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Mar 30, 2024

I'm a car cleaning expert

KEEPING the cars clean and shiny is a task few of us enjoy – but doing it yourself can save you a small fortune. Instead of relying on costly professionals or expensive products, there are a number of

KEEPING the cars clean and shiny is a task few of us enjoy – but doing it yourself can save you a small fortune.

Instead of relying on costly professionals or expensive products, there are a number of homemade hacks you can use to keep your motor fresh.

We spoke to several of the UK’s top cleaning experts to find out their best money-saving tips and tricks to get your car sparkling without breaking the bank.

From surprising kitchen essentials that remove “funky smells” to old items that can tackle tough stains, we reveal the best below.

Bugs and tar easily get stuck in your grille or bumper and it can be a pain to remove – but according to Todd Bialaszewski, from Junk Car Medics, a standard kitchen item can help.

He tells us: “A little cooking spray can help. Just spray it on, let it sit for a few minutes and then wipe it off.”

Instead of spending a fortune on car wax, there’s a cheaper way you can get your vehicle extra shiny.

Todd explains: “Use a hair conditioner containing lanolin. It'll give your car a freshly waxed look.”

Removing dust and dirt from hard-to-reach spots like your air vents can seem like a near-impossible task.

But according to cleaning expert Nicola Rodriguez, known as 'Essex House Dolly', there are a couple of ordinary items to make the chore easy.

She tells us: “Use cotton buds to clean the air vents in your car. You can also use them to clean where your heat stick is and also any ridges for built-in storage.

“I also use make-up brushes to lift out dust in vents and above the steering wheel before going in with the cotton buds.”

In addition, Lynsey Crombie – who’s known as ‘the Queen of Clean’ – says you can use a recycled paintbrush for air vents and shared another hack for hard-to-reach places.

She tells us: “An old toothbrush dipped in warm soapy water is good for those hard-to-reach areas, such as the side of seats and the door pockets.”

Many of us opt for washing-up liquid and hot water when cleaning the exterior of our cars – but according to Nicola, it’s a risky move.

She tells us: “Fairy liquid with hot water is good for cleaning your windows but it’s important to use specialist car shampoo for the exterior.

“Fairy liquid and other household products can break down the protective wax applied to your car.”

Your car wheels and rims are more prone to picking up dirt but cleaning them doesn’t have to be difficult thanks to this handy tip.

Nicola tells us: “Use a toothbrush in hot water with fairy liquid for cleaning your wheel alloys as the bristles really get into the grooves.”

According to Lynsey, you don’t need high-end products to spruce up your car’s carpets.

She explains: “Dry hair shampoo works great at refreshing car carpets, leaving a fresh clean smell.”

Over time your car's electrical screens can get sticky and grubby – but there’s an easy hack to remove it.

Lynsey tells us: “Apply a drop of rubbing alcohol to a glass cleaning cloth and then gently rub over the screens to remove any finger marks.”

She also says you can “shine up the dashboard” by applying any glass cleaner.

Many of us may be tempted to ‘forget’ to clean their internal back window – due to it being harder to reach – but Lynsey says it doesn’t need to be so tricky.

She tells us: “If you have an extendable flat-headed mop, put this on the smallest setting and spray the pad with some glass cleaner and then just glide over.”

Car cleaning expert Steve Napier, who runs CarBlog.co.uk, shares his surprising hack for making your headlights brighter that “costs nothing at all”.

He tells us: “Simply grab a tube of toothpaste from the bathroom and rub a good squirt of it into your headlight glass using a cloth.

“Put in some elbow grease and then rinse it off with water to reveal restored headlight glass… this can undo years of damage, which make your main beams really dim.”

Over time, your car’s leather seats can start to look dry and worn out – but according to Steve, there’s an easy fix to make it look as good as new.

He tells us: “Grab a bottle of olive oil from the kitchen and restore your leather seats using small amounts of olive oil on a microfibre cloth.

“Work it in with a gentle circular motion and it will nourish and renew the leather.”

Nobody likes a smelly car but there’s no need to buy an expensive air freshener, according to Steve, who prefers a kitchen staple instead.

He explains: “If your car has a funky smell, sprinkle some baking soda on the carpets and seats, let it sit for a few minutes, and then vacuum it up.

“The baking soda will absorb any odors and leave your car smelling fresh and clean.”

To remove pesky pet hairs and food crumbs, Jeremy Freedman – from cleaning products company Guardpack – says a lint roller or squeegee can work wonders.

“There are few tools more versatile than a lint roller when it comes to cleaning your car,” he tells us.

“Its adhesive sheets can pick up crumbs, pet hair, other hair and small debris from a number of different surfaces, including carpets, fabric seats, and floor mats.

“If you don’t have a lint roller on hand, a squeegee is a great household alternative – dampen the rubber and run it gently across the upholstery.”

To avoid having to fork out for an air freshener, you can create your own DIY version using your favourite scents.

Jeremy tells us: “Soak a cotton ball or some cotton wool in essential oil and place it in a small container under your car seat.”

After cleaning your car, there’s nothing worse than noticing spots, streaks and pesky residue.

But Gene Fitzgerald, a water treatment expert from BOS, reveals some top tips to avoid this.

He suggests washing your car in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the sun spoiling your hard work – and recommends finding a shady spot first.

Gene tells us: “Shade is going to be your best friend. This is because direct sunlight can cause water and soap to evaporate more quickly, resulting in spots.”

After you’ve finished cleaning, he recommends not letting it air dry because that increases the chance of streaks and water spots.

Gene adds: “Instead, use a microfiber cloth, starting from the top and working your way down.

“If you do find that water spots have appeared, a solution of vinegar and distilled water can be rubbed onto them to remove them.”