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You really need to wear heavy leather gloves (the kind that go up to your shoulder) if you are going to try to get my cat Eddie into the Mini-Van, but many pets love to drive, almost more than their owners. While I've only had to take Eddie for a ride a few times, he has taught us a great deal about what can happen to the inside of a car, with a pet.

Pets are a joy to have with us, but they do have special needs to help them stay comfortable and us happy.

Pet Hair

Hair is the hardest item to clean off upholstery and carpeting. Trying to vacuum it up is a waste of time for the most part. The fibers weave into the carpeting and fabrics of our car, and grip.

What gets hair off the carpet and fabrics fast and easy is rubber or latex gloves. There is a product out there called the Pet Sponge, which works great too, but it is really made from the same substance. Just put on a glove, get it a little damp and run your hand across the pet hair area. Your glove will fill with pet hair, effortlessly. Rinse off, and go in for another swipe.

You might consider getting a Pet Pad for your traveling pet.

Heat

If you are traveling with a pet, get a sun shield. Seriously. I know we sell them, and this looks like a great place to put an ad, but the facts are, cars heat up way too fast, and much hotter than we realize.

From a cool just-air-conditioned state, it takes a car less than 20 minutes to reach 120 degrees sitting in the sun, even with the window 'cracked' open for fresh air. In summer times, or hot days, the interior can reach 150 degrees in the same amount of time.

Well made, reflective sun shields can reduce your car's temperature by 50 degrees. Leaving the window 'cracked' is still a good idea, but keeping the interior heat level down is much better.

Urine

Don't ask.

Getting the Urine out of the interior carpeting is a bit of a chore. Start with baking soda. Just pour it on dry and let it sit over night. Vacuum and repeat, letting the baking soda sit again. Vacuum up the last layer and then pour into the affected area Hydrogen peroxide. Let this evaporate, and then vacuum.

This won't remove any stain or discoloration, but it will get the odor out and neutralize the urine itself. From this point you can use a carpet or upholstery cleaner to remove any stain that might remain.

Comfort

Keeping pets comfortable and safe inside the vehicle is sometimes a creative challenge. We do have several car accessories for pets which can help you with some of the details.

Cargo Area Travel Liner: This is full comfort. The padded liner is cushioned and slip resistant, and allows your pet full access to the cargo area of your min-van. The liner is water resistant and tear resistant. Your pet can walk around on the textured fabric without slipping and sliding. The rear of your vehicle can get warm, so the fabric is breathable to keep your pet comfortable in any season.

Seat Covers: Same idea as the cargo liner, just a smaller space. The fabric and comfort are the same, and so is the ease of cleaning and the protection provided to your interior.

Pet Barriers: These barriers limit your pets movement, and with many pets this is a good idea. It also adds to their safety.

With pet barriers, windows can also be let down a little more, providing cooler conditions when you have to leave your pet in the vehicle while traveling. (it is still a very good idea to also use the sun shield I talked about earlier).

Organizer: Pets need stuff! Feeding dishes, snacks, leashes, collars, scoopers, and so much more. Pets need a lot of stuff, and keeping it organized is a good thing when traveling with your four legged partner. Leashes get tangled and "lost" quickly. Having a place to store these required items, for easy access, allows you more fun and less hassle.