Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
How to Remove Tree Sap From Your Car. Every holiday has its drawbacks. At Halloween, it's broken, rotting pumpkins on the streets; at Fourth of July, it's firecrackers that scare the cats. At Christmas, it's that sticky, smelly stuff that oozes out of trees. Here's how to clean up your car when you get home from the tree lot.
Driving back from a day at the beach and your car gets slapped with bug after bug. It looks like something out of a horror movie! Here's how to get those insects off your windows and car exterior.
If your car has been the target of some neighborhood pranksters, act quickly to wash it off. It takes about two hours for dried egg to damage the finish of a car.
You can remove even the worst smells with the right product. The sooner you clean the area, the easier it is to remove lingering odors.
While you might think of your vehicle as simply a means to get from point A to point B, in reality it's a portable household with everything you need and want while you're on the go. Setting up regular routines to maintain your abode on wheels will keep you humming happily down the road.
If you smoke, you're not likely to notice the cigarette odors in your car, but if you're a non-smoker and inherited a car from "two-packs-a-day" Aunt Ginny, the smell might drive you crazy. Here's how to remove it.
The odor of spoiled milk is traditionally very difficult to remove. Fortunately, there are some relatively simple (and inexpensive) solutions. The sooner you clean the smelly spot, the greater your chances of restoring a fresh scent to your house-on-wheels.
Left the windows open in a rainstorm? The resulting mildew not only stinks--it can be indicative of mold in your vehicle. Getting at the source is the first step in returning your car's interior to its pre-shower state.
Spilled coffee is a fact of life in today's world of morning commutes through the urban jungle. These instructions are for cloth upholstery. If you have leather upholstery, use a commercial leather cleaner/restorer.
You may have noticed that cleaning rims on cars can be very tough and time consuming. Cleaning rims on your car is hard work but if you take the proper steps and use the best tools it can be easy.
Tree sap is one of the most common stains that occur on a vehicle exterior. It is sticky and turns black over time making your car seem more dirty than it really is. It may seem a daunting task to remove the tree sap, but it can be really easy. There are two ways you can clean tree sap from your vehicle using everyday household items. Follow these simple steps and start removing tree sap from your vehicle today:
Rust damage can bring down the resale value of a car quickly and dramatically, and it's important to nip it in the bud when it's a small problem and an easy repair. Here are some easy tips for repairing that rust damage on your car or truck.
A leather interior gives a luxurious look and feel to any vehicle. It feels great to the skin and looks great, too. There is a downside, however. Leather can very easily be stained by dirt and oil from the skin. Letting these kinds of stains sit for too long can damage your leather interior. Use the following steps to eliminate these stains and keep your leather looking great.
The dashboard and console are two of the most-seen parts of your vehicle, so it makes since that you would want to keep them clean. Many people don't know the correct way to clean their dashboard and console-they just wipe them with a paper towel. But there are specific ways of cleaning and protecting your dashboard and console so that they'll stay in good condition and look great all the way down the road.
Nothing makes your car shine like a good wash, wax and detail job on the inside and out. But what about under the hood? This is the most forgotten area to cleaned on a vehicle. After spending hours washing the outside of your car and another few hours detailing the interior, your car still won't be totally clean until you detail the engine bay.
Phew, there is nothing that stinks more than the smell of vomit in the car. It probably seems like you have tried everything. Getting rid of that odor seems virtually impossible, but it can be done. Just follow these instructions and you can get remove that vomit odor from your car.
With the right cleaning products and appliances, you can clean the inside of your car and make it look just like the way it was when you bought it. Follow these steps.
Today's mini-van does more than just move families. They are mobile offices, restaurants, locker rooms, waiting areas and homework stations. Here are a few helpful tips to help you organize your mini-home away from home.
Do you need to clean your car ceiling, but you fear that the end result will be you swatting at drooping material as you drive? Cleaning the ceiling of your car can be tricky, but it is doable with a measure of patience and caution. Here are some tips to keep the ceiling as clean as the rest of the car interior.
Chrome can enhance the look of cars, trucks, home appliances and other decor. Dirty chrome is dull and gray, while clean chrome has a mirror-like shine that makes it look brand new again. Learn how to shine chrome by following these simple steps.
Face it: your car may not smell as nice as you think. Cars are kept outside and even though the inside of your car is not exposed directly to the elements, it is subjected to heat and humidity. There is no need to purchase expensive car deodorizers to eliminate odors in your car. Common fabric softening sheets are a cost-effective way to keep your car smelling fresh.
When the surface of another car scrapes or rubs against your car, the paint from the other car may be left behind on your car’s surface. The paint stands out against your car’s surface and looks unattractive. Removing paint usually takes harsh chemicals that also damage the paint on your car. There is a safe way to remove someone else’s paint from your car in just a short amount of time without harming your car’s paint.
Many of us practically live in our cars. We are always on the way somewhere, so we take our drinks with us. It is annoying to have all that moisture building up in the cup holder of the car as it makes a real mess. Here are a few tips to cut down on the moisture in the car cup holder, or to get rid of the mess all together.
Making your own car wax is easy to do and will eliminate any chemicals that may be in commercial car wax. Waxing your car with this homemade item not only makes the car look beautiful with its new shine, it also helps to protect the car's finish from the burning rays of the sun and inclement weather.
Part of the exhilarating experience of riding a motorcycle is feeling the wind on your face as you cruise along, seeing the wonderful scenery of the world passing by. When bugs and dirt plaster that shiny motorcycle windshield, knowing how to properly clean it will ensure years of clear riding ahead.
Cigarette smoke permeates every fiber of the materials used in the interior of your car, including the upholstery, floor mats, carpeting and the plastic console and fixtures. This smell can linger long after a driver or passenger has stopped smoking. The smell of smoke proves difficult to remove, and a car interior is unlike a smoky-smelling sweater, which you could conveniently discard in the garbage; however, diligent and repeated cleaning can remove the odor of cigarette smoke from your car's interior.
Had grease monkey working in/on your car? Did he leave a souvenir from the repair? Greasy grimy footprints on the carpet or a grease stain on the seat can easily be removed if you know how to do it. I've cleaned up a few nasties with this process.
Keeping a car clean requires special attention to a wide range of details. Polishing wheels, clearing brake dust, waxing the body and getting rid of built-up dirt and debris are all equally important elements of your car's exterior maintenance schedule. Road tar can be especially difficult to deal with, but with the right plan and a common household sandwich spread, you can break it down and get rid of it. Cleaning tar off your car takes a little hard work, but is otherwise straightforward.
Is your car trunk a terrible mess? If you're like a lot of us, you let it go for too long and got used to sifting through to find what you need. It may be easier than you thought to get this aspect of your life in order, depending on how much time you have and how much of your trunk load you can find other homes for. Take a thorough approach, and you won't have to worry about it again for at least a couple of weeks.
Life with a baby often brings messes to every corner of life, and her car seat is no exception. Spilled beverages, bits of food and spit-up can all wreak havoc on a car seat. In order to make the seat last, it's important to keep it clean.
Cleaning of any kind can be daunting. However, it is important to do, especially in spaces that we frequent often, such as our cars. In order to clean your car's interior quickly, efficiently, and without unnecessary headaches and hassles, follow the prescribed steps below.
I don't know about anyone else but I am tired of buying those air freshener trees which seem to be the only affordable option for keeping your car smelling nice and clean. Every time I go into the car freshener isle at the store I see twenty different new fangled gadgets and every one of them, no matter how expensive they are fade after a week. From now on I'm using this instead....
Clay Bar has become a commonplace addition to a car enthusiast's toolbox, as it removes the damage to a vehicle's finish due to harsh pollutants that burn right through conventional protectants. Invisible pollutants such as industrial fallout, car exhaust and oxidation from acid rain, along with visible impurities like road tar, tree sap and insect residue, can irreversibly damage a new finish in a few short years.
While there's no substitute for a good wash and wax to keep a car looking new, in between you might just need a good dusting to gently remove dirt and keep your paint shiny. Special car dusters do the job in minutes with no environmental impact.
The rims on your car get covered in road grime and brake dust every time you go for a drive. Brake dust is made of tiny metal shavings, carbon fibers and adhesive material from the brake pads. Letting brake dust sit on your rims leads to corrosion, pits and rust on the surface. Car soap gets some of the road grime off, but it won't remove stubborn stains caused by the brake dust. Clean the car's rims correctly by adding just a few minutes to your regular car-washing schedule.
The gleam of a pristine chromium finish is an attractive addition to almost any possession. Appreciation for the shiny stuff may be most heart-felt among auto and motorcycle enthusiasts. Car collectors treasure mirrored surfaces of bumpers and grilles, while elaborate motorcycles are said to be dripping with chrome. Automotive paste wax may be a suitable means to protect new finishes, but more stringent measures are necessary to restore the lost luster of more weathered adornments. Surface rust, light crazing, and milky hazes are easily removed by proper polishes and a little "elbow grease."
Convertible tops made of fabric or vinyl combine great engineering with visual elegance, but daily vehicle use leaves them dirty and soiled. Regular cleaning preserves the appearance of convertible tops, but using the wrong protection on the wrong materials leaves unsightly smears. Rubbing a small amount of water into the convertible top identifies fabric or vinyl roofs easily. Fabric absorbs water but vinyl repels it.
The growth of mold or mildew in cars is not uncommon, especially in warm, damp and humid storage or weather conditions. Cleaning may temporarily mask the accompanying odors, but mold and mildew flourish in areas not easily accessed by vacuums and cleaners. Ozone is a naturally occurring product of oxygen in the atmosphere and a powerful sterilizing agent. Professional car detailers and dealerships commonly use ozone generators to remove odors and bacteria from car interiors. Though these generators can be an expensive purchase, they are available at equipment and tool rental centers.
The paint that the Department of Transportation uses to paint lines on the roads is not the same type of paint used to paint your car. The road paint will stick to your car if you drive through it on the street. The road paint will dry on your car's painted surface and eventually chip off, taking the paint off your car in the process. If you recently got road paint on your car, use supplies from an auto parts store to remove the paint in under an hour.
A filthy car is unappealing, and dirt and road grime can harm your car's finish. Automatic car washes make it easy to keep your car clean. A quick stop at a car wash bay or center gets you back on the road without spending much time, effort or money.
You were driving along and didn't see the orange cones warning you to stay off a certain section of the freshly line-painted street. Then you got home and noticed paint caked on the side of your car from the fresh road paint. This is no easy job, removing road paint, without taking off the car's finish as well. You want to stay away from lacquer removers and try some easier products first. After you do get the paint off, make sure to get the car washed and waxed to remove any trace elements of cleaner or road paint.
Make your work area safe for buffing a car and learn how with tips from our expert car mechanic in this free auto-maintenance video.
Identify buffer parts when buffing a car and learn how with tips from our expert car mechanic in this free auto-maintenance video on car waxing.
Practice electrical safety when using a buffer to buff a car and learn how with tips from our expert car mechanic in this free auto-maintenance video.
There are specific safety rules when using a buffer to buff a car and learn tips from our expert car mechanic in this free auto-maintenance video on car waxing.
Apply polish to the buffer's application bonnet when buffing a car and learn how with tips from our expert car mechanic in this free auto-maintenance video on car waxing.
Apply polish to a car surface when buffing a car and learn how with tips from our expert car mechanic in this free auto-maintenance video on car waxing.
Polish a car surface with a buffer when buffing a car and learn how with tips from our expert car mechanic in this free auto-maintenance video on car waxing.
If you want to sweeten the air in your vehicle, you can shell out for those commercial fresheners. Or you can make your own freshener from household items.
When you plan to paint your bumper, you need to do many of the same things that you do when you paint the rest of your car. You need to take certain steps before you get started. For instance, the bumper needs a thorough cleaning to ensure that the paint job comes out flawless. Here's what you need to do.
If your auto's floor mats are looking a little worse for wear, if they have a layer or two of dirt and grime, or if you've spilled your coffee or soda on then too many times, don't rush out and buy a pair of expensive new mats. They can be cleaned to look nearly like new with a little soap and a lot of elbow grease.
You've washed and scrubbed the outside of your car, so now it's time to tackle the inside. Start with the dashboard area of the car, as that's where so much dust and dirt shows up. Use the following steps to guide you to a dashboard that's so squeaky clean, any car owner would be proud of it.
If you've ever driven down the road and wondered just what you're smelling, you're not alone. We use our cars every single day, so they have plenty of opportunity to pick up a musty or foul smell. Luckily, you can get rid of it.
There are different squeegees available for your automotive or household cleaning needs. They all offer time savings and great results with the proper use. Squeegees are readily available in many shops, stores and through online car wash accessory companies.
If you are going to take the time and effort to wash and wax your car, vacuum and clean all the windows and dashboards, add a few extra minutes to detail the side door panels. It is an area most neglected by car owners. Follow these steps to get thoroughly clean ride.
Winter weather brings snow along with an abundance of salt that embeds in the carpet of the car. Don't worry about the carpet being ruined. Follow the techniques below to completely remove the irritating stain.
You don't need expensive cleaners or harsh chemicals to clean your car. From the upholstery to the exterior, there are green cleaning products you can use to get your car looking and smelling like new again, and many of them are probably in your home.
When it comes time to wash you car, special care should be given to the textured plastic trim. It takes more than regular car wash shampoo to thoroughly clean textured trim. If you want the trim to look as good as new, heed some of these tips. One or more is bound to work to clean the textured plastic trim on your car.
Yellow, cloudy and dull headlights all have something in common – they provide low visibility at night. Besides making your headlights look old and dingy, headlights with oxidation cut down on the brightness of the lights and actually block some of the light emitting from the headlights. Oxidation buildup occurs on plastic headlights from the sun and weather over time. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on replacing your headlights. Remove oxidation from plastic headlights for under fifty dollars in your own driveway.
Dogs are some of the most lovable creatures in the world, and despite flaws like excessive slobbering, pet owners around the world are happy to share their car with their dog. After the ride is over, the problem is that slimy film left on the car windows. Try these techniques to get rid of dog saliva and never let anything get in the way of another ride with Fido again.
Use this all natural formula to keep all your engines running more efficiently and reduce buildup of oil and grease.
Everyone gets it on their vehicle at one time or another... that dreaded tar! It seems nothing can clean it off. It just smears and sticks with you forever - but take heart, it's actually an easy fix if you know what to use to remove the tar from your car.
Bumper and car stickers always seem to leave glue on the car or window on which they were placed. Cleaning agents, knives and other products often can't get the glue off. You'll need an alternative strategy to remove the mess.
Detailing the carpet of your vehicle is not hard, but it takes hard work. With cleaning tools and products almost every home has, you can give the floor of your car the make over it deserves in a couple of hours.
Whether from a sudden rain storm or the neighbor's sprinklers, water marks are to an automobile body what acne is to a teenager's skin. They're unsightly, embarrassing and, if left untreated, can damage the underlying layer. Many people don't realize that if water marks sit on a car for a week or more, they can actually etch into the paint job. But with work, you can remove these unsightly spots.
Many areas in the United States are under heavy water restrictions, which is why it is helpful to know how to wash your car without water.
Ideally, you should wax your car two times a year. It helps keep it looking new and ensures that dirt and wet weather will not leave permanent makings on your car.
The valve covers on many cars is what you first see when you look into the engine bay, so why not have them looking their best. Over time the surface may rust and they can discolor looking worn and beat, but with various paint colors to choose from, you can really create a custom look or maybe match them up with the color of your car!This job is best done with the valve cover removed from the car, although it can be done while the cover is still on the car. If you remove the cover, be sure to replace…
The leather covering your car's seats is a very porous material that absorbs liquids such as ink very quickly. When ink hits a leather surface, it soaks into the leather in the same manner that the leather had absorbed its original dye. This holds especially true for aniline leather, which has not been treated by manufacturers with a protective surface coating. Ink stains on car leather seats can range from an easily treatable pen mark to a large blotch that threatens to ruin your car's interior. A quick response and careful cleaning can keep your vehicle's leather from suffering permanent…
Sometimes you have to eat in the car out of necessity. So you stop at a place to grab some food, jump in your car and go. However, you can eat in the car without making a mess as long as you apply simple rules.
Trying to keep a car clean--especially if you are using it to transport your children or if your teenagers are driving it--can be an ongoing task. Even if you are the only one using your car, you may find that you have to vacuum it often (or that you should). It's fairly easy to keep your car clean with the right technique.
When washing your car, remember to make it shine and a good wax application only goes so far. You must buff that polish to perfection. While you are at it, rub out any scratches as well. If you learn to buff your car correctly, you'll achieve that perfect shine every time.
Well-polished chrome will add a great look to a car. In this free video clip, learn how to wash chrome and detail your car like an expert.
Battery cables can get greasy and grimy. In this free video clip, learn how to clean battery cables and detail your car like an expert.
Car engines need to be cleaned to perform at their best. In this free video clip, learn how to wash and detail your car like an expert.
Everyone looks at a car's dashboard. In this free video clip, learn how to wash and detail your car like an expert.
Cars with leather seats need to be cleaned well. In this free video clip, learn how to wash and detail your car like an expert.
A car with clean rims instantly looks better. In this free video clip, learn how to wash and detail your car like an expert.
Don't just shampoo carpet. Shampoo floor mats as well! In this free video clip, learn how to wash and detail your car like an expert.
Shampoo is for carpet in cars now too! In this free video clip, learn how to wash and detail your car like an expert.
The area under a car's hood can get very dirty. In this free video clip, learn how to wash and detail your car like an expert.
Car windows show dirtiness the most. In this free video clip, learn how to wash and detail your car like an expert.
If you take pride in your car, preferring to detail it yourself, and keep it exquisitely clean, why not add a personal care touch with your very own homemade, natural wax? Here’s a simple recipe for an all-natural car wax that will bring out a deep, brand-new car shine in your ride.
With the busy life that you lead today, you spend more and more time in your car. However, the design of the car is unequipped for such a long period of occupancy. These two factors combine to make for a messy car. If you can learn to properly clean your car, you can make those long hours spent in the car much more bearable.
As brake dust accumulates on your aluminum wheels, it can become baked into the finish causing pitting and scaring damage that may require the replacement of the rims. Removing brake dust before it has a chance to meld with the polish of your wheels will help prevent costly repairs and keep your aluminum wheels looking as good as new.
Painting your car can cost hundreds of dollars and can be easily messed up. Many people don't know how to treat their cars after a new paint job. You don't want to mess up a four or five hundred dollar paint just because you washed it the wrong way.
Keeping bugs from ruining the look of your brand-new car can be quite a nuisance. Bugs are a problem in every climate and region, but they pose specific problems for an RV owner. The sheer amount of time spent on the road and the wide variety of bug habitats visited can leave your RV's front looking like an entymology project! When it comes to battling the bugs, the best defense is a good offense. Several products that help to repel bugs and make their removal easier are discussed below.
Over time, plastic headlights can become quite dirty and even cloudy due to oxidation. The good news is they are very easy to clean. If you have been neglecting your car’s plastic headlights, here are the steps you need to take to get them clean.
If your home, office, car or anywhere else you frequent reeks of cigarettes, you can remove the offensive odor. Bamboo charcoal is the remedy. Bamboo charcoal eliminates odors by extracting humidity from the air and changing this moisture into negative ions that reverse stale air in indoor settings. You can find this charcoal in health stores or specialty supermarkets.
Cigarette smoke is probably one of the most difficult odors to get rid of. If you are a smoker, then the odor probably doesn’t bother you. But to those who do not smoke, the smell is very apparent and it is even worse when the odor is in a car. Here are a few tips that should eliminate or at the very least greatly reduce the cigarette odor from your car.
There is nothing worse than the smell of vomit, especially when it is in an enclosed area such as a car. The smell seems to linger no matter how well you clean it. There are some things you can do to eliminate the odor. Follow the steps below so you can breathe a little better.
Unpleasant odors in your vehicle can make you and your passengers miserable, especially on long commutes. Auto detailing can be expensive, but it is not very difficult or time consuming to make your car smell like you just drove it off the lot.
The Acura RSX is built to be very easy on the eyes. Unfortunately, sometimes their aluminum rims can get scuffed and dirty. When this happens, it is important to clean them properly. If your rims are clear coated or painted, using the wrong cleaning substance can result in unintentional damange. This article will outline the steps necessary to clean the aluminum rims of an RSX.
It's not just a Jeep thing. SUVs with a soft (or rag) top also need a little extra care to protect them from the elements. If you're looking to get top dollar at resale time, or you just want to extend the life of your rag top and keep it looking its best, use these tips.
Fish smells can be some of the hardest odors to eliminate, especially once they have attached themselves to the upholstery of your car. Quick action is the best thing you can do to ensure your car is not permanently tainted with the smell of rotting fish. Follow the steps listed in this article to learn how to get rid of fish smells in the car.
Paint overspray can ruin the appearance of your car, but fortunately it is fairly easy to remove as long as it isn't severe. Whether your car was parked outside of a body shop, a building that was being painted, or if you got the overspray on your car from making a repair, you can remove the paint overspray yourself.
Bedbugs are a nocturnal insect that feeds on warm-blooded creatures such as humans and pets. They infest carpets and upholstery and hide in whatever cracks or small areas they can during the day. They come out at night and engorge themselves on what blood they can before retreating back to their hiding places. Bedbugs can infest any area that has carpet or upholstery, including your vehicle.
Water spots typically caused from acid rain can show up on any car window, new or old, and if they don't come clean by using your favorite glass cleaner, you can resort to a tougher cleaning compound. There is an easy way to remove those spots and get your windows looking clean and new again.
If you have a tendency to take your dog riding in your car, he or she may have left behind an odor as a reminder of their car ride. Wet dogs, especially, leave an odor that is overpowering and obnoxious. If you’ve ever been caught in the rain with a dog, chances are that your car reeks of a wet pet smell. There are many solutions to absorbing this odor and they won’t break the bank.
If a person accidently vomits in your car, the smell can stick around no matter how much you try to clean it up. When the vomit settles into the fibers of the carpeting and upholstery, there is almost always bacteria and food particles that are left behind. As the heat rises in the vehicle and the air becomes stagnant, odors can resurface causing embarrassment and sensitivity to the scents that you thought you had removed. By using some all natural products instead of commercialized items that may carry heavy perfumes, you can rid the smell from you car by using…
