Keeping the cab clean in an ecological way: microfiber cloth

If you are my friend on Foursquare you will know I am a fan of carwashes. Portland's rainy streets kick up a lot of dirty water most of the year and I find myself going through the car wash almost every shift. Eco-friendly washes like Washman and Radio Cab's carwash limit the impact by only using a few gallons, but in the summer there is an even better way to keep the car shiny and clean: microfiber cloth.

You can find it at any auto supply, hardware, and even most grocery stores. It has a clingy texture, like miniature soft Velcro. The cloth picks up dust in one swipe, both inside and out of the vehicle. No cleaning products required!

Here's what I do on dry days with a slightly dingy cab to make it shine.

I start on the inside of the windshield. If the thin film of condensation buildup is giving me trouble I breathe on it like I'm cleaning my glasses and the cloth picks it right up.

Once I've done the windows, I use the same cloth to dust the interior.

Then I clean the outside windows in the same way. If there are any spots on the window, I get part of the cloth wet, use that to pick up the spot, then use the dry part to shine it.

After the windows, still using the same cloth, I wipe the dust off of the rest of the car and put the dirty cloth in my bag to take home and wash.

So in about 5 mins, at the train station queue or the hotel stand or anywhere I want to be, with a bit of effort and one cloth I'm rolling bright and shiny again :)