DIY Car Cleaning Hacks for Spring Cleaning and Maintenance

May 7, 2023

There’s never a bad time to do some Spring Cleaning! And that’s especially true if we’re talking about our vehicles, of course. We spend a lot of time on the go to and from work, school, activities, clubs, classes, and all sorts of other adventures. In fact, AAA says that American drivers spend about 17,600 minutes on average behind the wheel of a car. That’s a long time to be in there without cleaning, and even more frightening to learn more than 30% of drivers rarely clean their car. Did you know that there are about 700 different strains of bacteria living in your vehicle? Yikes! It’s a good thing Classic is here to help with our handy guide to DIY hacks for a cleaner, tidier vehicle!

A can of compressed air is your new best friend! This trusty and affordable tool will help you blast the dust and dirt from small crevices and hard to reach places such as your air vents.

A small crafters sponge brush can remove grime and grit from hard-to-clean areas. Found in the budget bins of dollar stores and craft stores, this budget friendly tool just needs a quick dip in your cleaner of choice, and then give it a swipe in hard-to-clean areas like the inside of your vents or cup holders. Alternatively, you can use a small cotton ball on a stick or a cotton swab.

A firm toothbrush does the heavy lifting to remove sticky substances and grime off of textured surfaces. Grab an old toothbrush or a no-name brand and go to town on those nooks and crannies and textured surfaces, lifting up the layers of crud out of every divet and bump in no time flat.

Head to your kitchen for this next surprisingly affordable tool: cooking spray oil! That’s right, this common household ingredient can help you easily lift away bug splatter and dead insects from your car’s paint with no damage. Just spray, wait a few seconds, and then gently wipe with a microfiber cloth and those bug corpses will be no more.

Create a DIY air freshener for a fraction of the cost of name brand options with laundry supplies and a mason jar. Got some scent beads in your laundry room? They make a great budget friendly air freshener in under 5 minutes. Poke small holes in the lid of a mason jar or recycled glass jar lid, or alternatively cut a piece of screen or mesh and take the outer ring of a canning jar lid to make a grate top. Shake some of the scent beads/balls (about ¼ cup should do), then affix your hole-poked liid, or lay your mesh over the jar opening and twist the outer ring on. This will allow airflow and scent to permeate the car with a fresh scent for weeks.

Get rid of pet hair in a pinch with this easy household tool hack! Grab a spray bottle with water and a small shower squeegee for this one. Spritz your seats and floor mats where the pet hair is gently with the water (don’t soak it, a light mist will do), and run the rubber edged squeegee along the upholstery. The pet hair will come up quickly and easily and you can throw it away or vacuum it up!

Oil stains got you down? We understand, but don’t despair! Cat lovers rejoice because you have this handy tool in your arsenal already. Completely cover the oil with kitty litter, and let it sit for at least 30 minutes for small oil spills, or overnight if it’s a large one. Sweep up the kitty litter after the allotted time, and then scrub the area with a bristle brush dipped in laundry detergent or dish detergent (Dawn works fabulously here!)

What common household items or products have you used for a DIY cleaning hack? Let us know in the comments!