Isn’t it rewarding and refreshing to travel in a clean car? Well, of course! Who would want to travel with bird poop splatters on a car’s exterior or food stains on the car seats? After all, car cleaning products are now available almost everywhere, and car wash attendants usually do a good job.
However, you should consider making your own homemade car wash soap because it is cheaper and safer and you’ll know exactly what substances are in your car wash solution.
Here, we have listed some amazing tricks to make your DIY car wash soap, as well as tips on how to give your beloved car a good bath.
- Top Ways to Make Your Own Homemade Car Wash Solution
- How to Make a Homemade Car Wash Solution for General Use
- How to Make a Car Window Cleaner and Windshield Cleaner
- How to Clean Bird Poop, Tar, and Sap off Your Vehicle
- How to Make a Car Carpet and Car Floor Mat Cleaner
- How to Clean Muddy Cars and Off-Road Vehicles
- Why Use DIY Car Wash Solution?
- Recipe for Homemade Car Wash Soap
Top Ways to Make Your Own Homemade Car Wash Solution
Were you aware that using a wrong cleaning solution can damage the body of the car? Did you know that some commercial cleaning products consist of chemicals that can do more harm than good for your vehicle?
To get the car cleaning results that you want, you need to know what goes into your car washing solution − by making your own DIY headlight cleaner to effectively wash your car.
How to Make a Homemade Car Wash Solution for General Use
Before washing your car using any cleaning products, check if they are appropriate for your vehicle first. An old car may require you to use a different homemade car wash solution with a polishing recipe, while a new car doesn’t need one because it may still have a clear coat on the car’s surface.
To use this recipe, mix the soap in a bucket of warm water and use it to soap your car. Then, rinse it properly with cold water. This recipe is safe even for new cars because it is formulated with a mild soap mixture. It won’t remove dried wax from the car and will keep the paint job looking shiny and new.
How to Make a Car Window Cleaner and Windshield Cleaner
A great way to clean car windows is to create a DIY car wash cleaner that has an acidic ingredient such as vinegar. An acidic solution is useful because most stains have alkaline pH levels.
Pour cold water and vinegar in a large spray bottle. Add the liquid dish detergent. As soon as your windshield or windows show water spots and dirt marks, take out your solution and spritz it on the glass. You can use a soft cloth if you don’t have microfiber towels to wipe them clean afterward.
This is a great solution to use after you remove tint from car windows to eliminate leftover residue and make your windows sparkle again. Keep a bottle on hand to use when your windshield shows streaking or spots.
How to Clean Bird Poop, Tar, and Sap off Your Vehicle
Being splattered with tree sap and bird poop is not uncommon especially if you are parking near mature trees. With birds seeking shelters in branches and leaves, it doesn’t take much thought to why your car exterior sometimes harbors bird poop.
If this happens, we advise not to let the poo sit a long time so it won’t cause extensive damage to your car’s paint.
How to remove tree sap from a car or get rid of bird poop is easy with this simple recipe. In a bucket of water, pour the liquid dishwashing detergent and baking soda. Stir to mix them thoroughly.
Then, pour the bird poop cleaner and tar remover recipe over the splatters and let it soak for a couple of minutes to soften the bird poop, tar, or sap.
Stains that are particularly stubborn may need a little rubbing with an old rag or sponge. The baking soda will neutralize the acidity of the dish soap, making it safe for your car’s surface.
Use a separate bucket of rinsing water to avoid your cleaning cloth to trap soapy water and to allow proper rinsing. Ideally, you should wash your car one section at a time to prevent the car soap from drying on your car paint.
How to Make a Car Carpet and Car Floor Mat Cleaner
Car floor mats and rugs are prone to stains from spilled drinks, food crumbs, and mud from shoes. During winter, they even take heavier soiling and staining.
But, you don’t need to buy commercial car carpet shampoo. Instead, with some household products you have at home, you can make a homemade car wash soap for your car mats.
Mix the ingredients in a spray bottle. Sprinkle the homemade car wash solution on the carpet or mats and let it sit for a few minutes. This solution is also just the ticket for how to clean car seats that have accumulated stains and sweat.
Use it as a DIY couch cleaner, too. For heavily soiled floor mats, if you want to clean them thoroughly, remove them and soak them in a basin with the same recipe.
How to Clean Muddy Cars and Off-Road Vehicles
When it comes to cleaning cars, washing a muddy, off-road vehicle with just a basic car wash soap, is difficult. So, for your car maintenance, here is a formula to make your own car wash soap. This also works well as an RV wash solution for your camper.
There is nothing complicated about how this DIY car wash soap works. The homemade detergent and the dishwashing soap will take care of the mud and grime from your vehicle. Mix all of the ingredients in a bucket of water to soap up your car.
After soaping, rinse with cold water using a garden hose or a separate bucket of water. Dry the body of the vehicle using a microfiber towel to avoid tiny scratches.
If your headlights are hazy, they may require additional attention. Learn how to clean headlights with toothpaste to get rid of that haze that can obscure your vision when driving at night or in poor weather. After cleaning, you can complete a final polishing of your headlights with old pantyhose. Rub the hose vigorously on your car lights to keep them sparkly and shiny.
Why Use DIY Car Wash Solution?
As simple as the car cleaning process may seem, there are some things to watch out for so that you don’t accidentally degrade your car’s finish. As we have mentioned, some commercial cleaning products may contain harmful substances.
If you are not familiar with the chemical composition of commercial car wash products and you are not sure if they are safe, make a homemade car wash solution instead.
Recipe for Homemade Car Wash Soap
Homemade Car Wash Soap
Washing away road grime has never been easier!
Materials
- 8 ounces baby shampoo
- Bucket filled with warm water
Tools
- Measuring cup
- Water hose
- Dry towels
- Cellulose sponge
Instructions
- Add the soap to the warm water and mix well.
- Apply the soap to the car on one side at a time.
- Rinse well.
- Repeat for each side of the car.
- Wipe with towels or air dry.
Notes
You can substitute Castile soap or another mild soap for baby shampoo. Dish soap is not recommended for use on car paint.
Now that you know how to make homemade car wash soap to clean a car, please share these car cleaning tips with your friends on Pinterest and Facebook so they can make their own DIY car wash soap.