How do I make my rolling tackroom (car) presentable for its MOT..!!!

[FlyingCircus]

My little car has put up with a lot over the years. It has mud...everywhere (how do you get this off plastic!? It just comes back!?). Hay...everywhere and just general horse filth ?

Anyone have any tips apart from set it on fire and start again?

 

[Snow Falcon]

Dandy brush and hot clothing?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Hoover it multiple times mud will come off plastic with hot soapy water, maybe change your boots into some car shoes so it doesn't get bad again.

I'm probably not the best person as I can't abide dirty cars I never get in mine with yard boots, my horses are kept at home so I never have to get in it from the yard or transport horse stuff in it either, but if I did it would all be kept in boxes with lids in the boot.

 

[AmyMay]

Get it valeted ?

 

[SEL]

A few years ago I had a puncture and crawled to the local garage. It was a warm day and I think I'm immune to the smell of a horsey car - the guy changing the tyre wasn't. He had to drive it and hoovered it before he got in it!!!!

 

[Nasicus]

Get it valeted ?

I'm going to get mine valeted soon... But I will be running the hoover over it first to try lessen my shame

 

[AmyMay]

I'm going to get mine valeted soon... But I will be running the hoover over it first to try lessen my shame

?????

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I muck mine out and dustpan and brush it out, then drive round to the local Polish guys for its biannual inside and out clean.
I do it a couple of days before mot and put paper on the floor etc....

 

[FlyingCircus]

I suspect any kind of valeting bill will be on par with ditching the car and starting again ? It really has been run through the ringer.

Even after hot soapy water this mud seems indestructible.

Have been debating buying a wet vac!?

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I always apologise to our garage for the state of my car and they always say they have seen worse.

 

[Peglo]

mine miraculously cleans itself. That or else my (dirty car hating) OH cleans it.

I don’t know why he puts up with me

 

[FlyingCircus]

I always apologise to our garage for the state of my car and they always say they have seen worse.

Probably mine ?

 

[COldNag]

Get it valeted ?

I would never dream of inflicting mine on a valet - mine is full of dried mud and smells of dogs.

Edit to say, I do always say to my (long suffering) mechanic to make sure he uses seat protectors. Not to protect the car, but to protect himself from the car

 

[July dreamer]

As someone who used to work in my Dads garage (over 30 years ago), the worst cars belonged to smokers especially if they have got to the stage where the headlining has yellowed and the steering wheel is tacky. I used seat covers to protect my working clothes and gloves for the steering wheel. Some cars did smell doggy and I wonder if mine does which is going in for its MOT tomorrow, but they weren't as bad as the smokers. I've had to clear mine out so the tester can get at the rear seatbelts and spare wheel and I gave it a bath the other day but can see the bits i've missed..... take it for a valet and ask if they'd like a challenge!

 

[Abby-Lou]

I have just taken everything out of my car this weekend and cleaned & hoovered it, washed all the plastic. Picking new car up on Tues so I am leaving it parked up until I take it to garage, I can't stop looking at it its sparkling for once LOL

 

[Roxylola]

I pay for mind to be valeted - usually after I've tidied and had a quick hoover myself. I generally expect to pay double though

 

[Sossigpoker]

It doesn't need to be clean inside , just put all the stuff from there in your garage or something, run a hoover around if you want.
I stopped caring many years ago!

 

[Lucky Snowball]

Mine has just had its MOT. I use seat covers and remove them for the test. The back seats are permanently folded forwards and there is an old sleeping bag in the back which goes about a foot up the sides and is kept in place with baling string to the rear seat belts. Feed sacks in the front footwells. Push right up under the pedals and under the seat. Swap out when they get really manky. Air freshner.

 

[Dave's Mam]

I always apologise to our garage for the state of my car and they always say they have seen worse.

The guy that valets mine does a few horsey folks' cars too. He says he's always got worse than mine.

 

[exracehorse]

I’ve not cleaned my Toyota Yaris for 12 years. Has moss growing on the rubber. And the whole of the roof. Think it would fall apart if it was jet washed. All my tack is in boot and back seats. I put full haynets on the passenger seat to drive to field. Local garage looks in amazement when I rock up. And even more head scratching when it passes it’s MOT each year.

 

[Rokele55]

I work on the principle that accumulated mud on the car outside in winter keeps the road salt off so prevents rusting. I was quite upset when it was washed when mot'd, presumably to check the colour. The inside is also dreadful, but nowhere near as bad as the farm vehicles that i see in the local garage. The nice garage men sometimes lend me a vehicle which is not much better. I wonder if they have a special 'messy dog / farm / horse ' loan vehicle for us mucky pups

 

[Ratface]

When booking my ancient estate car in to my local garage, I bring ample packets of biscuits and lavish apologies for the state of the interior.
I also stash all the equine equipment in the back, under cover of a clean horse rug.
It's worked so far . . .

 

[Prancerpoos]

Why bother? Cleanliness is not part of the MoT test.

Yes, this is advice from someone who won‘t let anyone eat or drink in their car as I like it on the OCD side of clean….

 

[Pippity]

With mine, it's not so much the dirt as the sheer amount of Stuff. I live in a second-floor flat, so emptying it involves a lot of trips up and down the stairs. Mine's going in for its MOT at the weekend, so I'm going to have to do something with it before then. On the bright side, the boot is currently empty (because I just did a run to the feed store, and turfed everything out of the boot onto the back seat...)

Half-tempted to get a new car just to get a three-year break from the MOT...

 

[FFAQ]

I got the newest and nicest car I've ever owned in September so was determined to keep it as clean as possible. I bought heavy duty seat covers and a boot liner. By the end of the first weekend there was a big scratch on the bonnet (presumably from a vicious hedge), and somehow the seats are filthy under the covers ?. Definitely won't be able to part-ex in a few years!

 

[meleeka]

Why bother? Cleanliness is not part of the MoT test.

Yes, this is advice from someone who won‘t let anyone eat or drink in their car as I like it on the OCD side of clean….

They can refuse to MOT it if it’s too bad. I know this happened with a lorry at the place OH goes to, and that was mostly just muddy. Covid has made the rules stricter.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

The only thing I do to mine is take the dog crate out of the back. Not easy as it is heavy and a 2 man job. The only reason I do that is because it is fractionally too long so when it is in the seats don't clip into place. I don't want to fail on something so silly. I usually tie the seats to the crate to stop them falling forward.

 

[BatHorse]

I just roll the windows down for the drive to the garage to air the smell out a bit

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I don't want to brag but err..... my horrid car was so vile it was on TopGear as many on HHO will remember
Saying that, I only kept it so vile as it was facing imminent death from an oil leak so wasn't planning on hitting it's next MOT.
I have a few mechanic friends, and as long as the car is empty of stuff that will stop them from doing their job, it's fine. I would just hoover out the worst of it and call it a day. They don't care about mud on plastic.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Not that it helps you now but I have put old feed bags in my footwells this winter. They amount of mud and dirt that they seems to hold is crazy (and I’m a strict boot off to drive)
I swap the bags every so often, mats underneath are clean still.
it’s definitely helped keep my car cleaner.