Viral car cleaning hacks might be popular on social media, but which ones can you trust to do the job, and which could cause irreversible damage?
With over a quarter of a million car cleaning videos onTikTok, there is no shortage of advice online for motorists. However, a lack of understanding about the correct way to clean a car could be leaving motorists at risk.
Research by Motorpoint has found that 50% of UK car owners admit they don’t know how to properly clean the inside of their cars – potentially leaving nearly 21 million motorists at risk of following some of the incorrect advice lurking online.
When it comes to the knowing what viral cleaning advice is safe to follow, Motorpoint’s car cleaning expert, Ben Custard suggests looking to automotive experts for clear and correct advice. He continued: “With half of car owners unsure how to clean their vehicles at home, it’s easy to see why car cleaning hacks have become so popular.
“While this advice might seem harmless and easy to follow at home, it’s important that you treat it with caution. Most of the tips and hacks popular online haven’t come from an expert – meaning there’s no guarantee that they’ll work, and they could even cause permanent damage to your vehicle.My biggest piece of advice would be to do some deeper research look to see if the advice has been mentioned elsewhere – and has been endorsed by automotive experts.
“There are plenty of step-by-step guides online that tell you how to clean your car’s interiors and what products are safe to use.”
To help motorists learn the correct way to clean their car, Ben has shared some cleaning hacks worth following and a few you should avoid:
Rubber gloves are great for removing pet hair
“If you are struggling to remove pet hair from your car upholstery even after hoovering, the solution might be hiding under your kitchen sink.
“If you dampen a rubber glove and run your hand across your car upholstery, this will create static – helping hair stick to the textured surface of the gloves. You can then simplysubmerge the glove in warm water to help dislodge the hair before moving on to the next part of your vehicle.
“This is a great hack, not only does it work, but most importantly doesn’t risk damaging your car. Just make sure that you give your car interior time to dry fully before shutting the doors to prevent damp.
“If you don’t have rubber gloves, you can use a squeegee to scrape the floors and car seats to create friction. This will lift fur from fabric surfaces and gather the pet hair to dispose of- a wire brush will work in a similar way to help reach the places that a hoover can’t.”
Keep toothpaste in the bathroom
“There’s a popular car cleaning trend on TikTok with peoplecleaning their vehicle mirrors with toothpaste. Some of the videos have millions of views, with many watchers copying the videos claiming to make your mirrors gleam.
“However, toothpaste often contains mild abrasives whichcan create scratches on your mirrors as well as smears in the reflection if it’s not wiped off properly. So, while it may seem to work initially, you could be damaging your mirrors over time. For a streak-free shine, I recommend spraying white vinegar onto a microfiber cloth and gently wiping over your mirrors to get rid of any smears and debris.”
Still using washing up liquid? You could be damaging your car
“While some of the advice on TikTok can be harmful, I’venoticed a few creators highlighting what can happen if youuse washing up liquid to wash your car.
“Washing up liquid is formulated to cut through grease and is much too harsh to clean a car, as it is corrosive and will erode its protective wax and dull the paintwork overtime. I recommend swapping for car-specific soaps and cleaners that are made to be gentle on car surfaces and can be picked up at most supermarkets.”
Avoid this shaving foam ‘hack’
“Generally, it tends to be the more unusual hacks that pick-up traction online, using items like shaving foam to clean your car.
“While it can be really tempting to try these miracle hacks, the reality is that a lot of products used in viral videoshaven’t been designed for cleaning full stop – never mind cleaning your car.
“Some may hail shaving foam as a miracle car upholstery stain remover but that’s not what it is designed to do. It can lead to discolouration and leave behind oil stains that can be near impossible to remove.”
Don’t use olive oil on your car surfaces
“Some viral videos have suggested motorists rub olive oil on their dashboard to keep it looking shiny. Most dashboard materials won’t absorb the oil, so it’ll just sit in the surface of your dashboard making it greasy to touch and increasing the chance of oil being transferred to other surfaces in your car. This could be dangerous if your steering wheel or handbrake become slippery and reduces the amount of control you have while driving.”
For more information and advice on how to clean your car interior safely at home, visit: https://www.motorpoint.co.uk/guides/how-to-clean-your-car-interior
