DIY Car Cleaning and Maintenance Hacks
DIY Car Cleaning and Maintenance Hacks
Posted on April 12, 2020
More time spent in the car means more dirt entering the vehicle and more maintenance needed as the miles rack up. However, there are many useful do-it-yourself (DIY) tips that make maintaining and cleaning your vehicle a lot easier (and cheaper!) than expected.
Cleaning Up the Exterior
Cars take a beating, whether they are dinged by other drivers at the grocery store or get chips from large trucks flinging stones on the highway. Here are a few tips to reduce the unsightly look of dings, dents, and scratches.
Repairing Scratches
Scratches and dings are especially irritating to vehicle owners because they are often caused by the carelessness of others. Instead of finding them annoying, simply blend scratches into a vehicle's paint job by using nail polish. Find a color that matches the car's tint, paint it on, and let it dry.
Removing Dents
Small dents in vehicles are easy to remove with a common bathroom item--a plunger. Small- and medium-sized dents can be popped out by placing the plunger over the dented surfaced and pulling until the dented area returns to normal.
Removing Decals and Saving the Paint
Car decals and stickers are regular sights on vehicle bumpers. However, these decals often age out quickly as elections pass, hobbies fade, and ideas change. But scraping them off can damage the paint and make the vehicle look worse. Instead, spray WD-40 on the decal, let it soak in for a few minutes, and then easily peel it away with no mess!
Revitalizing a Car's Interior
The exterior of a car is not the only thing to take a beating--the interior can start to fade and deteriorate as well. There are a few tricks drivers can use to help a car look and smell like new.
Dusting in a Flash
Even non-coffee drinkers should keep several coffee filters on hand for car cleaning. They are thin, cheap, and perfect for capturing the dust from a car's dashboard and other interior surfaces.
Removing Unpleasant Smells
Over time, the food dropped and drinks spilled on seats and mats can start to leave an unpleasant odor lingering in a car. Instead of masking the smell with air fresheners, use baking soda as a disinfectant and purifier. Simply spread a large amount of baking soda over the seats and mats, allow it to sit for a few hours, and then vacuum it up. The smell will be sucked away along with the baking soda.
Reviving Leather Seats
Leather seats are found in many vehicles but wear and tear is often easy to see in the cracks present on the seats. Getting the leather interior replaced or fixed can be expensive and out of reach. Instead, Vaseline can be used to keep the leather moisturized and prevent it from cracking. Simply apply a dab and rub it all over the leather of seat, especially in places that receive a lot of a person's weight.
There are many common household items that drivers can repurpose to make vehicle maintenance and cleaning quicker and easier. Cars take care of drivers every day, so drivers need to take care of their cars.