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Cape Town - Remember the way your car looked when you first took it home from the dealership? That new car smell, dust-free dashboard, and spotless carpets. Chances are your car has not looked like that in quite some time!
Tyroola lists a number of cleaning hacks that won’t just help you deep-clean your car like a pro, but will also help you save some cash.
Before starting the cleaning process, remember to:
• Park in the shade. You don't want the hot sun beating on your car as you are cleaning, especially because any water on your car will evaporate much faster.
• Organise your supplies. Save time by making sure that everything you need is set up and ready to go.
• Don’t forget to close your windows. Especially when working with cleaning materials, you don't want to get those in your interior.
• Retract your antenna. It's quite easy to bend or break your antenna if you are not paying attention.
• Have your windshield wipers up. Make sure that they face away from the windshield. This ensures that you can clean the entire front window where lots of grease and dirt build up.
READ: Need a new car? Search for your new vehicle here!
The outside
1. Use dryer sheets to remove stuck bugs from your car
You can use dryer sheets (a fragrant cloth sheet added to the tumble dryer to scent clothing) to remove old bugs from your car. The power of dryer sheets in order to remove bugs from your car is impressive; just make sure that you spray down your car before you start wiping. If you can't find any dryer sheets, clean old cotton clothes with some added essential oils like cedar, lavender or rose work just as well.
2. Headlight hack: use tooth paste
If your headlights are not offering you a great deal of light anymore, use some regular toothpaste and rub it across the headlights with a cloth. This will help remove the cloudiness from your headlights.
3. Roll down your windows before wiping them with glass cleaner
Most people tend to forget that there is also grime atop their car windows. This is dirt you cannot see if the window is not rolled down. Roll down your window to ensure that you get the entire window.
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4. Rub alcohol or WD-40 on your wipers
Most people either forget to clean their windshield wipers or have no clue how to do it. You can use regular alcohol or WD-40 on your windshield wipers to make sure they are also free from dirt, which means that you will have a streak free window. You do not want to spend a large amount of time cleaning your windshield only to have your wipers smear dirt all over it again.
5. Use cleaning powder and water to clean your wheels
If you want your rims to shine, you just need water and washing powder. Make a paste out of the powder and proceed to rub it all over your car’s rims. Rinse off with water and your car will have shiny rims that will make people jealous.
6. Use RainX to keep your windows looking neat
You only have to use RainX a few times a year if you want to ensure that your windows are going to look their best. There is something amazing about watching the rain simply fall off your windows when driving down the street.
Moving to the inside
7. Remove your cup holders and clean them in the dishwasher
Your cup holders can easily become a sticky mess. Not only is that unappealing, but it might even harbor bacteria. If your plastic holder is removable, place them into the dishwasher for around 20 minutes. If you cannot remove them, warm soapy water and a good scrub work will do the trick.
8. Use a vacuum with a brush
The last thing you want to do is displace the dust in your car - you want to remove it entirely. By having a vacuum nearby as you brush the dust in your car, you are getting rid of it and not just transferring it elsewhere.
9. A chemical-free way to clean your dashboard
If you want to clean your car dashboard and other materials without the use of harsh chemicals, use olive oil - it will make your car's interior look new. If you want the same effect without the olive oil smell, baby oil is a great alternative.
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10. Use a magic eraser to get things off vinyl and leather
If you have some dried-out gunk in your car, use a Magic Eraser on it - but make sure to apply it gently. You do not want to damage the fabric, so do not rub too hard. Try hardware or art stores.
11. Cleaning crevices with an earbud
Using a cloth to clean out the crevices is difficult. Instead, clean these spots with some earbuds. After you clear out the detail spots, you will be amazed at how much better the car looks.
12. Get animal hair from your upholstery
By using a spray bottle of water and a squeegee, you are able to get pesky animal hair from your interior without too much issue. By running the squeegee along the upholstery, you can see the hair coming off easily. After you have removed the hair, use a vacuum to get rid of it permanently.
13. Use a microfiber cleaning cloth on the ceiling
Even though most people never look up, dust collects above us as we drive. Unfortunately, a regular cloth will not do a thing for most car interiors. If you want to clean your car ceiling properly, invest in a microfiber cloth that will soak up the dust.
14. Use diluted all-purpose cleaner on your seats
Using washcloths, a scrub brush or sponge, and some hard work, you can get rid of most of the crud on your car seats. Use un-dyed or white washcloths though to ensure that the colour dyes in the cloth do not rub off on the fabric.
15. Clean your car mats with stain removers
Car mats do not look as they did when you first bought the car, and may look worn and faded. Spray your mats with some stain remover, throw them into the washer (you can even use the same detergent you always use), and lay them out to dry afterwards. It's as simple as can be.
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