I didn’t want our new baby coming home in a dusty back seat filled with wrappers, random flyers and empty travel mugs. I mentioned my cleaning agenda to a co-worker of mine who laughed and said, “this must be your first child.”
To be honest, I was perturbed by this comment. I knew myself, and I knew I’d want a clean vehicle no matter how many children I planned to have. Who was he to assume I would slack off when I became a parent?
Now with the arrival of Will, I’m lucky if I can keep my house clean — let alone the van. After two family trips, the interior looks like a Chucky Cheese after hours. The floor is covered with crumbs, toys, empty bottles and ice cream. And I don’t even want to get into the state of my children’s car seats.
To make myself feel better about the van, I look forward to visiting one of my favorite places — the Urban Auto Spa, located in the lovely little town of Franklin Lakes, NJ.
Without the Auto Spa and our trips to the Garden State to spend time with family, our van would never get cleaned. For less than $13, the van gets a full service car wash — and then a team of 12 men attack the inside armed with glass cleaner, air freshener and hand vacuums.
Once they’re finished, the van looks like it has been detailed. The floor is completely crumb-free. The dashboard is spotless. The smell of dog hair, diapers and stale coffee is replaced by the mild scent of jasmine. It’s nirvana.
Unfortunately the last trip didn’t allow any time for the car spa. And if this wasn’t bad enough, I learned that the townspeople were boycotting my haven of cleanliness. The Auto Spa planned to place a billboard over its main building, leaving the pristine community worried about its effect on property values.
This left me with no choice but to recreate the spa experience in my own garage. I plugged in the vacuum and set to work cleaning every crevice of our van. After a thorough vacuuming, I wiped down the dashboard and cup holders with Windex. And for a finishing touch, I sprayed the interior with Febreze — not quite jasmine, but it did the trick.
I finished the van feeling vindicated. I could be a parent of two and still have time to clean my vehicle. Of course, if things don’t work out for the Urban Auto Spa and their billboard, perhaps the owners might consider Maine as an alternative. A girl can dream.
Jennifer Hazard lives and writes in Yarmouth.