Alex Carson
Whether your car was used to transport you to work or it took you on an exciting adventure. It is across the country, there is a big chance that your four-wheeled chariot is looking a little dirty. There is no denying that individuals will judge you according to how clean your vehicle is. It is more likely that the valet will more quickly pounce on the opportunity to park. To retrieve the clean car in comparison to the dirty clunker that has months of grime layered on top.
A clean vehicle is quite an attractive vehicle. Usually, the quick fix is a ride through an expensive car wash. In addition, cleaning your vehicle enables you to check on its condition. To bring more serious issues to light before they turn into full-blown catastrophes.
The majority of individuals just go for it and hit up a costly car wash that charges $20 or more. The same professional cleaning results can be easily achieved with a little bit of time. It is used for only a few common household items. Car dealerships don’t want you seeing this trick to make your car last longer. However, we are revealing it and highlighting more vehicle hacks. It can make your life as a car owner easier and less costly.
Formulate Your Own Brand of Washer Fluid
Over time, the cost of commercial washer fluids can really add up. These products have a chemical content that is dangerous to human health and the life of our planet. As such, rather than heading for the store to make a purchase, ordinary household items can be used to formulate your own brand of washer fluid.
A minimum of 4 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of baking soda, and 2 teaspoons of dishwashing liquid. Combine all the components and place the mixture into an empty spray bottle. Apply it to rid your vehicle of dirt and grime. This do-it-yourself washer fluid will work on any surface. Because it is natural, the paint, leather, and fabric will all be protected.
Use a Scented Wax Candle to Freshen Your Car
Typically, commercial air fresheners do not effectively eliminate the bad smell from the car. Furthermore, they possibly contain strong chemicals that could lead to negative reactions such as burning of the throat and eyes.
If you would like a fresh-smelling car without being exposed to potentially dangerous chemicals, you should consider using your preferred scented wax candle. It should be placed close to the dashboard where it can be quickly heated by the sun. When it heats up, it will freshen the car with its natural smell.
Use WD-40to Remove Stickers and Car Decals
There are a number of individuals who have developed the habit of placing stickers. It is on their bumpers, windshields, and elsewhere in their car. However, if you have grown out of those stickers or you want to remove them for any other reason. You will find that it can be challenging to get rid of them. It is because of the adhesive used to attach the sticker to the surface of the car.
They attempt to scrape off the sticker. They find that the paint is also coming off and this can leave your car looking unsightly. Even worse, your car could end up needing a new paint job. You should just save yourself time and effort by applying WD-40 to the stickers. To use it in an effective manner, spray some of the product onto the sticker. Let it sit and soak for a few minutes and you will find that you can easily peel it away.
Clear Polish Can Be Used to Temporarily Repair Tiny Window Cracks
When your car is being driven along the road, there is a big chance that your windows could be pelted with tiny pebbles, causing microscopic cracks. Even though the cracks are tiny, they can eventually grow. It can cause the windshield to shatter, even before you finish your journey.
To prevent cracks from spreading, keep a bottle of clear nail polish in the vehicle at all times. You will find that nail polish can be an essential tool. It is a temporary repair of tiny cracks on the windows of your car. When the nail polish dries out, it creates a protective barrier that prevents the crack from growing. This provides you with the opportunity to safely arrive home, without the constant fear that the window could shatter.
Clean the Detailing With Q-Tips
Cars typically have fine details that are difficult to clean. To achieve an immaculate finish when cleaning the vehicle, a Q-tip can be used to clean the narrow and tiny details, including tiny vents and logos.
Q-tips can fit just about anywhere as they are tiny, the fact that they are absorbent is a bonus. Additionally, they can be used to collect excess cleaning debris from your clean-up of hard-to-reach areas. Q-tips are inexpensive. You can buy them in bulk, so you never run out of this useful cleaning material.
Remove Pet Dander and Hair With a Squeegee
If you have pets, the most challenging cleaning obstacles will include ridding your car of pet dander. Whether it is a cat or a dog, a lot of hair also comes from your fur babies. Removing hair and pet dander the traditional way involves hiring professionals to vacuum your vehicle.
However, you might be happy to know that the same effects can be achieved by using a squeegee. Spray water onto the affected seats and repeatedly pass a squeegee through the seats. Within a few passes, the squeegee will capture all the hair and dander.
Revive Leather Interior With Vaseline
It can cost a lot to revive a cracked leather interior. Typically, the maintenance guy recommends entirely replacing it. However, it can be revived to its previous state with some Vaseline. A good moisturizer for your skin, good old Vaseline is remarkable at preventing the cracking of the leather. Simply apply a small amount of petroleum jelly onto a cloth and put it all over the material. It can also be applied to the door seals to keep the cold air out.
Clean Headlights With Toothpaste and Soda
It is essential that your headlights are kept clean. When dirt is on the headlight, it becomes dim. Its light is not being used optimally; the brighter the beams, the better they will be for night driving. There’re two options, going to a car shop and spending hard-earned money on having your headlights removed and cleaned professionally. However, another effective yet more inexpensive and practical technique is simply to use some Pepsi or Coke.
Use a soda to wet a clean microfiber cloth. Maybe, simply pour the bottle of soda over the headlight and start the process by lightly scrubbing the debris off. Use clean water to rinse it off and to complete the process, use a soft towel to dry the headlights. If the dirt or stain is stubborn and refuse to come off after trying it 2 or 3 times. Apply some toothpaste to the affected.
Leave it to sit and then use a circular motion to scrub off the dirt. Follow up by using the soda to clean the area again. It should be noted that soda can also be used to substitute for Windex. It can be a cleaning agent for your windshield; soda is a remarkable and comprehensive glass cleaner.
Get Rid of Unwanted Smell With Baking Soda
There’s no need to use a pricey air freshener that is only designed to mask bad odors in your car. Rather than using your precious dollars to buy car fresheners that don’t get the job done effectively. You can opt to use baking soda. It is a practical and simple solution that is renowned for eliminating odors in the refrigerator.
You will be happy to know that baking soda has the capacity to purify and disinfect your vehicle as well. Using this hack will ensure that your car will smell fresher and provide a more pleasant and comfortable ride. With this technique, you will be required to spread a lot of baking soda over the mats and seats. Leave it to just sit for a few hours before you vacuum the baking soda off the surfaces. It is to effectively get rid of the smell.
Use Hair Conditioner to Wax and Shine Your Interior
Constantly taking your car to a professional car wash can become costly over time. This is particularly true if your vehicle gets dirty on a frequent basis. The thing is, there is absolutely no need to spend an excess amount of money on washing your car at an expensive car wash when your favorite hair conditioner can be used to make the car shine bright like a diamond.
The conditioner will work to make your vehicle look exactly how it would if you had taken it to a costly body shop to get the job done. Go for a conditioner with lanolin as a main ingredient as it is responsible for the waxy finish. Apply the conditioner and use circular motions to buff the car until it achieves the shine you are looking for.
Clean Those Wiper With Rubbing Alcohol
If you have ever experienced using the wiper blades to get rid of dirt from the windshield of your car only to notice that they are leaving streaks of dirt behind, this is an indication that your wipers should be cleaned right away. Keeping your wipers clean is highly essential as they effectively keeps rain and snow from the windshield, leaving your field of vision clear.
Here is a very inexpensive hack that can be used to get rid of this problem — rubbing alcohol can be utilized to clean the wipers. To get this done in an effective manner, you should use the alcohol to wet a soft piece of cloth, rub it along the length of the wiper blades to get rid of the dirt and keep it working as good as new. Once you have done this, you will have no more annoying streaks of dirt to contend with.
Clean Cup Holders With Cupcake Mold
Overtime, cup holders can accumulate a lot of filth, if they are not properly cleaned. Not only do people put coffee cups in the cup holders, but a number of other beverages end up in there. In fact, the majority of individuals typically forget to clean cup holders and as such, they can become a gooey, disgusting, germ-infested repository. An easy method of keeping cup holders clean is by putting cupcake liners or molds at the bottom of them, so the mess is made in the liners instead of in the actual holder. When you are cleaning the car, the old cupcake liner can be taken out and replaced with a new one.
Get Your Windows to Shine With Newspaper
Cleaning dirty car windows ensures that you will have a clearer field of vision. However, since soapy water does not effectively clean your windows, you should consider using newspaper instead. The newspaper should be crumpled and the car window sprayed with a window cleaner or water. Use the crumpled newspaper to clean and dry your window. The best feature of this technique is that your windows are also dried immediately. Please note that when this hack is being used, ensure it is not done on tinted windows as crumpled paper will damage the tint.
Eliminate Salt Buildup With Vinegar
A buildup of salt is quite common during the long months of winter when salt is used to thaw snow and ice. When you drive on roads that have received salt treatment, tiny salt crystals inevitably find a way to get onto the bodywork of the car. As a result, patterns and streaks of crystallization are created, which gives your car an unsightly appearance.
Thankfully, there is a clever way of getting rid of salty buildup from the exterior of your vehicle, without causing damage to the paint. Simply use a combination of water and vinegar, place it in a spray bottle and generously apply to your car, whenever and wherever necessary. This will melt the salt and you will be able to clean it off using a soft towel.
Silica Keyboard Cleaner is Ideal For Certain Hard-to-reach Places
Narrow spaces around the car often accumulate a lot of grime, dirt, dust and hair. A lot of elbow grease is required to clean these areas. However, rather than putting so much unnecessary effort into cleaning those hard to reach places, silicon gels are a remarkable substitute that will save you time and effort.
This type of keyboard cleaner is quite a fascinating trinket. They are extremely sticky and they conform to different shapes. All that is required of you is to press silicon gels onto a surface that needs to be cleaned and pull on them so the grime and dirt will adhere themselves to the gel. It can be used to clean air vents and other hard to reach areas in the car.
Shine Your Wheels by Spraying Bleach on Them
Cleaning the exterior of your vehicle exterior involves ensuring the rims of the wheels are cleaned as well. Rather than taking your car to the body shop to have the rims cleaned, you should consider using this simple hack to save you some dollars. All you would be required to do is to use some bleach powder to sprinkle onto a wash cloth.
Put a small amount of Lysol on the cloth and use it to rub the metal rims of your wheels to get rid of the grime and disclose its original sparkle. Follow up by rinsing the rims and you will be good to go. However, you should note that when you are doing this hack, it is extremely important for you to wear a pair of gloves.
Eradicate Rust by Using Soda
After a while, cars will become rusty and if you do not do something to address it, the metal parts of the vehicle will be slowly eaten away by the rust. Using the traditional route to get rid of the rust requires you using caustic chemicals that could cause burn not only on your skin but cause your respiratory system to become irritated as well.
To safely rid your car of the rust, a bottle of soda can be used as it has a content of a powerful acid that has the capacity to break down rust. All you are required to do is to spray on the soda onto the affected part of the vehicle and let it sit for a few minutes before wiping it off. This should be done on a regular basis until the rust no longer makes your car look like an eyesore.
Your Air Filters Must Be Cleaned
If you have ever wondered why even if purifiers and air fresheners are used, there is still a stale smell in your car, it is usually because air fresheners mask the problem. Air fresheners do not really deal with the root cause of the issue. The reason your car has a bad odor in spite of your best efforts is because the filter could be dirty.
If the filters are indeed dirty, it could amass mold or other microorganisms that could result in respiratory diseases and cause a seriously unpleasant odor to infiltrate your vehicle. Make a habit of cleaning the air filters on a regular basis and you will certainly notice a huge difference.
Clean Your Air Vents With Compressed Air Keyboard Cleaner
A lot of dirt and dust can accumulate in the air vents and as such, it is essential that you clean them as well. Because you cannot access most parts of the air vents, this is not an indication that dirt cannot be dislodged; this can be done by using the same compressed air you use to clean the keyboard on your computer.
Compressed air dispatches air at high pressure and at a high rate of speed through a narrow straw. This enables you to direct air flow to the section of the vent that requires cleaning. To trap the dust, you could also use a hand vacuum to gather the dust that has been detached with the blasting of the compressed air.
Clean Your Floor Mats in the Washing Machine
Floor mats in your car become very disgusting. Not only are they filled with dust, dirt and grime, but they often contain pathogens as well, which can result in different kinds of diseases; as such, it essential that the floor mats in your car are washed on a regular basis.
Rather than taking them to an auto detailer and having to pay an arm and a leg to get your mats cleaned, you do it yourself in your washing machine. All you will be required to do is to apply stain remover and place them into the washing machine with your preferred laundry detergent. Put the machine on the gentle cycle and then allow them to dry naturally in the sun. Now, there you have it; clean floor mats.
Get Rid of Bugs on the Windshield and Bumper With Dryer Wipes
If you are taking a trip that takes you along a country road, there will be no way of escaping the army of splattered bugs that will be all over your windshield and bumper. Not only do the dead bugs look gross, but your line of vision could be obstructed as well. As such, it is extremely essential to get rid of them so that you will be able to clearly see the road and reach your destination safely.
Dryer wipes provide an effective way to get rid of dead bugs from your car. You can do this by using a small amount of water to wet the dryer wipes. Gently rub the wet sheet on the car to eliminate the dead critters. Once this is done, you will be able to complete your journey way without any obstruction of your vision.
Put Sheets Underneath the Car Seats
If you drive around small children, it is highly likely that they will create a seemingly unending stream of mess in your vehicle. This could include multiple pieces of trash or morsels of foods, which makes it challenging to clean your car seat. To lessen the amount of time you spend cleaning up after your kids, put sheets beneath the car seat to gather all the mess.
By doing this, when items fall under the seats, everything will be collected under the sheet. This will save backbreaking toil and the time it usually takes to clean under the seat. Cleaning up will consist of taking out the sheet, shaking it off and returning it.
The Exterior Your Car Should Always Be Dried By Hand
After washing their car, there are many individuals who do nothing else. The issue with doing this is that leaving the vehicle wet and letting it dry naturally could cause the car to get water spots that could look extremely unsightly.
To avoid a problem such as this, it is essential that you use a large towel to hand dry the exterior of your car after every wash. In addition, you can add an application of your preferred buff so as to make your vehicle look quite new and shiny as though it is right off of a car lot.
Always Have Baby Wipes Handy
If you are a mom or dad, you might have already found out about this little trick. If you are not yet aware of this hack, think about buying a container with baby wipes specifically to keep in your car. With any luck, you will not ever need to use them on your car seats for any of the reasons they are used on babies; however, they can be put to good use on a number of other things.
If a passenger of yours has sticky hands, the baby wipes will provide the ideal solution. In addition, having these wipes on hand is good to assist in removing stains. In fact, they are pretty much amazing for any other types of cleaning emergencies that could come about during a car ride.
Use Olive Oil to Buff Your Interior
There are a number of ways to buff the leather interior of your vehicle; however, if the wrong product is used, the interior will become stained and this could end up making the inside of your car look cheap. Using olive oil is one way to safely buff the leather interior of your vehicle.
Start by putting a bit of the oil on a soft cloth and use circular motions to rub it into the leather seats. This will provide the leather finish with a natural shine. The best featuring of this car cleaning hack is that olive oil is natural and does not have any substances that could be potentially harmful to your health or the leather interior of your car.
Turn Cereal Container into Trash Can
Keeping a trash bag inside your car can be a good thing as it provides a place for you to dispose of used tissues, wrappers and napkins when you or anyone else eat in the car. However, you may find it even more beneficial to use plastic cereal containers rather than having the bag floating around the car.
The cereal containers are designed to keep the content fresh and they keep the smell of garbage contained as well. If you need to dispose of anything, simply open the top of the container and close it up afterwards. Use a grocery bag to line the container and you will be good to go when it is time to get the trash out of the car.
Coffee Filters Can Be Used to Dust
Whether or not you are a big coffee drinker, keep some coffee filters handy in your vehicle. You will find that coffee filters are remarkable at removing dust from the dashboard and other surfaces in the vehicle. Take some time out your day to use the coffee filters in the car to take some of that built up dust into custody.
Though they are cheap and thin, they clean quite effectively. In addition, they are biodegradable, which makes them ideal for cleaning product, particularly for use inside the vehicle.
Power Up Your Hairdryer and Use it to Get Rid of Bumper Stickers
Removing stickers to from the bumper of your car can be a pain; thankfully, a hairdryer can be used to alleviate this challenge. The heat generated from the blow dryer will assist in loosening the adhesives that hold the sticker on the bumper.
Once the heat has loosened the sticker, any plastic credit card can be used to take it off. Along with bumper stickers, this method can also work with outdated registrations, parking permits and any stickers that may be on your car windows.
Get Rid of Bugs by Using Cooking Spray
Regardless of what you do, bugs will find a way to become splattered on your car. Doing a complete car wash is not always feasible to get rid of a few bugs. Another option is to use a cooking spray on the affected areas to get rid of the buggers.
Simply spray some of the content onto the bug splatter and allow it to stay for a minute or so. After which, you should use a microfiber cloth to wipe them away. With just this simple method, the remainder from the bug splatter will be removed without causing any damage to the paint job on your car.
