Household Remedies for Cleaning, Repairing, or Maintaining Motorcars

[treehugger]

Seem to have sorted the windscreen, co op unscented baby wipes, clean kleenex, elbow grease, repeat about a dozen times. Yes I know it uses bought tissues n stuff but at least they start off clean, unlike owt else I get my hands on.

[shedenvy]

For two bucket wrong-uns types, i've heard but yet to try blue-tak as a clay bar alternative.  I've bought a meguiars clay bar kit for £15+ and very good it is too but i could probably do the same job for £2 of blue-tak and a squirt of shampoo in a squirty water bottle.

 

+1 for Mr Muscle in VAG VNT turbos.  This really does work if only a temporary improvement. 

 

Regarding swarfega alternatives, I use salt/olive oil/ fairy liquid equal parts unless i've got cuts, then I substitute sugar for salt.  The resulting emulsion is better at removing oil.  Caster sugar is best at getting into the prints of your hands.  Many of the bags in the missus' cake ingredient cupboard have black fingerprints on.

 

Fairy liquid and water mix for showing up boost leaks.

 

Lighter gas to show up vacuum leaks.

[sierraman]

Elbow Grease from Poundland is ace at degreasing engines. Only a quid as well needless to say.

[Timewaster]

Elbow Grease from Poundland is ace at degreasing engines. Only a quid as well needless to say.

Real?

 

Or see how many mugs I can get to go in Poundland and ask for elbow grease?

 

I hear their tartan paint is good but the long weights aren't long enough.

[TataBobu]

Peanut butter is supposed to be good on grey plastic bumpers and trim; I've yet to try it though!

 

Over here the legend goes it's easiest with a heat gun, set low enough not to melt or warp it.

[sierraman]

Real?

 

Or see how many mugs I can get to go in Poundland and ask for elbow grease?

 

I hear their tartan paint is good but the long weights aren't long enough.

No I’m not joking. It’s the best stuff for degreasing stuff, works on anything, gets shut of stains on fabrics but cuts through engine oil no bother. Doesn’t even need to soak. Non solvent as well.

[sierraman]

https://www.poundstretcher.co.uk/elbow-grease-all-purpose-degreaser-500ml

[fordperv]

Real?

 

Or see how many mugs I can get to go in Poundland and ask for elbow grease?

 

I hear their tartan paint is good but the long weights aren't long enough.

It is a genuine product, iirc they also sell it in the range for a quid as well

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elbow-Greese-500ml-Purpose-Greaser/dp/B003JSRS9G

[stonedagain]

Elbow Grease from Poundland is ace at degreasing engines. Only a quid as well needless to say.

I used this to clean the rear brake drums & backplates on Mrs Stonedagain's Polo when the wheel cylinders pissed brake fluid all over the place. Just work it in with a paint brush & rinse off with clean water.

[martc]

Over here the legend goes it's easiest with a heat gun, set low enough not to melt or warp it.

 

Romania, yesterday...

 

[oldcars]

Newspaper for cleaning glass. It works well.

[oldcars]

Any tips for getting this off? I think it's sun cream. Tried t cut etc but it just keeps coming back. Must have been on for 5 or 6 years now.

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Needs cut back, something like Meguiars ultimate compound should do it. Can be used by hand or machine.

[vulgalour]

Do you know what, I've never found newspaper to be any good at cleaning glass at all.  It's something to do with the ink used, older papers used an ink that did help clean the glass, new ones don't, so I wouldn't put any store by newspaper as a glass cleaning remedy now.

[pauldoubleyou]

So I read that olive oil restores dash plastics, and watched a YouTube video on it

 

The comments were full of people ripping into the lad but with the state of the Combo dash I though why not.

 

Light dusting of rapeseed oil then wiped off and I have a really shiny dash, no residue and no smell. Give it a go, it works quite well.

 

I think it’s almost like a nicer back to black.

 

 

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[stormee]

Oven spray is my weapon of choice for cleaning wheels and everything nicotine-stained. Roof liners, white furniture...

[robinmasters]

If you've a snapped off telescopic radio antenna (car or domestic wireless is fine) and wondered what to do with it, you can epoxy glue a fridge magnet to the end to retrieve 10mm sockets from the depths of the engine bay.  You can also buy this contraption cheaply online, of course, but if you've got the bits lying around, that's how you make one.

 

If someone has snapped off your telescopic radio antenna you can of course replace it with a wire coat hanger, but we all know about that one.

 

Done that. What do I replace my coat hanger with?

[stonedagain]

Done that. What do I replace my coat hanger with?

A big nail!

[Junkman]

Smeared glass is a pain in the bum and if it's a particularly bad case you will need to get drastic.  You can use regular glass spray cleaner though you may need to go through a lot of clean cloths to get it all off.  For a cheat, a small amount of cellulose thinners on a paper towel wiped over the whole screen will shift whatever is on there quicker but you will then need to clean as normal afterwards to keep it clean.  Some cars are particularly bad for soiling their own windscreen through the vents and need cleaning on a very regular basis.  Occupants who smoke or vape will also make the screen dirty very quickly.

 

Ideally you want to be cleaning the screen on the inside once a month as a minimum.  A simple regime of a clean cloth (doesn't have to be microfibre, but that is usually best for glass, an old tee-shirt will do) and a squirt of household window cleaning spray at the end of your working week should be enough to keep it clean all the time.  Do not be tempted to keep a cloth in the car and reuse it for cleaning the screen, that should only be used for demisting if required and chucked in the washing machine at the end of the week, otherwise you're just smearing dirt on and off the glass.

 

The biggest reasons windscreens are smeared is simply that they aren't cleaned often enough and when they are cleaned, it's usually with a cloth that isn't actually clean, which exacerbates things.  You will find if it's stubborn stuff you may have to clean it more regularly at first just to cut back through the grime to the glass, once you get it clean it's much easier to keep it that way.

 

 

The GGG, famous for their screens filtering all but the bare minimum information density required for driving, had this discussion the other day while admiring Squire Dawson's glass cleanliness. Then we watched him polishing his windows at a show and realised, that if you want clean glass, you actually have to clean it.

Since then we have done a sterling job suppressing this valuable piece of insight.

[Junkman]

Oven spray is my weapon of choice for cleaning wheels and everything nicotine-stained. Roof liners, white furniture...

 

I would keep it off the wheels as much as I can. Oven cleaner destroys the protective varnish and thus encourages the wheels to oxidise with remarkable enthusiasm.

In fact, I'd keep anything that contains acid and/or salt as far away from a car as possible. This includes most washing up liquids and household cleaners.

They don't make stuff especially formulated for cars for the sheer heck of it. But stay away from the shit sold to the unwashed public. Always go for what the trade uses.

[Bren]

Washer bottle stinks of rotten eggs? Zoflora will make it better.

[martc]

I would keep it off the wheels as much as I can. Oven cleaner destroys the protective varnish and thus encourages the wheels to oxidise with remarkable enthusiasm.

In fact, I'd keep anything that contains acid and/or salt as far away from a car as possible. This includes most washing up liquids and household cleaners.

They don't make stuff especially formulated for cars for the sheer heck of it. But stay away from the shit sold to the unwashed public. Always go for what the trade uses.

 Alkali in the case of oven cleaner - but the same sentiments apply.

[inconsistant]

Any tips for getting this off? I think it's sun cream. Tried t cut etc but it just keeps coming back. Must have been on for 5 or 6 years now.

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

 

That does look like suncream. I think it seems to affect silver and grey cars the most for some reason. 

 

From experience I'd recommend Autoglym Super Resin Polish. Our suncream had been on the car (dark grey Volvo) for about 5 years. I spent ages looking o the internet at detailing and general car type forums and lots of suggestions but no one coming back to say they worked. You might have to apply the SRP 2 or 3 times but ours has almost completely gone now, only faint traces if you know where to look.

[inconsistant]

Peanut butter is supposed to be good on grey plastic bumpers and trim; I've yet to try it though!

 

 

Doesn't work, at least not on black plastic trim... I've tried it on the rear spoiler of the 924 and other black plastic trim bits. Well, only half of it. I thought I'd do a test on one half and see what difference it made. Within a couple of weeks you couldn't tell the difference between the peanut butter side and the done nothing to it side. I use Autoglym Bumper and Trim Gel now, it works well and lasts ages.

 

 

And no, I don't have connections to Autoglym, I just find these work. I hate the tippy over thin bottles though and I wish there was a household remedy that's better!

[Uncle Jimmy]

There's some residue from a sticker on the rear screen of the Saab that I've been meaning to deal with for ages.

Hummmm.

[Rusty_Rocket]

I think it has been said above but boiled linseed oil is really good at being 'bumper black'.  The bumper ends on my Discovery are (were) the worst, dismal, faded, scuffed pieces a junk over to grace a motor vehicle!  But a good application of BLO and they look great.

It lasts for weeks/ months and doesn't streak in the rain.  I apply it quite thickly, let it sit for 10 mins and then buff off the excess with some kitchen roll (don't tell the wife)

[Uncle Jimmy]

White enamel paint works effectively to produce a high end 'whitewall' look for tyres on your Austin America or similar.

Stick on vinyl sheet of the sort that used to be used for drawer bottoms in your grannies kitchen can make a very good imitation 'Webasto' roof for your MGB to make your neighbours jealous.

[richardmorris]

Seen that stuff used to get the dust out from around all the buttons and switchgear, kinda like a putty/gel; I wonder if silly putty, blu tack or plasticine would work as well.

Kiwi boot polish if often far better for leather seats than any overpriced proprietary car leather care products.

I concur that vinegar and a bit of soapy water makes a great glass cleaner.

 

I’ve got that green ectoplasm-it does actually work and get bits from around airvents and window switches.

[richardmorris]

My only home remedy tip, which I saw used by mike brewer on his original trading up show was using a disposable razor to get rid of bobbles on cloth seats. It really does work.

[paulplom]

My step dad used to use a large hacksaw blade to comb his greyhounds in the 70's. Very effective.

[oldcars]

Do you know what, I've never found newspaper to be any good at cleaning glass at all.  It's something to do with the ink used, older papers used an ink that did help clean the glass, new ones don't, so I wouldn't put any store by newspaper as a glass cleaning remedy now.

I have not done it since about 1992, did'nt know it was no use now.