How to Keep your Car Sparkling on a Budget when You're Strapped for Time

If you're on a budget, strapped for time, and want to keep your vehicle looking new, I've got the perfect remedy for you. Detailing your own car is easy. Why pay $100 for someone else to do it when you can do it and keep it looking new for less than $20 in 20 minutes.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Armor All or Silicone
• Bug Off Spray or a similar cleaning agent
• Purple Power, Mean Green or similar cleaning agent
• Clean cloth-Old T-shirts work well
• $2-4 in cash

1. 
    

   This works best if you are on your way home after your car wash. Find a good automatic car wash. Don't forget to take these items with you. Typically these places can be found near gas station and range from about $2-4 for a basic car wash. If your car looks really rough, you may want to initially get a hand wash or buy the signature car wash through the automatic washer. These are typically the most expensive ones. The key is going through a car wash at least every 2 weeks (more if your car gets really dirty) for the average driving area.
   * Use the same steps to wash your car at home however, it may take more time.

2. Before driving your car through the automatic washer, spray the front with the bug off or similar cleaning agent. This gets rid of any bug residue you get while speeding on the interstate, etc.

3. Spray the purple power, mean green, or similar cleaning agent on your tires/rims, or any additional dirty areas on your vehicle. (Tip: Be careful not to leave these agents on too long because they can be damaging to your paint)

4. Drive through the car wash (make sure to follow directions at the car wash area).

5. After you've gotten through, with the clean cloth, dry off areas that the blower from the car wash may have missed. If you don't want to stay there, you can do the next items at home as the wind from driving will finish drying off your car (be careful for waters pots if you choose this option though)

6. Spray the armor all, or silicone on your tires. Rub them in with the clean cloth if you like but for a shiner appearance, just spray on and park vehicle for 30 minutes or more. Also don't forget to polish any needed areas on the outside of your vehicles to include foot boards/window seals/etc.

7. Thereafter, use the same cloth, or get a different one for the inside of your vehicle. Put armor all, or silicone throughout all leather/grained areas as desired inside your car. Make sure to run that house vacuum cleaner through your car or use the ones at the car wash if money allows. Spray some mean green on those stubborn spots in your carpets that's hard to get out and scrub them using a cloth.

8. Optional if needed: Wipe the windows with a dry paper towel or newspaper. This may take some energy but using agents on your window's causes streaks. The only thing I've found to work perfect is vinegar and water.

9. Your car should be sparkling clean. Do this as needed and you will never have to pay $100 for a detail ever again.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the same steps to wash your car at home.

[jl5080]

on 12/17/2008 Good ideas deyoncc. Does the vinegar smell stay in the car if you use it on the interior side of the windows?

[Psalmist4M]

on 11/4/2008 Good stuff...thank you for sharing. 5*s

[Kilogramm]

on 10/22/2008 These are a great set of tips!