Isn’t it frustrating when it runs out of car cleaning products in the middle of cleaning your car? Especially that it can be a hassle and expensive heading to the store to buy them again.
Thankfully, household items that are less expensive and readily available at your home can be used as alternatives for them. This article will show you how to clean interior of car with household products. It includes many tricks and tips, including what household products to clean car dashboard, and more.
While some household items can be used on their own, others would have to be combined with other ingredients listed below.
Table of Contents
What You Will Need to Follow This Tutorial
There are a variety of household items that can be used for cleaning different areas in your car’s interior. Below is a list of what to use to clean car interior.
- Rag: This would be used to clean hard surfaces in your car and to prevent dirt from spreading elsewhere.
- Rubbing Alcohol: This would be the best household cleaner for car interior, as it’s a very versatile household item for car interior cleaning. It can be used for cleaning different areas in the interior of a car such as hard surfaces, leather or vinyl seats, and fabric. It’s also one of the ingredients for an alternative to hydrogen peroxide when cleaning grass stains.
- Water: This would be mixed with other household products to clean car.
- Spray Bottle: This would come in handy for applying homemade interior car cleaner on the different parts of your car’s interior.
- Used Fabric Softener Sheets: Even after they have already been used for your laundry, fabric softener sheets can still be used for cleaning hard surfaces in your car.
- Baby Wipes: Apart from the DIY solutions for cleaning hard surfaces like the dashboard, this is among the hard surfaces or dash cleaning products you will need.
- Toothpaste: This can be used for cleaning stains on vinyl or leather seats.
- Vinegar: This can be used for cleaning leather seats and fabric.
- Linseed Oil: This would be one of the ingredients for cleaning leather seats.
- Vacuum: A vacuum would be needed to clear your car of any dirt so that fabric stains would not be rubbed in or spread.
- Cornstarch: This works well in removing grease stains.
- Hydrogen Peroxide: This is effective in getting rid of grass stains, germs, and mold.
- Onion: An onion’s juice can lessen the unsightliness of cigarette burn marks.
- Dawn: This would be one of the ingredients for creating a heavy-duty general cleaner.
- White Vinegar: This would be one of the ingredients for an alternative to hydrogen peroxide when cleaning grass stains and is also one of the ingredients in creating a heavy-duty general cleaner.
- Club Soda: This would be one of the ingredients for creating a heavy-duty general cleaner.
- Baking Soda: This can serve as an air freshener, purifying the air in your car.
- Essential Oils: A few drops of this can be added to a baking soda air freshener to add fragrance.
- Dryer Sheets: This can absorb odors in your car.
Step by Step Instructions
Each household item has its own purpose and different way of preparing. You can find how below:
Hard Surfaces
Step 1: Wipe Surfaces Using a Damp Rag
Wipe every surface in the car using a damp rag to remove excess grunge and prevent them from spreading around the seats and floor.
Step 2: Use Rubbing Alcohol + Water and Used Fabric Softener Sheets to Clean Hard Surfaces
Mix equal parts rubbing alcohol and water in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture on hard surfaces and wipe it using used fabric softener sheets to not leave any lint behind.
Step 3: Use Baby Wipes on the Dashboard, Glove Box, and Other Hard Surfaces
Baby wipe the dashboard, glove box, and other hard surfaces. Remember to not only clear out accumulated dust and dirt but also garbage and other forgotten items.
Leather or Vinyl Car Seats
Step 1: Use Toothpaste on Leather or Vinyl Seat Stains
Always test a cleaner on a small area first, as it may affect the dye of your seat. After testing the toothpaste and finding that it is safe for interior car seat cleaning, use it to scrub out the stains on leather or vinyl seats.
Step 2: Use Rubbing Alcohol on Leather or Vinyl Seats Instead If the Toothpaste Doesn’t Work
You must be careful when applying alcohol on stains, as the more you use, the harsher it would be on your seats and would likely bleach your seats. Test it on a small area first, and if it is safe to use, you can lightly dab it on the stain.
Step 3: Use Vinegar and Linseed Oil to Clean Leather Seats
Mix equal parts vinegar and linseed oil. Use this mixture to clean dirt and grime on your leather seats as well as to give them shine.
Fabric
Step 1: Vacuum Fabric Thoroughly and Pick Up All the Garbage and Dirt
Make sure that the fabric is thoroughly cleaned with a vacuum. And don’t forget to pick up garbage and dirt. This prevents the rubbing in and spreading of any fabric stain.
Step 2: Use Cornstarch to Remove Grease Stains
If the fabric in your car has grease stains, sprinkle cornstarch and let it sit on the stains for 30 minutes. After that, vacuum the cornstarch and check the stain.
Some experts advise making a paste mixture of cornstarch and a little water and applying it to the stains. You would let the paste dry on the stains. And once it has dried, brush it away.
Step 3: Use Vinegar and Water to Remove Stains
Make a mixture of vinegar and water in equal parts in a spray bottle and spray it on stains. Let it soak shortly on the stain. Then blot the stain using a wet cloth.
If blotting doesn’t work, scrub the stain lightly. If scrubbing still doesn’t work, use a heavy-duty cleaner.
Some stains can be cleaned more effectively by specific cleaning solutions. Searching the internet can help you find what solution you need exactly for the fabric stain.
Step 4: Use Hydrogen Peroxide to Remove Grass Stains
Soak grass stains in hydrogen peroxide of 3% solution, then wash it out. If you don’t have hydrogen peroxide, use a mixture of equal parts warm water, white vinegar, and rubbing alcohol. Rub it on the grass stains and wash it out.
Step 5: Use a Raw Onion to Soften Scorch Marks
Cut onion and apply it to burn marks from cigarettes. Let the onion juice soak the stain. It won’t totally repair the scorch marks, but the onion’s acid would help lessen their unsightliness by making them less noticeable.
Step 6: Use Dawn Dish Soap, White Vinegar, and Club Soda to Make a Heavy Duty General Cleaner
Create a heavy-duty, general DIY interior car cleaner by mixing in a heavy-duty spray bottle a cup each of blue Dawn dish soap, white vinegar, and club soda. Liberally spray the cleaner on stains and scrub them away.
Improving Air Quality
Step 1: Use Hydrogen Peroxide and Water to Kill Germs and Mold
Make a germ and mold-killing spray for your car’s vent system by mixing in a spray bottle a cup of water and a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide. Shake the mixture gently but thoroughly in the spray bottle. This works effectively but more gently than most cleaning agents and won’t irritate the eyes and lungs.
Next, open your car windows and doors while you run your car fans to the max. Then spray the solution into the fresh-air intake. If you don’t know where it is, check in the car manual. Also, remember to use an air freshener to prevent an overpowering smell.
Step 2: Use Baking Soda and Essential Oils to Make Air Freshener
Put a quarter cup of baking soda in a small jar to make an air freshener. If you wish to add fragrance to it, you can add in a few drops of essential oils. Punch some holes into the jar’s lid or stretch a cheesecloth over the jar’s mouth.
You can place this homemade air freshener in a cup holder. Or if you want it kept out of sight, you can place it in a pocket.
Step 3: Use Baking Soda in the Ashtray to Absorb Odors and Keep Your Car Fresh
Sprinkle baking soda in the ashtray. Even if you don’t smoke, this can still serve as an air purifier.
Step 4: Use Dryer Sheets to Fight Persisting Odors
Place dryer sheets beneath seats and floor mats as well as in pockets. If you’re often involved in sports or any physical activity and get strong odors in your car, you can tuck one in the trunk or an interior pocket.
Conclusion
Now that you have an idea of how to clean interior of car with household products, you won’t have to fret when you’re out of expensive car cleaning products. You can just use the things you have at home.
These household items are just as effective as the ones you can buy at the store. Just follow the step-by-step procedure in using them and watch them take effect.
Did you like this article? Press that like button. Share it with your friends if you wish, and it might also help them too.
