Snow, slush and rain happen – is the interior of your vehicle protected from the mess of your damp doggy? Kevin Roberts is sick of his four-wheel disaster areas (caused by his four-legged disaster makers). When they’re on the go in inclement weather, the dogs in his pack are furry sponges that can’t wait to cover the inside of his cars with muck, water and slime (and the smell isn’t that pleasant either). We let him test out Solvit’s Waterproof Sta-Put SUV Cargo Liner and Bench Seat Cover to see if they could save his cars’ interiors.
Have you ever been denied access to a car wash? I have! That’s right – my SUV was too filthy to be cleaned at the car wash.
If you live for outdoor adventure and fun with your dogs, you’ve got to accept the dirty. And when you’re having as much fun as we are, car cleaning duties get away on you. To help combat this issue, I’ve used kennel rubber mats, which moved around, froze and stayed in awkward shapes until spring, and old blankets that never seemed to dry (and filled the car with a delightful eau de wet dog scent). I’ve vacuumed and shampooed the inside of the SUV, but I don’t like the fact that my dogs are sitting in a chemical residue after my detailing duty.
It’s not surprising to have friends politely decline rides in my car. The fact that no one (another human) is willing to ride shotgun is starting to give me a complex! So it’s also no surprise that I jumped at the chance to review Solvit’s Waterproof Sta-Put SUV Cargo Liner and the Waterproof Sta-Put Bench Seat Cover.
Related:Kurgo Skipping Stones
We have two cars in our household. The first-choice vehicle for adventure is our Ford Escape SUV. It’s great on gas, has custom roof racks that fit all of our toys, and can haul our dogs pack wherever we want to go. The downside is the back hatch – that’s where the dogs hang out and it’s covered in absorbent carpet. After just a few months, we could sniff out a noticeable doggy odor.
Our “city car” is a Toyota Matrix, which is awesome on gas, and big enough to fit all the dogs plus a sled. Don’t ask how we do it; it’s like a game of Tetris in there. We bought the Matrix thinking it would be an amazing dog hauler, thanks to the plastic lined cargo area in the back. But the dogs slip and slide on the plastic, which means they all cram into the back seat. That would be fine, but the back seat is now only habitable for dogs, not people.
Related:Tall Tails Cape Pocket Towel
We tested out the Solvit Standard SUV Cargo Liner in the Ford Escape SUV, and the Solvit Bench Seat Cover in the Toyota Matrix. Here’s what we thought:
Solvit Waterproof Sta-Put Bench Seat Cover ($34.99)
Now that we have this cover, I’m not sure how we ever survived without it. The Solvit Waterproof Sta-Put Bench Seat Cover is held up by two adjustable straps that go around the rear seat head rests. It also comes with elastic straps that stretch over the front seats to keep the seat cover in place. But for me, the most brilliant part of the design have to be the two “Sta-Puts,” which are white plastic tubes sewn onto the underside of the cover. You simply tuck the tubes down into the crack of the seat cushion, and the narrow slits in the seat let you pull the seat belts through. Sometimes, simple really is the way to go!
Solvit Waterproof Sta-Put SUV Cargo Liner ($35.99)
Made for the flat back cargo area, the Solvit Waterproof Sta-Put SUV Cargo Liner goes further than the typical tarp-style liner. It boasts an ingenious design that comes with strips of hook tape sewn onto the back of the liner – it’s such a simple addition, but it makes a world of difference. The hook tape sticks to the carpet of the cargo area, as well as the carpet that covers the seat behind the dogs. Because I’m so diligent with my testing, I put that hook tape though my complicated testing procedure: I stuck it and unstuck it a hundred times or so, and it was no worse for wear.
Solvit really came through with that hook tape for the back of the seat. When I folded the seat down for extra room, the entire carpeted area was still protected. This is a great feature, because when we go on a long trip or have an extra dog onboard, we need to fold the seat down flat.
After our wet dogs got out of the car, it was easy-peasy to wipe up the puddles of water they left behind. And when it’s time to give the SUV a cleaning from the inside out, you just use a mild detergent to give it a wipe. It’s the quickest car detailing you’ll ever experience!
Would we buy the Solvit Waterproof Sta-Put SUV Cargo Liner and Waterproof Sta-Put Bench Seat Cover? Yes! We were happy with how easy both these products were to install. In less than two minutes, we were ready to roll. The cover and liner fit easily in both vehicles and stayed in place during the lengthy testing period. An added bonus: there’s been no wear and tear from the dogs’ nails. I’m happy that I can quickly wipe down, and the car is free of mud and snow again. We recommend these to anyone who is tired of having a dog-dirty car.
Note: PetGuide.com was NOT compensated for this review. Our reviewer received the Solvit Waterproof Sta-Put SUV Cargo Liner and Solvit Waterproof Sta-Put Bench Seat Cover to review. The opinions expressed in this post are the author’s. We provide unbiased feedback of the products and share products we think our readers would enjoy using and learning more about.
