10 Car Cleaning Secrets To Try At Home
The biggest responsibility of owning a car or any automobile for that matter is keeping it clean. Giving it to a professional or the car wash seems easy, but hey, where is the love in that?
Any enthusiast will say that washing the car by yourself is the best possible moment you will get with your car, apart from driving it. So, take for example, you’ve been on a long road trip, and your car is really dirty, with insects on the windshield, tar marks, and greasy wheels. What would you do?
No need to fret! Here are 10 car cleaning secrets that can be done by yourself at home!
1. Water and cleaning product Many think a couple of buckets of water is enough. No. Use an extra bucket. There are high chances that your car is not clean enough with the second bucket of water as well. What happens is, dirt from the car will get back into the bucket of water, and when you dip the cloth or sponge, you end up picking dirt again, which will scratch your car.
2. Cleaning product Chose a cleaning product that does not harm your car’s paint. One good way to select a good cleaning product is with your automobile dealer itself. If your carmaker says it’s good, it is good.
3. Rims and wheels Rims have the tendency to pick up grease. After a long trip, the rims will also have residues of the brake pad. The easiest way to clean it is by using dish wash soap, since normal car wash products are meant for paint, so they are gentle. Dish wash soap is harsh, hence removes the grease with ease, without damaging the rims.
4. Bugs Bugs will be found dead on your windshield especially after a long road trip. Use a bit of a cola, but in very little quantity and only on the glass. Rub a little cola on the dead bugs, leave it for a while and wash it off. Also, keep in mind that the cola should not touch the paint, or else it will ruin the vehicle’s paint job.
5. Tar spots A lot of highways will have road repair work in progress, and if you have encountered such work on a trip, there are high chances of your vehicle having spots of tar. The best way to remove such spots is by using a little bit of mayonnaise. Rub a bit of mayo on the tar spot, wait for about 5 minutes, and wipe it off with a clean piece of cloth. Tar is gone, and paint is safe!
6. Bird droppings Bird droppings is a very common sight. An easy way to do it is by using club soda. Pour a little soda on the bird dropping (only on the windshield), wait a couple of minutes and wipe it off. Not even a tiny stain will be left behind.
7. Chrome bits If there are chrome bits in the car, a good way to get the shine back is by using some ash. Rub a little on the chrome bit and wipe it off neatly, which will make the chrome bits shine again. Another method is by using a bit of rubbing polish. Please note, that it should be done only for the chrome bits of the car and not on the paint.
8. Cleaning the inside mats The inside mats (rubber) may look like a tedious job, but no – it is the easiest. First pull out the mat, dust it once, and then use a brush and soap to scrub it down. This process will make your carpets look like new.
9. Deodorize the car Cars can smell funny (bad odor) after trips. It can be because of smoking, open food or because of the dampness. The best way to get rid of the smell is by using charcoal. Put the charcoal in an open bag and place it in the car for a couple of days. The charcoal absorbs all the nasty odour and will leave your car smelling fresh.
10. Squeaky doors After the car is spic and span, doors could squeak when you open and close them because washing tends to take off the lubrication from the door hinges. A good way to fix that is by using a bit of olive oil. Dampen a small cloth or a bit of cotton with olive oil and apply it on the door hinges. So, try out these simple methods at home to make your car look like new again, and do let us know if you have a trick or two up your sleeve.