet goes, black carpet cant be beat either, but i think only the hd has that. light gray and tan carpet will get trashed no time unless you have a no eat or drink policy in your vehicle with kids in the back.

 

That idea will fly like a fart in a space suit. Thanks for all the ideas, I guess a heavy coating of scotch guard, alot of seat covers, and a no food or drink policy. I like the idea about using the G/F's car but I will feel safer with jr. in the truck, guess I'll just have to become even more OCD about cleaning the interior.

 

Do they make straight jackets for babies? Probably your only hope.

 

X 2 on that, when they get old enough to kick the back of your seat, handle a Happy meal on there own and bring in mud form the baseball field is when the problem starts.
Get some weathertech floor mats they are a lifesaver, leather seats are a plus, most liquids wipe off. after that I use towels across the seats to keep any other junk from staining. If you don't allow food and drinks in the truck they your golden but the wife usually overrides my vote saying "the kids are hungry they won't spill anything."

 

Wait ti'll your just driving along singing to the Wiggles CD (because you cant listen to what you want) and you go sniff sniff whats that to your wife/girlfriend and she replys whats what. And you just get hit with the smelliest #2 bomb a kid could ever make. Your eyes will water and your tint will peel And you cant get to the side of the road or a parking lot fast enough. Good times Needless to say your new car smell will be out the window.

 

I am soo happy my kids are 8 and 11 now!!!

 

Fruit salad....yummy yummy.......