38+ Really Useful Cleaning Hacks For Your Car

We’ve discovered the best hacks around for maintaining your vehicle clean all the time, or, in case you’re a wreck already, natural techniques to clean up without it taking hours of your day or killing your wallet and back.  Check out these car cleaning hacks that’ll make cleaning up a breeze:

Get Crafty Get Cleaning

Air vents will need to be maintained clean. You never know when someone with a dust allergy will soon come into your car. But, it’s almost impossible to clean the individual vents in a car, right? Your fingertips are too big, the brush only goes in half-way, so you give up. Not anymore, thanks to the foam paintbrushes.

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Just go down to your regional hardware store, or you can order them in packs online.  Now you can clean those vents out and keep your vehicle smelling clean and when you’re finished, rinse it out and use it again later.  Foam paintbrushes come in all different sizes so take the smallest one, dampen it with water or cleaner and insert into the vents. The foam will immediately act as a dirt magnet…not that’s car hack crafty!

 Toothbrush Detail

If you wish to detail your vehicle, you don’t require all those fancy tools and kits. While you’re in the bathroom, you might as well grab your toothbrush and toothpaste for these hacks! All you genuinely want is a toothbrush and a bit of moxie blended with elbow grease.

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The bristles on the toothbrush will probably dig down deeply into sections and get that dirt out. That’s what happens whenever you brush your tooth, so you know this brush will be capable of doing the job. When you want to clean the inside of your vehicle deep, use a toothbrush to get into all the bumps, grooves, and crevasses.  It works well on plastic, vinyl surfaces, and leather seats (make sure to work gently on leather).

Tidy Up with Toothpaste

You and your old car have been through thick and thin, and there are still some good miles left on your old faithful. The only problem is that the headlights are cloudy and not lighting up the road like they used to. Enter this car hack that will be a game-changer.

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Take some toothpaste (especially a whitening toothpaste) and rub it over the headlight. You should work slowly and carefully in concentric circles, careful to not damage the paint. Let sit for a few minutes and wipe it off with a wet cloth. The headlights will look as good as new and be minty fresh, too!

 Cup Holder Protectors

 This car hack with change your change holder forever! You know how everything from loose change, to candy wrappers, spilled soda, etc., etc., ends up in your console and cup holder? Now, with this hack, you can keep your cup holder as clean as a whistle.

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Take cupcake liners, paper or silicone will work, tuck them into the cup holder and you’ll never have to worry about a sticky mess down there again. They’re replaceable too, so keep a few extra in your glove box for quick clean-ups!

 Take off bumper stickers with WD-40

It is well known that WD-40 has over 1500 uses all around the home and garden, but did you know you can use WD-40 to help your car looks better? Bumper stickers used to be trendy, but do you want everybody and their father to see that you enjoy bacon to an intense degree?

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Bumper stickers have super tacky adhesive, so taking them off requires you peeling off some paint. But no longer, as all you need to do this is spray some WD-40 on the decal, wait until it soaks into the sticker, and following that peel.  You can also use WD-40 to remove dirt from car engine covers.

Q-tip Detailing

If you need that on-point end and clean for your vehicle, use a Q-Tip. Due to their cotton finishes, they’re able to clean up any cleaning merchandise.

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And the best part — they are in packs of 1,000, so you don’t need to be concerned if you use one or 20.

Nail It With Nail Polish

Regardless of who you’re, male or female, you need to keep a bottle of nail polish inside of your vehicle.  If a rock flies up onto your car and chips the paint, or you parked too close to another vehicle and got a big ding, no worries! Find a bottle of fingernail polish that matches your car’s finish and use it to touch up the chip.

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Keep the bottle in the console or glove box for immediate repair. The nail polish is a quick fix that will keep the chip from getting larger until you can get to the repair shop.

Olive Oil Car Conditioner

Yes, it’s good in your favorite soups, salads, and stews. It’s also great to condition your hair and skin with the kitchen pantry staple. But did you know you can use good old olive oil to state your car’s dashboard?

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Take a soft towel, pour in some olive oil, and wipe down the interior of your car. The leather will instantly look better than ever, thanks to this amazing oil. Olive oil lasts a while, so you won’t have to use too much. Nevertheless, this might make you hungry for Italian food.

 Shine Your Body with a Clay Bar

If you want that showroom finish and shine but without the showroom prices for that shine.  A way to “cheap out” but get that exact look is by using a clay bar on your car or truck ’s entire body paint.

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That is due to the clay pops up the gunk on your car or truck ’s body while leaving a clean, shiny finish.

 Remember to clean vents

Your vehicle can be spotless on the inside, but odor horrible. What might be causing this issue? Well, it may be your air filters require cleaning.

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In case your air filters aren’t clean, your vehicle is going to be getting all the smells of the city. When there’s mold in your filters, you may be at risk of developing respiratory diseases. So ensure that your filters are clean.

 Double Duty Hand Sanitizer

Nothing is worse when it is the dead of winter, and you can’t unlock the car door because the locks are frozen solid. Enter Super Hand Sanitizer! Grab your hand sanitizer and squeeze it into the locks.

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The alcohol in the sanitizer is also a quick car hack to thaw the keyhole. Tuck a few bottles in your glove box and keep one handy in your handbag for winter emergencies.

Vaseline shine

Vaseline is ideal for moisturizing a bunch of different things, but it might also help your vehicle’s interior out a ton. Whether you’re a vinyl or leather interior, put a dab of Vaseline on a cloth and rub the cloth all over the automobile to prevent the leather from cracking.

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You might also rub it on the rubber door seals to keep them from freezing over in winter season

 Do It Yourself Car Mats

It is nearly impossible to keep the floor of your car clean. Dirt, grime spilled beverages, crumbs, and other yucky things soil the floor pretty fast. Here’s a car hack from the bottom up that will make it easy to keep your car floor cleaner, longer.

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Get some carpet scraps or samples from your local carpet supplier. They usually cost next to nothing, look attractive and will keep your original car floors looking as good as new.

 Bugged by The Bugs

Your last road trip was awesome, but you returned with more than you bargained for. The front bumper is full of bugs, and a journey through the car wash just wasn’t enough to remove them all. Grab a few dryer sheets from the laundry room for this car hack.

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Wipe them over the buggy bumper. These multi-task wonder wipes will remove the bugs in an instant!

 Hold, Please

Hello, beautiful! If you don’t have one of those handy, hands-free mobile phone holders for your car, check this car hack out. Take an ordinary rubber band, weave it through the air vent and wrap it around your phone.

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It’s like magic as the phone is attached to the vent so you can say, “hello” to your new hands-free phone holder.

 Keyboard cleaner in vents

Just like with a keyboard, you might utilize compressed air to blow out the tiny pieces of dirt and dust from the cracks crevices crannies and nooks of your vehicle.

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Compressed air sends out atmosphere through a skinny straw, enabling you to direct the airflow anyplace with dirt which requires cleaning. This will make your clean up so much easier.

 Furry Friend Clean Up

This is a doggone good car hack that will keep your car’s upholstery fur-free. Have you tried using everything to get your dog hair out from the vehicle? Vacuuming only seems to do so much, but it’s never enough. Now you can still take your best fur baby for a ride without covering the seats.

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After you are finished with your joy ride, take a spray bottle of water and a squeegee. Spray the water on the fur and use the squeegee to remove the hair magically.  So how do we keep this hairy nightmare from occurring again? Give your pet a proper brushing before riding and use an old blanket or towel as a cover. When it’s cleaning time, you throw those covers in the wash. Now that’s the cat’s meow.

 Remove rust with cola

Among the best methods to get rust out of anything -an automobile, a metal bar, a suspension bridge – is to spray regular cola on it.

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It’s somewhat disconcerting, however, that we are placing this rust destroying acid into our bodies daily.

Windshield Wiper First Aid

It never fails. Right in your line of vision, there is a smear that gets worse and worse with every swipe of the windshield wipers. This car hack will keep your windshield sparkling clean and disinfected too.

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All you will need is a bottle of rubbing alcohol, a cotton ball or clean towel and a little elbow grease. Pour the alcohol on the towel and slowly wipe the rubber part of the wipers until they are clean. The smear will be gone.

 Wipes for windows

If you’re a parent, you know how wonderful, crucial, and remarkable baby wipes are. It’s almost always a smart idea to keep a pack in your automobile in case you spill something.

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Also, those things work just as good as window cleaner, plus they’ll assist keep your windows safe and clean for you to look from.

 Hair conditioner for cars?

Hair conditioner isn’t for making your hair shiny. Purchase some conditioner with lanolin inside, put the condition on an automobile shammy, and buff the automobile using circular motions until the car is glistening.

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It makes you wonder what it does to your hair, though.

Remove Musty Smells

Sometimes you get into your car, and it feels damp and musty. Maybe you left the windows down during a rain shower, or your windows aren’t as tight as they used to be. Here’s a car hack that is easy as can be.

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Sprinkle some baking soda into a jar or small container and set it under your car seats. The soda will absorb the moisture and musty odors and leave your car smelling as fresh as new. You can even go one step further and sprinkle baking soda directly on the seats and floor. Let it work its magic overnight, then vacuum it up the next day.

Keep your car fresh with scented wax

 You eat in it, drink in it, play in it…you might even sleep in it. Your vehicle is much more than four wheels and a steering wheel so that it can get pretty darn stinky inside. Keep it smelling fresh and clean with this quick and easy car hack.

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Remove the lid from an old salt or pepper shaker, add some scented candle wax from an old candle and replace the lid. Hide it under the seat, in the console or the side of the door. The fragrance will release into the air for a better smelling car.

 Clean with a cloth-covered screwdriver

Grime and dirt always fall into the least expected places and want to be in hard to reach areas. So how do you clean your vehicle’s crannies and nooks economically?

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Take a Phillips head screwdriver, put a cloth over it, and utilize it to wash around people challenging to reach places. Your car or truck will be right as new in no time at all.

 Clean Out Cup Holders Using An Old Sock

There’s an area you probably haven’t cleaned in your car: the cup holders.. Now you can get that cup holder pleasant and clean. All you should do this will be getting a cup, put a sock on it, and spray that sock with a couple of Windex.

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Put the cup sock side down in the cup holder, twist it a group, and lift. Now you are a cup holder that should be clean.

 Scent Car With Essential Oils On Wooden Clothes Pin

Your car may be stinky, so what do you do? Sprays only last a few hours while standard car fresheners are too strong. So how do you make your car smell fresh easily, cheaply, and fast?

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Take a wooden clothespin, spray a bunch of essential oils on it, and stick the clothespin in your air vent: Voilà, a low cost, good smelling car freshener alternative.

Your New Shopping BFFs

The power of the multitasking laundry basket offers a car hack that will take you inside out and outside in. Place one or two, whatever will fit, laundry baskets in the trunk or hatchback of your car.

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They will come in handy for organizing everyday items like sports equipment and other supplies but will come in handy after a shopping spree. Pop shopping bags into the baskets so they are organized and ready to carry into the house. You have to remember to replace them!

 Shower Power Organizer

Kids and family road trips equal lots of stuff, and your car can turn into a big, cluttered toy box. This is a car hack that is easy and effective.

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Grab a shower organizer from the dollar store and hang it over the back of your seats. Tuck everything you need in the individual pockets and keep your car neat and tidy, and you’ll be good to go for your next outing.

 Keep Your Car Clean with a Trash Bin

Occasionally your vehicle fills up with trash, and you’re not quite sure as to how or why that happened. Wouldn’t it be great if there were trashcans in vehicles?

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Are you looking for it whenever you can make it happen? Yup, get a car trash can, put it in your car or truck, and your trash issues are over.

 How to clean your floor mats

Why should you have to go to an auto detailer and pay to clean your vehicle’s floor mats? All you should do so is take the carpeted mats up, spray stain remover on them, and after that put them in the washer with laundry soap.

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Put it to mild (so you don’t break your washer), and you’re perfect.

Remove bumper bugs with Pam

So you’ve been driving on a hot summer’s day and all of a sudden you see just this massive cloud of gnats just hanging out in the middle of the road. You’re not going to swerve and try to miss them, so now you’ve killed 100 gnats who bodies are all over your bumper.

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Now you need to clean them off. Well, spray pam on your bumper, and take a wipe to get those little guys off.

 Command Hook Car Hack

This will solve the age-old question, “where do I put my handbag, so it doesn’t spill,” when you are driving down the road? Command Hooks to the rescue!

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Remove the backing, stick to the console, and a handy hook will be ready for you when you are. Great for hanging shopping and gift bags, too.

 Clean windows with newspaper

If you have dirty windows, this is the hack for you. Take your favorite or (let’s be real) least favorite newspaper and crumple it up into a ball. Spray your car’s windows with a simple, run of the mill window cleaner. Then take that balled up piece of newspaper and wipe your window clean.

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Congratulations on being able to see out your windows again. By the way, do not use this trick on tinted windows.

 Remove salt buildup with vinegar

When the roads are salted, ice is not able to form, and snow melts right away. Do you know what else melts from exposure to salt? Your car’s bodywork. So, next time it snows, and there is salt on the road, mix some water and vinegar and spray it under your vehicle.

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The salt will wash away, and your car will not erode out from under you.

Put a sheet under car seats

If you have small kids, you more than likely have a car seat. When you remove that car seat, you usually see everything your kid dropped and left behind – for better or for worse. You’re busy and don’t want to have to clean the car all the time.

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So put a sheet underneath, and that way when things fall through the car seat, the sheet will collect everything for you.

 Hand dry no matter what

After getting your car washed – either professionally or just outside on your driveway – your vehicle may get water spots if it is not dried correctly.

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The best way to mitigate this is by always getting out of your car after having it run through a car wash and hand drying that giant machine with a towel. Now your car will look like it came off the showroom floor.

 Clean the interior of your windshield

Sometimes your outer windshield is clean, but your inner windshield is just a whole mess of filth. The best way to get rid of this (so that you can see better of course) is to mix a teaspoon of dishwashing soap into some lukewarm water followed by a drop or three of white vinegar.

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Put a cloth into the mix and wipe the windshield. Now your windshield is clean, and you did it chemical-free.

 Clean vents with silicone gel

Air vents are critical. Whether it’s to blast the air conditioning on the hottest day of the summer or to warm your car on those frosty winter days when the mercury drops down to -30. But have you looked at those vents? They’re kinda gross.

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To make sure that you stay comfortable and that your air quality is good, take silica gel to get out all of the dust.

 Magic erasers clean your interior

In case you’ve gross stains on your leather or vinyl seats, there’s no need to stress.  All you need to do so is get an Eraser out of your regional convenience store and scrub. Only get the eraser a little wet and start to clean.

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You’ll possess clean, factory new seats in absolutely no time at all.

 Steel wool windshield cleaner

This is probably the most counterproductive advice we’ve on our list. Steel wool is a wonderful tool to use to clean up your windshield. Windshield glass is thick and robust and less susceptible to scratching.

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Consequently, in case you scrub off all the grime from your windshield with steel wool, then you’ll be able to see a lot clearer and drive a lot safer.

 DIY interior cleaner

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1 Cup of Distilled Vinegar
1 Cup of Club Soda
1/2 cup of Blue Dawn dish soap
Spray Bottle
Scrub Brush

Put it all in a spray bottle, spray it, let it sink in, and then let it dry.

 Carry Out Warmer

Pizza night? It’s double duty for your passenger side seat warmer. Instead of paying extra for delivery, we have a car hack you probably didn’t think about.

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Keep your pizza, or any carry out warm by turning up the heat on your passenger side seat. It’s just the right temperature to keep it warm and toasty.

Car Sick Remedy

Motion sickness is no fun when you’re driving down the highway. There’s nowhere to go, so what do you do? It’s simple and effective.

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Tilt your head to one side for a few minutes, and it will relieve nausea. Another tip is, remember always to drink plenty of water during long road trips. Keep a bottle or two in your cup holder and sip while you drive.

Right At Your Fingertips

It’s nerve-racking when you look in your rearview and see flashing lights of a police cruiser. Your mind starts spinning, “what did I do?” To make the conversation with the officer a little easier, organize your car’s registration and insurance information nicely and neatly tucked into a file folder.

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So, when this happens to you, all you have to do is open the glove box and hand the folder to the friendly police officer. Maybe you’ll get a friendly warning.

 Lost And Don’t Know Where To Go?

We’ve all been there. We follow the GPS, our maps and intuition, but it happens. We’re lost, lost, lost. The best thing to do is go through a fast-food drive-through, order a snack, and ask the attendant how to get to your final destination.

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It’s a win, win because not only are you refreshed, thanks to the soda and fries, you’ll end up right where you wanted to go. Now, that’s what we call a supersize.