Fake Car Wash

I'm sure that you've heard that you can use Furniture Polish - like Pledge - on the interior of your car.  It does a nice job buffing up leather seats, taking off sticky spots, and removing dust from the dash.  It's also MUCH cheaper than those Armor All/Professional Car Cleaning products!

Credit

But the other day I tried a spray of Pledge on the OUTSIDE of the car.  (Hey, my car isn't the best, so I figured it couldn't be much worse with a little spray of polish!)  Turns out it's like a cleaner and wax all in one swipe!

With a couple of old, soft dish towels in hand, I went all around the car spraying and wiping one section at a time.  I was amazed at how easily the dirt came off the car - Pledge is a bit greasy, so the dirt loosened right up.  I used a clean part of the towel for each section, being careful not to spread the dirt around.

After the initial cleanup, I noticed there was a bit of a fogginess left on the car, so I took another clean & dry towel and gave the whole thing a buff.  I can't believe how the finish came to a high shine - just as if I'd used Turtle Wax!

Credit

For the windows & mirrors, I used a couple of paper towels and some Homemade Windex. I then gave the rugs a good shake outside and all within 10 minutes, my car was sparking clean inside and out!

The best part of this discovery is that I can give my car a "wash" inside my garage, anytime I want!  I won't have to trek it to a car wash place where I'll be overcharged, unsatisfied with the cleanup and will likely be struck with a rain storm on the way home (why does that always seem to happen?).   It can also be a great way to keep up with the salt/dirt that accumulates on our cars in the winter months.  When I lived up north, a car wash was at least a weekly necessity.


The Fake-It Yourself Breakdown:

Fake Car Wash (Dollar Store "Pledge" $1.00, Windex & Old Dish Rags)

Total Fake-It Cost:  $1.00, Polish will likely last 4-5 Washes

Compare to Full-Service Car Wash:  $14.95 + $1.00 tip/each

Total Fake-It Savings:  $188.40/Year, assuming 1 wash per month.  


Linking Up at Tip Junkie, Today's Creative Blog, The Frugal Girls, Funky Junk Interiors and these other Great Parties!