You cannot ignore the eco-friendly trends in every industry and corner of the market – from what we put into our bodies to household cleaning products or how we wash our cars. Ongoing vehicle maintenance is a major advantage when it comes to not only keeping your car in mint condition but also when it comes to selling your car. Instead of environmentally friendly products costing a fortune, we have compiled some ‘green’ car cleaning hacks to keep your car looking as good as new – inside and out.
If you are selling your car, you should know that here at Weelee, green is our favourite colour. But we are taking ‘going green’ a step further with our eco-friendly car cleaning tips that will get you really excited as the products you need are probably already sitting in your kitchen cupboard.
So, in good conscience, you can sidestep the ‘magic car shampoo and polish’ salespeople at the local petrol station. We’re here to save you some cash when it comes to cleaning your vehicle and make you some extra cash if selling your car is on the cards.
The inside of the car
Often neglected, a car’s interior can very quickly resemble a dog’s breakfast or a pigsty. Weeks of takeaway containers tossed onto the backseat, dog hair, kids’ juice stains – we get it. These long-standing stains and mess can really affect the second-hand value of your car when selling (as well as your driving experience).
Not to worry – rubber gloves, a microfibre cloth, a spray bottle, bicarb, vinegar, lemon juice and olive/coconut oil are all the green cleaning hacks you need to keep your car’s interior squeaky clean and odour-free.
- If your car’s carpets and upholstery have strange smells – just sprinkle some bicarb on the surface and leave for 15-30 minutes and then vacuum. (Bicarb effectively absorbs the foul smells).
- To remove stains from the carpets and upholstery, sprinkle the stain with bicarb and mist with hot water. Let it fizz. Leave a damp cloth on top for about 3 hours and then brush away the stain. (For stubborn stains you may want to spray with white vinegar instead of water).
- A carrier oil – such as olive oil or coconut oil – mixed with lemon juice in a spray bottle is the perfect blend to naturally clean the leather interior of your car, your dashboard and any other hard surfaces. Just spray and wipe with a dry cloth. (If you really want to be fancy, add a few drops of your favourite essential oil to the mix). The result? A clean and fresh smelling car without the use of harmful chemicals.
- Removing pet hair from your car’s upholstery and the boot is as simple as donning kitchen rubber gloves and rubbing the hair into clumps and picking them up.
Beyond the fact that you will really enjoy driving in a clean car, a potential buyer or dealer will be suitably impressed on inspection and is likely to offer more when you decide to sell your car.
The outside of the car
There is nothing more satisfying than driving a shiny clean car. Our green exterior car cleaning hacks are so simple and effective. They will also pay off when it comes to selling your car.
- The wheels – shiny tyres and mags say that you really care about your car. All it takes to shine up your chrome rims/mags is to spray them with white vinegar and then rub off the excess with a microfibre cloth. For the tyres, wash with an environmentally friendly dishwashing liquid mixed in water and then rub on some castor oil for a super shine.
- The windows – vinegar once again comes to the rescue as a trusted green window cleaning hack. Just mix equal parts white vinegar and water, spray and wipe with newspaper. (It will also reduce the glare from the sun). The best way of cleaning bird droppings off the windscreen is using club soda. (The carbonation helps remove the uric acid). Leave for 60 seconds and then wipe off with a sponge.
- The grill – The downside of a road trip is the aftermath of thousands of insects that end up in the grill of your car. To get rid of these sticky pesky bugs, just mix 4 tablespoons bicarb in 1 litre of warm water and wash off in circular motions with a sponge. Rinse with water. (If you have a baby in the house, a few drops of eco-friendly baby shampoo and warm water will achieve the same results).
- The bonnet – bird dropping stains can be really stubborn! Bicarb comes to the rescue as a hero cleaning hack. In a spray bottle, mix 2-3 tablespoons bicarb with a drop of dishwashing liquid and hot water. Spray on the stains and leave for a few minutes. Using a hosepipe, spray off and wipe dry with a microfibre cloth. But for just general dirt and dust, the greenest cleaning hack is just to use clean water and a soft cloth. (If using a hosepipe to rinse your car – please be mindful of using water conservatively).
- The lights – for this green cleaning hack, you will need to head to the bathroom for toothpaste and a toothbrush. Add a little bicarb to an environmentally friendly toothpaste and rub it onto the surface of the headlight with a toothbrush. (Gel toothpaste will not work). Spray on some water and polish off with a paper towel. (Depending on the amount of oxidation and yellowness, you might need to do a few applications.).
If you are selling your car and really want to impress potential buyers, a fantastic green hack for waxing your car is mixing 2 parts olive oil with 1 part lemon juice. Rub onto the car with a soft cloth and then wax off with a dry buffing cloth.
Selling your car with Weelee
At Weelee, we have facilitated hundreds of thousands of customers selling their cars for the best cash price on our innovative online platform. First impressions always count and general car maintenance and looking after your car will always pay off when it comes to offers on your car. These simple and affordable green car cleaning hacks are all you need to maintain the general upkeep and look of your car. water