TikTok car cleaning hacks, try three to see if they work – Business Insider | Car Plazas

• We tested three TikTok car cleaning hacks and compared them to traditional store-bought products.
• These included using a lemon and baking soda, making a homemade slime, and using a pumice stone.
• These hacks are useful for quick cleaning, but serious cleaning requires higher quality products.

A transcript of the video follows.

Teller: Keeping your car as clean as it was when you started can get expensive, especially when you buy professional products. TikTok developers have come up with affordable DIY hacks to achieve similar results. We tested three to see how TikTok’s car cleaning hacks compare to the real deal.

First: fogged headlights. Over time, constant exposure to UV light will oxidize the plastic lenses that shield your headlights. This creates a cloudy film. But restoring your headlights doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, you may already have the ingredients for it in your kitchen. All you need is a lemon and some baking soda. Simply cut the lemon in half and cover with baking soda. Then rub it onto the headlight area, working in circles. This will remove dirt, debris and fading. Then rinse the area to remove any sticky residue. But how does it compare to a typical headlight cleaner you might pick up at an auto parts store? Headlight cleaners typically cost around $10, but you’ll get the best result with a $20 restoration kit. I started by covering the headlight. Then I applied the activator with a spray bottle. After rinsing off the activator, I used wet 400 grit sandpaper to begin sanding the area. I made sure to keep the area moist and used light, circular strokes to avoid scratching. I then wiped the headlight down before rinsing it off and repeating this process with 1,000 grit sandpaper. At this point I used a little more pressure to refine the area. I repeated this process one last time using 2000 grit to finish sanding the area. Next I wet the area and used a small dab of polish and applied it with a towel. After applying the polish in a circular motion, I dampen the area and towel dry. Then I applied the activator again and let it work for 30 seconds. After rinsing and drying I applied the UV clear coat and this is where the magic happened. I wiped the area from top to bottom to reveal a bright and shiny spotlight. Surprisingly, both methods are relatively similar in their effect. The headlights are definitely brighter and clearer, with significantly less fading. But if you’re willing to spend a little more time and money, the restoration kit will give you a shinier and deeper clean.

Next up: dirty cup holders, arguably the most neglected area of ​​your car’s interior. This is a homemade goop shared by TikToker @daveyrz. It can be used to pick up debris or food trapped in those hard-to-reach areas. It’s a bogus version of the real deal and might cost you nothing if you already have the supplies at home. You start with a hefty dash of Elmer’s Glue, a dash of Pine-Sol, and a dash of baking soda. Mix it all together and adjust the consistency. But how does it compare to a $7 store-bought slime? I tested this on two different cup holders, both of which were overdue for a thorough cleaning. This TikTok car hack was very disappointing. And even after trying again to get a better consistency, the area couldn’t be cleaned effectively. I found the store-bought slime to be slightly better than the homemade slime, although it couldn’t quite match that level of deep cleaning. Nothing has worked better than a good old fashioned paper towel or disinfectant wipe. It’s not that gross to look at and leaves the cup holders perfectly pristine.

Finally, if you’re a pet owner, you probably know how frustratingly ineffective a vacuum can be for cleaning pet hair, especially once they’ve become one with the carpet. TikTokers like @jessicahaizman have pointed out a really simple solution, and you may already have it in your bathroom. It’s a pumice stone. And this exfoliating shower tool is surprisingly effective for carpet details, too. But how does a $5 pumice stone stack up against a store-bought pet hair detailer like this one I bought on Amazon for $12? Here is a direct comparison of the two. Both are much more effective than a vacuum cleaner and can pick up the hair fibers with ease. After that I shook off the doormat because the pumice stone left a light layer of dust. While both are super effective for cleaning pet hair, the pet hair detailer was definitely a faster process. But if you already have a pumice stone lying around, you might as well save yourself a few extra bucks. Check out this super satisfying before and after.