Residents of the UAE, especially those owning a vehicle, are recorded to spend an average AED 100 a month on cleaning their car every alternative day. A survey has found out that 95% of UAE residents spend such money on car cleaning and this figure can go up to AED 300. Judging by these figures, it can be said that car owners in the UAE are very particular about the cleanliness of their cars. Nevertheless, it is a very costly habit and not everyone has this much money to spend every month. That doesn’t mean you cannot keep your car equally clean without such spending.
It is safe to say that there are some methods out there that are inexpensive and equally effective in keeping your vehicle in a spick and span condition.
DIY Car Trash Can
There is no car that is devoid of any kind of rubbish thrown inside at any point in time. This is because most of the cars either don’t have a trash throwing place or it is too small to accommodate the trash. So it will be wise to make a trash bin by yourself and avoid the embarrassment of a littered car cabin.
In order to make a handy little car trash can, you just need some everyday use things that will prove to be a great start for you in keeping your car interior clean. All you need is a large open lid container, duct tape and Velcro. Make sure that the container is large enough to fit in your car as well as contain all your trash needs. Also, the Velcro will help in keep the container tip resistant. You can place the container at the foot place of the rear seats or you can place it in under the passenger seat, where it may be convenient and accessible to all.
Shake off excess dirt from Floor Mats
Floor mats in the car can be dubbed as the dirtiest part of the interior as all the outside grime gets carried inside from our shoes. In order to avoid accumulating this dirt on the floor mats overtime, car owners should make it a practice to remove from the floor and shake them out thoroughly for the excess dirt to fall off.
Vacuum Out The Remaining Dirt
Car interior including seats and dashboard, which is made of quality material like leather, suede etc. are at times difficult to clean completely. No matter how many times you wipe it with a cloth, there is always going to be some dirt left in the corner of the seat or within the air conditioning vents.
To make sure that all the corners of your car interior are dirt free, you can use a home vacuum. This is a useful and easily accessible tool. By vacuuming the entire interior you are sure to get rid of any dirt that is otherwise unreachable.
Shampoo and Olive Oil for a polished finish
This tip may require some effort in terms of man power but it can surely get the work done better than anything else.
After you are done with vacuuming the interior, you should always follow up with a thorough shampooing of the seats. You can use diluted all-purpose cleaner, a sponge or scrub brush and washcloths. If you have leather seats in your car, you can finish off with a polish of olive oil. This will give it a polished finish. Nevertheless, this tip should be used with caution as too much can make the seats too slippery and oily. Always wipe dry afterwards.
Spotless Car Windows makes all the difference
All car owners know the importance and necessity of keeping their car windows, especially windshield clean, as they are the main access to the outside view. Overtime dirt can be accumulated on these windows that may not be easily wiped off with a simple cloth. Nevertheless, you can use a simple DIY for clean car windows.
Get a cup of water, ½ cup vinegar and ¼ alcohol and mix everything in a spray bottle. Clean the windows with this inexpensive, eco-friendly car window cleaning mixture.
Clean out your Wipers
No matter how clean your windshield is, if your wipers are not clean, it will make a dirty smear all over the window after use. You can make sure that your windshield wipers are clean by rubbing alcohol on the inside of the wipers which is in contact with the window during use.
Keep it smelling nice
One of the reasons why brand new cars are preferred is because of their distinct scent the welcomes you when you sit inside. It is at times quite intoxicating and refreshing. Nevertheless, it fades away over a period of time. However, that doesn’t mean it can’t be brought back. With a few inexpensive, everyday use ingredients, you can get your car smelling nice and fresh.
Get your magic on with a bit of baking soda, your choice of essential oils and a shaker bottle. Let the oil infuse in for 24 hours. You can sprinkle on your floor mats and then vacuum. This will allow a sweet smell fill your car interior.
These are some of the most inexpensive car cleaning tips that every car owner can and should use for their vehicle cleaning purposes.
