Save Money While Cleaning Your Car

The cost of an automobile doesn’t stop with the payments, you have maintenance and gas and we can’t forget cleaning…You might not be able to change the payment cost, but you can save some money on the cleaning…Using Baking soda to clean the tar and bugs off your car is a lot less expensive than purchasing bug and tar remover from the store.  Try the baking soda, and you will be surprised at how well it works.  Mix baking soda and enough water to make a paste, wipe on the area you want to clean.  Let sit for a few minutes and then take a damp sponge/rag and wipe clean.

Windshield Wiper Fluid – for a homemade version, you can take equal parts of water and window cleaner (windex or store brand)…OR try ¼ cup windex, ¾ cups water and a teaspoon of liquid dishwasher detergent…OR mix a cup of white vinegar with one gallon of water…use as you would store bought wiper fluid.  The only thing is that none of these mixture work very well once the weather starts getting real cold, but they are great to save money in the spring, summer and fall…For the winter you can try ¾ cups of white vinegar and ¼ cup water…the vinegar will cut through grease build up and it will help keep the ice and frost at bay…

Have you noticed how expensive car fresheners are these days?  And they never come in a scent you like.  Why not make them…its easier than you think…You can take craft foam (sometimes called fun foam) and cut out whatever shapes you like…use cookie cutters, stencils, etc. to make your shapes.  Get some essential oils (scent of your choice) and dab a couple drops on the foam.  Use a hole punch to put a hole in the top, tie with string, ribbon or whatever type of cord you would like…You can take a small picture frame…remove the glass part and fold up a new dryer sheet, put the dryer sheet in where you would a picture and put the cardboard back, back on…hang with cord of your choice…Take small mint tins and poke holes (use a nail) in the lid…fill the tin with mints, coffee beans, cotton ball that has been dipped in your favorite scent…put the lid back on and place in car…

Car wax can be very expensive, so why not make your own…take 4 Tablespoons carnauba wax, 2 Tablespoons beeswax, 1 cup linseed oil, ½ cup vinegar and melt in a double boiler.  Stir every now and again.  Once they melt together, let cool for a little bit (depending on your container, you don’t want to melt a plastic container).  Pour into airtight container and let harden.  Use as you would any store bought wax.

To clean the outside of your car, fill a bucket with water, squirt in some dish liquid and pour about 3 Tablespoons of white vinegar into the bucket.  The vinegar will help cut through any grease and grime…Use a sponge and wash car as normal.  Rinse with a hose.

So the next time you want to clean your car, don’t go buy all those expensive items from the store…instead make your own and use the extra money you saved to take your special someone out to eat in your new shiny clean car…