Alex Carson
Cleaning the Car
Local dealers want you to bring your car to them to have it detailed. This is why they keep most of their detailing tips under wraps. Below are 30 car cleaning tricks local dealers don’t want you to know.
Shine Your Dashboard
Vaseline is great for cleaning your dashboard. Not only will it shine up the dashboard, but it will also repel dust and stains.
Cleaning the Vents
The vents in your car can be challenging to clean with a cloth. Instead, use a paint brush to get into the vents easily.
Cleaning the Headlights
You can buy expensive products to shine your headlights; however, toothpaste works better. Just let it sit on the headlights for a few minutes and wipe it with a cloth. You will be amazed.
Cleaning Leather Seats
To clean your leather seat, you should use olive oil. First, wash the seat with soap. Next, pour some olive oil on a cloth and rub the seats down. This will shine up the seats.
An Alternative To Wax
Hair conditioner works better than car wax. If you apply it generously the way that you do with wax, it will give your car a much brighter shine.
Cleaning the Crevices
It can be tough to get the tiny crevices on the doors and the dashboard clean. The bristles on a toothbrush will allow you to get into very narrow and small spaces.
Keep the Inside Of Your Car Neat
Many people throw their trash on the floor promising to clean it up later. Instead, hang a decorative reusable grocery bag from the back of your seat. You will never have a messy car again.
Keep Chips In the Windshield From Growing
If you are driving and a rock hits your windshield, it can quickly grow into a large crack. To keep this from happening, you should carry a bottle of clear nail polish in your car. You can brush it over the chip until you can have the windshield repaired by a professional. This will keep the chip from growing.
Cleaning the Dashboard, Vents, and Radio
Homemade Car Cleaner
If you don’t have any car wash solution, you can make your own. Simply mix ¼ part liquid detergent and ¼ part baking soda in a bucket of water. It works better than the car wash solution that you buy in the store.
Removing Your Registration Sticker
When it is time to put a new registration sticker on, you need to get your old one off. The easiest way to do this is with an old newspaper. Simply soak the newspaper in water and put it over the sticker. Allow it to sit for 15 minutes. When you remove the newspaper, the sticker will come off quickly.
Easily Remove Pet Fur
If your pet travels with you often and sheds in the car, it can easily be removed. Simply spray the seats with water and use a squeegee to remove the fur.
Cleaning the Mats
It isn’t too difficult to clean your car mats. Mix some liquid detergent with a cup of water in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture on the mats and let it sit for a while. When you rinse the mats, the dirt will come right off.
Remove Foul Odors
If there are foul smells in your car, charcoal will work great. If you open up a bag of charcoal and put it under the seats, the odors will be removed. You can also sprinkle some charcoal under the seats.
Remove Bumper Stickers
If you buy a used car with bumper stickers that you hate, WD 40 spray will take them right off. Simply spray it over the sticker and let it sit for a few minutes before removing the sticker.
Cleaning Sticky Messes On Leather and Vinyl
If you have sticky messes on your car interior, a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser will get them out with ease. You just need to wet the sponge a bit, and strenuous arm work won’t be necessary.
Essential Oils To Make Your Car Smell Great
If you don’t want to use chemicals and artificial odors in your car to make it smell great, use essential oils. Simply soak a clothespin in the oil overnight and clip it to your vent. Your car will smell amazing, naturally.
Stubborn Grime
If you just washed your car and there are spots of stubborn grim remaining, a bar of clay will work great. When the car is still wet, put the clay over the grime. After letting it sit for a while, the stubborn grime will be gone.
Removing Rust
If you have rusty spots on your car, Coca-Cola will remove it quickly. Simply spray the soda on the rust and let it sit for a bit. When you scrub the soda off, the rust will come off as well.
Keep Your Cupholders Clean
Regardless of how neat you are, your cupholders can get dirty. Cleaning them can be a hassle, but fortunately, there is a solution to this problem. Put cupcake papers in the cupholder, and you would just need to replace them when they get dirty.
Cleaning the Windshield
Vodka can be used to clean the windshield. Mix eight parts Castile soap and one part vodka and clean the windshield. You will be amazed.
Replace the Filters
If essential oils and charcoal aren’t getting the nasty smell from your car, try changing the filters. If you change them every month, your car should smell fresh.
Cleaning Up Spills
If someone spills something on your car’s upholstery, don’t use a rag or a towel. Instead, use a diaper. Diapers have incredible absorbing powers, which will quickly clean up spills.
Removing Stubborn Stains
If you have done everything to remove grease or tar stains from your car, you should use motor oil. It actually works as a solvent. After removing the stain, be sure to wipe off the excess oil.
Stop Leaks
If there are fluids leaking from underneath your car, you need to have a mechanic repair it immediately. If you cannot get your car there right away, there is a quick and temporary fix. Simply chew some gum and cover the hole. This will stop the leak until you can have it fixed by a professional.
Get Smells Out Of Your Seats
If you have cloth interior, smells can get stuck in the material. To remove the stains naturally, sprinkle baking soda all over the seats. Let it sit for 24-hours then vacuum it up. This will remove the nasty odors.
Cleaning Dead Bugs From the Car
It isn’t uncommon for bugs to splatter on your vehicle when you are driving. To get the dead bugs off quickly, wet a dryer sheet and the bugs will come right off.
Cleaning the Wheels
Getting your wheels clean can be difficult. If you don’t want to spend more money than you need to on professional wheel cleaners, powdered bleach will work great. Sprinkle the powder on the wheel and rub it with Lysol. When you rise the wheels, they will be clean with an amazing shine.
Frozen Locks
If your locks are frozen when you try to open your car door, hand sanitizer will do the trick. Dip your key into the bottle and put it in the lock. The alcohol in the hand sanitizer will melt the ice quickly.
Remove Crayons From the Seats
If your kids are coloring in the backseat during a long trip, there is a good chance that they will color on the seats. To get the crayon out, put a piece of thermal paper over the crayon and iron it. The crayon will come right out.
