Tips and Tricks on Using Household Products to Clean Your Car

You don’t always need to pay out for expensive specialist products to keep your car spic and span from top to toe…

There are plenty of everyday items you’ll already have around your home that can do a great job of sprucing up your car if used right.

Keep reading to discover some top money saving tips on keeping your car clean from used car dealer The Car People.

Exterior

• WD-40 is really effective when it comes to cleaning grime off the car grill. Spray on, leave for a few seconds then simply wipe off.

• Use an old pair of tights to clean your car exterior without any risk of causing scratches.

• Try washing your car with a hair conditioner than contains lanolin mixed with water – it’ll give it a freshly waxed look.

• Window cleaners work well on headlights (especially if you use those tights to apply it!).

• If your windscreen’s looking especially grubby, you can use Coke to get rid of blotches and streaks (just be sure to place a towel along the bottom of the windshield to protect the paint and wash it all off thoroughly afterwards).

• You can clean mucky windscreen wipers by wiping them down with a cloth soaked in malt vinegar and then rinsing with clean water.

• Baby wipes are handy for cleaning mirrors and windows in an emergency when you’re out and about.

• Make your own car cleaner by mixing a quarter of a cup of baking soda with a quarter of a cup of washing up liquid in a gallon sized jug, then filling the jug to the top with water. Put on the cap and shake well. You can then mix one cup of this cleaner base with 2 gallons of water to wash your car – and save the rest for later!

Interior

• To get rid of a coffee stain on your car upholstery, use a mixture of 150 millilitres of water, a tbsp. of while vinegar and half a tsp of washing up liquid; apply to the stain and allow to sit for 15 mins, then wipe away with warm water.

• A pastry brush or similar soft brush is handy for cleaning out all the nooks and crannies of your dashboard, including the air vents.

• If the inside of your car’s getting a bit stinky and you’ve tried everything else to get rid of the smell, leave an open bag of charcoal in there overnight – it will absorb the odour and you can still use the charcoal afterwards, too!

• A white, non-gel toothpaste makes light work of upholstery stains like lipstick and ink – rub on gently then wipe with a clean damp cloth.

• When it comes to cleaning your steering wheel, it’s best to simply use a damp microfibre cloth as cleaning products could make the surface slippery.

• Use an old toothbrush and all-purpose cleaner to clean deep into the grooves of the car’s pedals.

Disclaimer: Although we believe these cleaning products to be safe to use, we cannot accept responsibility for any damage caused to your car when following these cleaning tips.