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Keeping your car clean inside and out is a regular task. But you don’t have to buy expensive cleaning products to maintain the interior. Here’s an easy way to get your car’s dashboard clean with common household items.
Grab a coffee filter and a bottle of olive oil, BobVila.com recommends.
Select an inconspicuous place on your dashboard to do a spot test, Pedals and Pumps suggests. This will help determine if any discoloration may appear.
Apply a few drops of olive oil to the coffee filter. You may want to use an eyedropper to control the amount of oil you apply. You can add more olive oil to the coffee filter as needed.
Wipe until dust and dirt are removed! You can also use this method on pleather or leather seats and armrests, says BobVila.com. (Be sure to do a spot test first, though.) However, TLC.com advises that you avoid getting the olive oil on the steering wheel. Finally, consider making your own air freshener as a finishing touch for your clean car.
The post Quick Fix: How to Clean Your Car’s Dashboard With a Coffee Filter and Olive Oil appeared first on The Allstate Blog.
When roads get icy, road salt or ice melt can help make driving conditions safer. Those same products, however, can make a mess when they’re tracked into your car. Thankfully, there’s an easy way to remove salt stains and ice melt from your car mats.
Stir together 1 cup of white vinegar and 1 cup of warm water in a bucket, AutoFocus recommends. Pour into a spray bottle using a funnel.
Before you try this cleaning method, test it in an inconspicuous portion of your car mat to help ensure it doesn’t stain or damage it. Allow the test spot to dry completely before using the mixture on the rest of your mats.
Remove the mats from your vehicle and spray them with the mixture.
Use a scrub brush to remove the stains, Cars.com says.
Blot the mats using a clean, dry towel.
If stains remain, repeat the process.
Let the mats air dry, then return them to your vehicle. You can also try this method to remove salt or ice melt stains from the carpet inside your car, too.
The post Quick Fix: How to Remove Salt Stains from Your Car Mats appeared first on The Allstate Blog.
Does your car still smell like that fast food you picked up a few days ago? Is the aroma of your kid’s hockey gear still lingering after being carted around all season? Unwanted odors can turn any car trip into an unpleasant experience, but there may be easy ways to get rid of them. Try these three quick fixes to freshen up your ride.
Baking soda can help to neutralize odors, according to Consumer Reports:
Step 1: Pour baking soda into a mason jar.
Step 2: Put the open jar into one of your car’s cupholders. Let it sit overnight or as long as it takes to remove odors. To help prevent spilling, be sure to remove the jar from your car or put the lid on before driving.
Coffee beans can also help absorb unpleasant smell. Thrillist recommends this approach:
Step 1: Gather a clean sock you no longer wear, some whole coffee beans, a piece of twine or string and a funnel.
Step 2: Pour the coffee beans through the funnel into the sock.
Step 3: Once the sock is full, tie the end closed.
Step 4: Place under your passenger seat until the odor is gone. Be sure it’s not blocking an air vent, speaker, heating element, motor or any other object.
Here’s how to transform a simple clothespin into an air freshener, as suggested by Simple Life Mom:
Step 1: Gather a wooden clothespin and a small bottle of essential oil, in whatever scent you prefer.
Step 2: Apply 5 to 10 drops of the essential oil to the clothespin.
Step 3: Clip the clothespin into an air vent in your car. Depending on the essential oil, how often you drive your car and how much air is blowing, the scent may last a few days or longer. You can add a few more drops of essential oil to the clothespin when the scent has faded.
The post Quick Fix: 3 DIY Car Air Fresheners appeared first on The Allstate Blog.
When you get a new vehicle registration sticker or parking pass, you know what that means — it’s time to remove the old one. But peeling those old stickers off your car’s windshield can be difficult, and it often leaves behind some pesky residue. Better Homes and Gardens suggests three ways to remove stickers from car windows with supplies you probably have at home. Watch this video to learn how to remove sticker residue for good:
Once the sticker has been removed, try one of the below methods to help get rid of lingering residue on your windshield. And remember, these methods can also help remove sticker residue from any window on your car.
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Step 1: Use a spatula to cover the sticker residue on your window with creamy peanut butter.
Step 2: Let the peanut butter sit on your windshield until the residue has a chance to soften.
Step 3: Use a clean rag to wipe off the peanut butter and softened sticker residue.
Step 4: Clean the area with window cleaner to remove any streaking.
Step 1: Soak a whole clean rag with rubbing alcohol.
Step 2: Hold the soaked rag on top of the residue. Leave it there for several minutes to allow the residue on the glass to soften, suggests Better Homes and Gardens.
Step 3: Use the alcohol-soaked rag to wipe away the residue.
Step 4: Polish it up by cleaning the area with glass cleaner to remove any streaking.
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Step 1: Apply a spray lubricant directly onto the sticker residue.
Step 2: Let the spray lubricant sit on the sticker residue for several minutes to soften the adhesive, Better Homes and Gardens says.
Step 3: Use a clean rag to wipe away the spray lubricant and the residue.
Step 4: If necessary, use window cleaner to remove any remaining residue, lubricant or streaking.
The post How to Remove a Sticker From a Car’s Windshield appeared first on The Allstate Blog.
Whether it’s a summer road trip, a winter commute or just a little excursion with the kids, it’s never a good time to be stranded on the side of the road. That’s where an emergency car kit can help. Filled with essentials to help you weather a range of calamities, it’s a stowaway in your trunk that can offer peace of mind.
Here’s a rundown of the basics — a number of add-ons you may not have thought of — so you can build out a roadside emergency kit you can rely on.
Every car kit should begin with some general emergency supplies. Here are some of the essentials recommended by the National Safety Council and Ready.gov:
Ready.gov also suggests keeping emergency numbers in your phone so that you can contact family, your auto insurance company and roadside assistance or a towing company.
You can probably picture a scenario where a basic kit simply isn’t enough. Is there a baby in tow? Are you driving in snowy season? Here are some additional car supplies recommended by Ready.gov, the American Red Cross and The Survival Mom, that may help:
A few essentials can save the day if your normally well-stocked diaper bag runs short. Consider keeping these items on hand:
You may also want to supplement with additional items that make sense for your own baby, like a blankie, toy or pacifier.
If your furry friend is a frequent car companion, it makes sense to stow these supplies for him, too:
It may not be the first thing you think of, but basic sanitation items can be very helpful when you’re stranded in the car. Having these items on hand may be helpful:
Consider adding these items to your kit depending on the season and weather:
Sometimes it takes a while before you or a professional can repair your vehicle and get you back on the road. A few distractions can help keep tempers in check:
Once you assemble your supplies, you’ll want to store them in sturdy container, like a large vacuum-seal bag or a plastic storage bin. But don’t just forget about it. Experts say it’s important to check and refresh supplies once or twice a year, so they’re in good condition for whatever the road throws your way.
The post Assembling an Emergency Car Kit: The Basics and Beyond appeared first on The Allstate Blog.
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