Did you know that you are supposed to wash your car every three to four weeks?  That is more common than most people think, and bringing your vehicle to a car wash facility can have a major impact on your bank account. Most car wash facilities charge nearly $25 to $30 per wash.  

If you want to avoid those high costs, it’s best to wash your car yourself at home.  However, a towel, some soap, and water are not always going to cut it to make your car sparkly clean.  

Here at DriveSmart, we have found some awesome car wash hacks that can help yourself car wash at home without spending tons of money at a car wash facility.  

Homemade Car Wash Soap

If you want to create a do-it-yourself car wash soap at home, it is super easy.  All it requires is a few things that can be found in your home.  All you need is:

1. A bucket
2. Water
3. ¼ Cup of Dishwashing Soap
4. And ¼ Cup of Baking Soda or Vinegar! 

Simply mix the ingredients into the bucket and add the water until you get nice soapy-looking water, and you are ready to wash your vehicle!  

Shining a Car with Hair Conditioner

If your hair conditioner has lanolin in the ingredient list, you can use it to polish your vehicle.  All you need to do is, put 2 or 3 cups of water into a bucket along with ½ to ⅓ a cup of hair conditioner and mix it up.  

Dip a microfiber cloth into your bucket and use it as a car polish on your vehicle. Just be sure to hose your car down with water quickly, and finally dry your car with another microfiber cloth.  

Vinegar and Wiper Blades

If you ever wondered what to wash your car wiper blades with? It’s simple, white vinegar.  You just want to make sure it’s a strong vinegar.  

Simply douse a cloth rag with the white vinegar and run it slowly back and forth down the full length of your wiper blade with a decent amount of force, and then dry it off with a different cloth rag.  This should clean off your wiper blades and allow you to use them a few more times during a rainstorm.  

Cleaning a License Plate

Everyone takes a look at each other’s license plates on the road, so it’s always best to keep them clean. If your license plate is starting to rust or looks dirty enough to the point where car wash soap won’t save it.  Luckily WD-40 can save the day.  

Spray a bit of WD-40 onto the rusty or dirty parts of the license plate, and immediately wipe it clean with a clean rag.  This should easily remove some light rusting that can occur on metal license plates, giving you a nice clean plate for the road ahead.  

Mayonnaise is More than a Condiment

Most people would not expect mayo to have more uses than just as a sandwich condiment.  However, if your car has some tree sap or road tar sticking to it, Mayo works great.  

Simply put some Mayo on your vehicle and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes, and watch like magic as you use a soft rag to wipe it away.  The sticky road tar will disappear!  

Hand Car Wash

Now that we here at DriveSmart have provided you with some awesome life hacks and DIY car washing skills. It is time to put it to the test!  Washing your vehicle at home can be an awarding experience, especially when you are saving money while doing it!  

If your vehicle suffers from a malfunction or breakdown, having a DriveSmart extended auto warranty by your side could help you save thousands of money on car repairs.  We also provide free 24/7 roadside assistance and rental car assistance.