We all want the best bang for our buck. When it comes to cleaning and maintaining your car, it can feel like you’re paying hand over fist. Keeping your car running better, longer and looking spotless doesn’t have to cost you a fortune, though. There are things you can do using common household or dollar-store items to hack your car. Below are just a few.
Seltzer Water
Seltzer water is a low-cost cleaner that can work wonders on both the interior and exterior of your car. Small spills and stains on the upholstery on the inside of the vehicle can be resolved. It can also be used to get bird droppings off of the outside of your car.
Toothpaste
Turns out toothpaste is for more than just your smile! Toothpaste can be used on your headlights to make them gleam! Applying toothpaste without water to the lens cover of the headlights and tail lights gets things looking clean and can even help remove scratches and blemishes.
Hand Sanitizer
Have some hand sanitizer handy this winter to help unfreeze your car’s door locks. The alcohol in the hand sanitizer helps thaw the lock. This usually only takes about thirty seconds. Just make sure your hand sanitizer has alcohol in it, otherwise this won’t work.
Shaving Cream
Yes—believe it or not, shaving cream can be used to clean your car! The interior glass on your vehicle can be cleaned with shaving cream, and the residue that it leaves behind will actually help keep your windows from fogging up. Shaving cream has several similar agents as defoggers, so cleaning with shaving cream once will prevent foggy windows for a few days.
Shampoo
Last but not least, if you can’t make it to the car wash, use shampoo on your car’s exterior. Shampoo works remarkably well to get rid of grease and grime on the outside of your car. You’ll leave your car as sparkling clean as your luscious locks.
