Spring has come, Passover has come, the kindergarten children sang until a few days ago, giving the signal for the great hour of household cleaning products, because after all, you don't feel free on Seder night if you haven't broken your knees and knuckles rubbing imaginary leaven.
For some car owners, cleaning their vehicles is not an unusual event, but an almost regular habit, a sacred weekly event in which a careful order is made for all the means and cleaning materials, the car is cleaned ahead of time in a shaded and cool area, the dedicated wash buckets are cleaned, the cloths are washed (separately according to the types of their use, obviously) and so on preparatory ceremonies for the event. Well, if you belong to this elite group, skip ahead - this article is not for you and may even cause health problems and high blood pressure.
But if you are on the other side of the scale, those for whom cleaning the car amounts to emptying it of leftover snacks and food that could support a small village in Niger, rely on the rain for external washing and the wiper at the gas station is the closest thing to grooming for them - well, here is a guide for you.
Just before we get to the tips and the materials you can use to clean the car, let's make it clear - the dedicated cleaning industry is not a bunch of charlatans from the fuel additive industry. There are also those that actually produce care and preservation materials that are the result of research and investment, and yet, as long as the requirements are not extraordinary, much of the basis they use is the same and at least for reasonable results, the cleaning products you have at home will definitely suffice.
And one more clarification, a modern car and especially its passenger compartment is made up of a few materials of different textures and types. Fabrics, leather, synthetic leather, plastic, rubber and more - each material may react differently to the cleaning agents, so the advice here is only general and in any case, if this is the first time - check the material's resistance and its reaction to the preparation in a hidden corner before applying it to the entire cell.
Medical alcohol
It's true that we don't encourage mixing alcohol and car, but this time it can be very useful. You can get it in pharmacies and supermarkets and it comes in several alcohol concentrations, in general, the higher the percentage of alcohol, the more "violent" it will be. Well, what does he touch? In some cases, the alcohol can be diluted in order to refine it.
Wipers and windshields:
passing a cloth dipped in alcohol over the wiper blades both cleans them and helps remove dry rubber residue, which by the way is what often causes the screeching sound of the wipers on the windshield and its uneven wiping. By diluting alcohol in a ratio of 1 to 4 with distilled water (in the case of 91% alcohol) or 1 to 3 (in the case of 70% alcohol) you can get a very powerful windshield cleaning fluid. You bought a car whose windshield is decorated inside and out with stickers - highly concentrated alcohol will be most effective in removing them.
Tree resin:
Tree resin, municipal election headquarters and donations to Rachel's Tomb are the three most sticky substances known to man. For the last two the baseball goddess will help, but hey, for the tree resin medical alcohol can do a great job.
how to make?
Place a cloth soaked in highly concentrated alcohol on the resin for a few minutes and it will soften, making it easier to remove.
Ink stains:
A pen left open on the upholstery, in the sun, on the dashboard or in the glove compartment and left a pool of paint?
how to make?
It is possible to completely eliminate this event through the use of alcohol. For places and grooves that you cannot reach with a cloth, use an earpick.
white vinegar
Vinegar, this thing found in every home is a powerful cleaning agent, both on its own and in combination with baking soda (below). Just two things before you start spraying vinegar on every corner of the car. 1. As you can tell from its name, it is acidic - meaning there are things you don't want it to touch, especially electrical components. 2. Smell, it leaves a pungent smell, so be careful with the doses and work in a ventilated place.
Textiles and carpets:
Vinegar will be very effective in removing stains from upholstery and fabric (except blood, no matter how I know that).
how to make?
Mix vinegar and hot water in a ratio of 1 to 5, in a spritzer and spray on the stain until it is soaked. Rub gently and in circular motions with a brush until the dirt is removed. More stubborn stains will require the use of more vinegar. Patting with a dry towel will speed up drying. It is also very effective against salt stains that remain on the upholstery when you return from the sea and sit wet on the car seats.
Water stains:
Sometimes there are "water stains" on the exterior paint of the car as a result of dirty drops that have not been wiped off or dirty rain. Vinegar is a very effective substance for removing them from the vehicle's tin.
how to make?
Mix vinegar in a ratio of 2 to 1 with distilled water or purified water. Dip a cloth in the liquid and wipe the drops in straight movements.
Windshields:
Instead of spending money on fancy windshield washer fluid at the station, make the perfect windshield washer fluid at home.
how to make?
Mix water and vinegar in a ratio of 1 to 3 in a spritzer, spray on the windshield and clean with a cloth. Legend has it that newsprint works wonders. Not scientifically tested, maybe actually depends on the newspaper.
Metal parts:
Want to keep the exhaust outlets and metal parts shiny? White vinegar is an excellent preparation for such uses.
how to make?
Mix white vinegar with water in equal proportion and spray on the metal parts until they are well wetted. Wipe with a microfiber cloth. Control of particularly dirty exhaust ports, you can also use steel wool gently.
Kitchen mop
Besides going over the car windshields, the small wipers with the rubber rim that are usually kept on the home counter have two very effective uses in the car. The first is obvious and common, the second is quite surprising.
Windshields:
Well, no big deal, passing with this wiper allows you to reach the far corners of the windshield, those that the wipers do not handle due to their range of motion.
how to make?
The work technique is to overlap the wiping in order not to leave wet streaks on the windshield.
Removing fur and cloth:
these wipers are also very effective in collecting fur residues if you happen to be lucky enough to drive animals on a non-designated surface. But it is also very effective in the case of fabric fibers that remain from sweaters, textiles and hair.
how to make?
Cleaning with the mop is always a complementary operation after initial vacuuming and one must make sure to work in the same direction, in order to "pull" the dirt to the same place and not spread it. By the way, a pumice stone like the one used to remove dry skin or as it is sometimes called "pumice stone" will also be very effective for this use.
hydrogen peroxide
Although their name in English - hydrogen peroxide sounds like something you need to stock up on to make a homemade bomb, hydrogen peroxide is just a solution that anyone can buy in pharmacies. They usually come in a concentration of 3% active ingredient that is ready to use and will also suit most needs (by the way, it's really effective in removing blood stains, no matter how I know that). If the substance is in a higher concentration, it may already be harmful to various fabrics, and in any case, the advice of testing in a hidden place is doubly important here.
Stain removal:
As mentioned, the material comes in a concentration suitable for use, but it is still advisable to dilute it with water. The ratio is 1:1 of lukewarm water.
how to make?
The material should be foamed on top of the stain using a brush with flexible nylon bristles and then blotted with a damp microfiber cloth.
Neutralizes odors:
hydrogen peroxide can also be used to neutralize bad odors in the space or on fabrics.
how to make?
Mix hydrogen peroxide and water in a 1:1 ratio and spray.
toothpaste
Dental health is something you don't mess with, but toothpaste is definitely a product that can be used outside of the oral cavity as well. In the case of cosmetic treatment for a car for three uses. Cloudy headlights, eliminating small scratches and removing drops from mirrors.
Flashlights:
A large part of the toothpastes use substances that clean the tooth coating by grinding away the dirt from it. It is also effective in the case of a thin layer of oxidation of the headlights and prevention of their cloudy appearance.
how to make?
Put a small amount (the size of a marble) on a microfiber cloth and rub the headlight lens in a circular motion. It is important to say - this will not prevent the headlight from becoming cloudy again and the treatment is only temporary, but if you want to extend the amount of time that the lens will remain in its clear appearance - you should put a layer of wax or coating to slow down the return of cloudiness due to sunlight.
Removing scratches:
So first of all let's make one thing clear - the toothpaste does not "remove" scratches. It probably won't do that when the scratch is deep enough to penetrate the protective layer and top paint. What does she do? It cleans the paint residue from the fence or other vehicle that you lightly rubbed quite thoroughly and in some cases will also sand off the top layer of those paint residues.
how to make?
Clean the scratched area well, apply a generous amount of toothpaste on a microfiber cloth and rub gently in a circular motion (only this is done on a tin in a circular motion, when washing for example it creates scratches). Allow the paste to dry for 5 minutes and then wipe with a damp cloth.
Removing drops:
This is less of a cleaning tip and more of a maintenance tip, but if you're already near the car with toothpaste and a cloth...
clean the mirror thoroughly in the first step, then put a small amount of paste on the cloth, no more than a pea size. Apply the paste in circular motions on the surface of the mirror until it is all covered with the paste. Wait a few minutes for it to dry and then go over it gently with a dry or even slightly damp cloth. The paste coating that remains on the glass acts as a water repellent and will not allow drops to accumulate on the mirror or condense on it on cold mornings.
soda
No one actually uses it for drinking, but baking soda is one of the most effective cleaning agents that almost everyone has in their home. It also has virtues as an absorbent of bad odors and removal of stains, in fact a large part if not all toothpastes with whitening and stain removal capabilities make use of it. Without going into the chemical (but fascinating) explanation of the decomposition of soda into sodium and bicarbonate and its transformation into hydroxide in contact with water. Let's summarize it like this - since the soda powder is a base that reacts to acid and since quite a few dirts contain an acidic base, applying baking soda on dirt causes a chemical reaction of "soap" that turns the dirt into soap that is easy to wash or wipe off. Mixing the powder (base) with vinegar (which is acidic) which is used as a tip for general cleaning is less effective in difficult cases, but will be useful for fabrics for example.
Stain removal:
Stains on door trims, car floor mats or fabric upholstery can be removed by mixing baking soda and vinegar.
how to make?
Fill a spritzer or other sprayer with vinegar and spray on the stain, wait a few minutes and sprinkle baking soda powder on it. The vinegar is used in this case as a catalyst for the acids in the dirt and together with the reaction to the baking powder make cleaning easier. Rub the vinegar and baking powder into the cloth with a brush and then wipe gently.
Odor neutralization:
spilled coffee, smell of smoke, fuel, aunt's soup, guava left in the car (long and sad story, don't ask) - no matter what fragrance you want to remove from the car - baking soda will probably be the solution for it.
how to make?
Generously sprinkle baking soda on the smelly fabric, wait at least 15 minutes, then vacuum it up.
dish soap
Before the tips, a warning - dish soap is the last thing you want to wash your car with. The components in it that are intended to remove grease are a solvent that destroys paint layers in cars. After this clarification, there are times when, with due caution, in great dilution and with taking a complementary action, using dish soap may help. And always remember, after every touch of dish soap to the exterior paint, it must be washed well and sealed using a dedicated car shampoo in order to remove all residues.
Washing a car:
we will emphasize again, dish soap is a very violent substance, but sometimes an especially thorough washing is required. Sometimes to remove glue residue or an old layer of wax.
How to do it:
Mix about 30 milliliters of soap in 4.5 liters of water to create a strong washing agent but one that will not terminally harm your paint layer. For spot use to remove particularly problematic dirt such as dry bird droppings or insects that have spent a few hot days on the vehicle, double the dose and use a soft cloth soaked in liquid on the spot and rinse well immediately. If you still want to reduce the risk of color, you can use soap designed for babies, it is less violent than dish soap and has less cleaning capabilities.
Stain removal:
I don't get into issues of bad parenting, but if you allow your children to eat in the car, then food residue and drink stains are probably already part of the look of your upholstery. You will be surprised to hear that dish soap is also good at removing food residue from things other than dishes.
how to make?
One and a half to two teaspoons of dish soap in a liter of warm water in a sprayer or spritzer, a few sprays on the stain and rubbing with a brush and then wiping the dirty part with a microfiber cloth.
The wonder sponge
Just like people whose first name is followed by the nickname "combina", generally, any preparation or product to which the word "miracle" is attached is a sign that you should stay away from this trap. But every rule has an exception, just as you want a RSP to which the nickname "Combina" belongs, the miracle sponge is also a very successful cleaning tool in this case. These are the white sponges, usually made with a texture between rubber and a sponge, and their great advantage is that they allow you to clean A very wide range of surfaces in the use of water only. However, these high capabilities have a price - it does not really clean as much as it does in the car.
Removal of stains:
if there is a stain on the upholstery or the other removal attempts They don't work, you can try to remove them with the miracle sponge Any such operation on leather, carry out a supplementary treatment with a special protective material for the leather in order to maintain its shine and smooth appearance.
Paint removal:
unlike scratches that penetrate into the paint, paint stains on a car sit on it and sometimes get mixed in with the required care and after attempts to remove it Others can, again, be removed with a wet wonder sponge. The movement must be forward-backward, or up-down and very gentle, if there is no change you can add a little toothpaste. But if these two do not bring improvement, stop immediately. It's not worth the damage to the original paint.
Rims:
Our vehicle's rims, especially if they are not shiny ones or with nickel and chrome, are probably built to withstand the harshest conditions that the roads throw at our vehicle and can be treated with the miracle sponge without too many precautions. A little water and going over them will make them look brand new in an instant.
how to make?
You find a child with small fingers, give him 5 shekels, show him that you have another coin exactly like that in your hand and he will accept it if everything is tip top.
ice
ice? Yes, not a real cleanser without too many tricks just ice. what can he do? Well, how simple that's how it defeats one of the most stubborn dirts - chewing gum. how to make? Place the ice cubes in the bag (so as not to wet the padding), wait a minute or two until the gum is really cold and hard, then remove it while "pinching", hoping that you will be able to remove it all in one piece.
Various
Besides the materials themselves, there are quite a few household accessories that can do a good job cleaning the car. True, not as good or excellent as dedicated tools, but certainly at a satisfactory level. For example, a sticky roller that is used to clean clothes from dog hair to pass on the seats or in hard-to-reach places, sometimes even a piece of masking tape will do a good job. A hair dryer can be very effective if you want to dry places you can't reach with a cloth or help peel off stickers - a minute-minute and a half of heating and it comes off easily with a little help of alcohol. Toothbrushes that have finished their dental function also prove to be a very effective tool to reach the grooves and connections between plastic panels or air conditioning outlet openings. And last but not least and one that I discovered only recently - a massage gun - it turns out that when it is activated at its maximum power, when it is attached to the floor carpet, the vibration it produces "bounces" the sand trapped in the carpet and makes its suction extremely easy.