Frugal Car Maintenance Tips Home Remedies!
By crazynurse
@crazynurse (7482)
United States
January 23, 2007 6:34pm CST
Car maintenance can be very costly. Below are some tried and true home maintenance tips to save you money! Please add to the list any that you have so that we can all save our hard-earned money for other things!
If you chip the paint on your car, clean promptly and apply clear nail polish to area to prevent rust.
Remove road salt from carpet with equal amounts of vinegar and water.
Coca-cola and aluminum foil will clean rust off your car bumper.
Remove old bumper stickers with lighter fluid. Soak stickers for a few minutes then gently remove with a razor blade
Laundry pre-wash liquid removes tar from your car's finish.
If wipers are beginning to wear down, you can extend their life by rubbing them briskly with sandpaper
Make your own washer solvent that won't freeze by combining 1 quart of rubbing alcohol, 1 cup of water and 2 tablespoons liquid detergent. This formula won't freeze down to 35 degrees below 0.
If car windows tend to steam up on the inside, carry a blackboard eraser in your vehicle. Wiping the condensation away with the eraser.
If battery terminals are heavily corroded, the quickest and easiest way to clean them is to pour carbonated soft drink over them. It will eat the corrosion away. Baking soda mixed with water will also do the trick.
Prevent rust by keeping the underside of your car clean also. Place a lawn sprinkler under your car and turn on full blast
3 people like this
4 responses
@finlander60 (1804)
• United States
24 Jan 07
Thank you for all the hints on how to fix problems with stuff you usually have around the house, anyway. I have one question for you, though. Would it not be better to KEEP THESE PROBLEMS FROM HAPPENING? For example, you can keep your wiper blades working good, longer by cleaning them periodically with windshield washer fluid on a clean towel. If you do clean your battery terminals as described, make sure you also take them apart and clean the residue off, or you will have connection problems, and there is also the problem with ants trying to eat the soda and crawling all over your car. I don't think you REALLY WANT THAT. Does anyone else have any suggestions?
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
24 Jan 07
These are some great tips. I think our car "front bumper thing" located just under the grill, is plastic. I know they used to be steel but now cars are being made so cheaply. Our car is 2006. I know our mini van was a 2000 and it had plastic ones too. They are hard to get bugs off of but they dont rust.
I love the black board eraser thing...cool idea. I will get one and put it in the car.
1 person likes this
