Using your car daily to commute will no longer leave your car in that immaculate state that it was in when you bought it for the first time. While most people choose to take their vehicle to a carwash, it doesn’t hurt to get your hands dirty every once in a while to clean your car.
Luckily, cleaning your car is not difficult and you can do such from the comfort of your home. In fact, you probably have all the cleaning ingredients you need in your pantry…I bet you didn’t know that, right?
In this post, we look at some of the everyday household items you can use to clean your car’s dashboard, making it look as good as new!
Cleaning your Car’s Dashboard
Before we look at the different cleaning agents that are domestically available, it is important to consider the actual cleaning process first. Any frequently-used car will likely be stained from spilled morning coffee and cluttered from the paperwork you carry around from work, especially around the dashboard area.
Constant interior cleaning will be an integral part of conducting vehicle maintenance. To start the cleaning process, please follow the guidelines below:
Remove any papers, wrappers, empty water bottles, and other unused items you’ve stashed on the vehicle’s dashboard to expose the dust, dirt, and grime that has accumulated on the dash. Throw everything in the trash can.
Once you’ve established the extent of work that needs to be done, there are a couple of items you’ll need to help you with the cleaning. These will include:
- A spray bottle (comes in handy for application of homemade solutions)
- At least three dry cleaning rags
- A hand held vacuum cleaner to get rid of the dust and dirt from your dashboard
When it comes to the cleaning agent, you can opt to buy a dashboard cleaner. However, given we are considering household items that can be used to clean your dash, the products below will prove very useful.
Household Products to Clean Car's Dashboard
Vinegar
If you notice stains on your dashboard, one of the easiest solutions you can use to clean this consists of a mixture of water and vinegar in the ratio of 1:3. The solution is placed inside the spray bottle for easy application on the dash.
From here, you simply wipe off the stains using a soft and clean microfiber cloth. Alternatively, you can add vinegar to any other cleaning (more on this to come) solution to make it stronger. White vinegar is especially effective when it comes to getting rid of stains and unwanted odor.
For example, this solution would be the perfect choice if you’ve had an apple core staining your dashboard for weeks!
Dish Soap
If you have some sticky dust and grease stains on your dashboard, dishwashing soap is another alternative household product that you can use. Applying a high-quality dishwashing soap will clean your vehicle both inside and outside.
Pour some warm water inside a bottle and mix it with a few drops of the dish soap. If need be, add some vinegar and shake thoroughly before spraying the solution on the dashboard.
This mixture can be used to clean the plastic, as well as the glass behind your steering wheel. Also, ensure that the glove compartment is not overlooked during cleaning.
Windex
Windex is another effective cleaning agent for your car’s dashboard. This is especially good for all glass surfaces and better when compared to dish soap or vinegar. However, it shouldn’t be restricted to cleaning the glass only; you can use it on the rest of the dashboard as well.
You simply need to spray the Windex using the spray bottle and wipe with a clean cloth. Unfortunately, this solution may not get rid of the tougher stains. If this is the case, try the other alternatives on our list.
Toothpaste
If you spend time watching YouTube videos, then you might have noticed that toothpaste is a go-to cleaning agent that can be used for many things. It can also be used to clean the interior of a car.
When applied to glass and plastic surfaces like the headlights, rear-view or side mirrors, cleaning them with toothpaste makes them crystal clear. You can also use it on the glass surfaces on your dashboard.
However, remember to test a small area first by applying the toothpaste and then wiping off the stain to make sure that there are no undesirable discolorations left behind.
Rubbing Alcohol
If you think toothpaste will be too messy for you, then why not use some rubbing alcohol to get the stains off your dash? But just like in toothpaste above, you’ll need to perform a spot test to check that the alcohol doesn’t react undesirably on your car’s dash.
If you are satisfied with the results you get, soak a small piece of your clean and dry rag in the alcohol before pressing it on the stained patch. Don’t rub the dirt stain with the alcohol-soaked cloth; this will only worsen the situation.
Instead, just dab the area wash the stain off with soapy water to be safe. Alternatively, you can create a solution by mixing equal parts of the alcohol with warm water before using your spray bottle to apply it on the dashboard.
Essential Oils
Sometimes, the smell coming from your dashboard might be a bigger cause for concern than the stains on it. In such a case, essentials oils are your best bet to get rid of the unwanted smell.
If by any chance you have aromatherapy essential oils lying around somewhere in the house, you can mix some of your favorite scents to create the perfect cleaning solution.
Apply a small amount of the oil to a piece of dry microfiber cloth or foam paintbrush to wipe off your dashboard. Don’t forget to cover the air vents while at it. Even better, you can stick a piece of cork in the ventilation and use a sweet-scented essential oil so that your car’s interior is filled with the aroma every time you turn on the AC.
Alternatively, just pour a few drops of the essential on the dash. As the vehicle’s engine heats up, the fragrance is then dispensed throughout your vehicle’s interior.
Baking Soda
When it comes to taking care of stains as a result of milk and gasoline spillage in the car, baking soda will prove to be an effective cleaning product.. It also limits any unwanted odors.
To do this, sprinkle the baking soda on the stain and “bad odor area” then leave it for a while. This allows all the bad smell to be soaked in, leaving your dash smelling much better.
Flaxseed/ Olive Oil
Finally, olive and flaxseed oil can also be used to bring a shine to your dashboard. However, if you’ve been using an alternative cleaning agent on your car in the past, remember to perform a cleaning test before using olive/flaxseed oil as a cleaning agent.
Some lemon juice or vinegar can be added to the oil to enhance its cleaning ability. Dip a small piece of your clean dry cloth into the olive or flaxseed oil then wipe it over the surface of the dash.
If done correctly, you’ll be left with a charmingly clean and glossy centre console!
What is the Best Product to Clean a Car’s Dashboard?
There are various products you can use to clean your car’s dashboard. These range from commercially available agents for cleaning the interior of your car to household accessible items. However, when it comes to the best option, the following products will make a viable contender:
- Meguiar's G13616 Quik Interior Detailer Cleaner.
- Nextzett 92470515 Cockpit Premium.
- Sonax (283241) Dashboard Cleaner.
- Turtle Wax 50599 Dash & Glass Foaming Cleaner.
- Meguiar's M40 Mirror Glaze Vinyl and Rubber Cleaner.
What Household Products Can I Use to Clean The Interior of My Car?
If you’re tired of spending a fortune every time you take your vehicle to the carwash for a clean-up, you should know that if you’re willing to roll up your sleeves you can do this yourself with readily available cleaning agents at home.
The following are useful domestic products that you can use to get the interior of your vehicle looking fresh and sparkling:
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Coconut oil
- Woolite
- Cornstarch
- Toothpaste
- Rubbing alcohol
- Olive oil, etc.
What Do Car Detailers Use to Clean A Dashboard?
Car detailers can do a tremendous job when it comes to cleaning the car’s interior. However, a lot of time and effort is invested into the process; and the same can be said for the equipment used during the cleaning.
Some of the items they use to make your car look spotless include:
- Car wash soap
- Microfiber car wash mitt
- Microfiber cloth or towel for drying
- Synthetic Wax
- Dual-action polisher, etc.
What Can I Use to Clean My Car Inside?
If you’ve decided to skip the carwash and tidy your car at home, you don’t have to spend too much on the cleaning agents. There are numerous household items you can use for this and the best part is that you won’t even be compromising the effectiveness of the process.
There are a few tools of the trade that will come in handy and make light work of the whole process. To wash your vehicle at home, make sure you have the following:
- Spray bottle
- Bucket
- Water
- Vinegar
- Dishwashing soap
- Handheld vacuum
- Dry cleaning cloth
Conclusion
Cleaning your car is one of the important jobs to maintain your car’s appearance. It goes a long way to ensure that your vehicle remains appealing from outside and need from the inside.
If you have to do the car cleaning yourself, this article discussed various household products that will prove useful . You can use them the next time you decide to clean your vehicle!
NB: Once you have finished cleaning the car’s interior with your solution of choice, be sure to polish the dashboard with synthetic wax for a brand new look.