Clever car hacks that use household items
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Save money on motoring
© NewspressWant to make your life easier and save money at the same time? Of course you do. Car Hacks is a very useful book that contains 126 tips and tricks designed to improve your motoring life. From toothpaste to old socks, you’ll be surprised at how many household items you can put to good use. Here, we reveal 18 of those ingenious car hacks. For even more information, you’ll have to buy the book.
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Herbal tea bags
© ShutterstockDid you know that a few herbal tea bags can dehumidify your car while giving the interior a fresh aroma? Leave them around the cabin overnight – one in each door pocket and one on the dashboard ought to do it – and the car will feel fresh in the morning. Car Hacks author Craig Stewart advises against re-using the teabags for your morning cuppa, though.
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Old socks
© ShutterstockAre you bugged by cups or bottles that rattle around your cupholders when driving? The Car Hacks book suggests grabbing an old sock and pulling it over the bottom of the bottle, flask or cup. The result: a snug- fitting drinks utensil without the rattle. We suggest washing the sock first.
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Cupcake cases
© ShutterstockCupholders are great, but it’s not long before they fill with dust and crumbs. Assuming you’ve finished reenacting The Great British Bake Off, grab some silicone cupcake cases from the kitchen and drop them into the cupholders. You can even add a splash of colour to an otherwise drab cabin.
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Rubber band
© ShutterstockGrab a rubber band if you’re after a temporary smartphone holder. The book suggests looping it through one of the air vents in the dashboard, from where it should be possible to stretch it around your phone. A good short-term solution for getting directions via the phone’s navigation app.
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Silicone mat
© ShutterstockHead back into the kitchen to grab a silicone mat that may have been used for baking or to line the drawers. It can be used to stop items rattling or rolling around door pockets or storage bins, helping to remove any irritating rattles in the process.
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Bungee cord
© ShutterstockWe like this one. If you’ve ever arrived home from the supermarket to find your groceries strewn across the boot, the bungee cord hack is for you. Simply attach one end of the bungee cord to one side of the boot, then thread it through the bag handles before fixing it to the other side. Alternatively, you could arrange home delivery, but that’s not in the spirit of the book.
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Nail polish
© ShutterstockNail polish isn’t going to restore your car to concours-winning glory, but as the book points out, it should ensure it ‘passes the kerbside inspection test’. A near-matching nail polish will improve the appearance of stone chips or small scratches, until such time you can afford to get the car professionally repaired.
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Hand sanitiser
© ShutterstockAfter living through the Covid-19 pandemic, many people have a bottle of hand sanitiser at home. If you discover your car’s locks are frozen, simply squirt some sanitiser into the keyhole and wait a few seconds. The alcohol in the fluid will work its magic, turning the ice to water. Obviously this one is for the old-school motorists who don’t rely on keyless entry…
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Toothpaste
© ShutterstockThis hack utilises toothpaste’s abrasive properties to remove light scuff marks from the car’s bodywork. Apply a small amount with your finger, then rub it gently around the paint blemish. Using a drill and polishing wheel, rub the area until it has blended into the surrounding paintwork. When you’re finished, apply some wax to protect the paint in this area. Toothpaste can be used to brighten up aged and yellowing headlight lenses, too.
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Playing cards
© ShutterstockIf your wheels are looking tired and you’re tempted to break out the spray gun, you’ll want to protect your tyres from overspray. The Car Hacks book recommends tucking playing cards between the rim and the tyre all around the circumference of the wheel. The result: no overspray on the tyres. Just make sure you’ve got a spare set of playing cards for the inevitable Christmas game of rummyYour mother-in-law won’t be happy if not…
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Pool noodles
© ShutterstockIf you park your car in a narrow single garage, the fear of your door coming into contact with the wall is a constant menace. Assuming your children have finished with their swimming pool noodles, these can be used to provide a cushioned bumper for your door edges. Alternatively, off-cuts of carpet or old cushions work just as well.
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Tennis ball
© ShutterstockA tennis ball on a piece of string is a decent substitute for parking sensors. How does it work? You’ll have to buy the book to find out…
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Self-adhesive hooks
© ShutterstockNissan claims to have invented the curry hook when it debuted on the Almera in 1996. But you don’t have to buy an Almera (phew!) to carry a takeaway without ruining your car’s interior. Simply grab some self-adhesive hooks and attach one to a suitable location.
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Olive oil
© ShutterstockUsed sparingly, olive oil can be used to clean and protect interior plastics. Used less sparingly, olive oil can smarten up tired-looking leather seats, but make sure it doesn’t come into contact with the steering wheel, gear stick or handbrake.
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Clothes peg
© ShutterstockSpeaking of oils – although not of the olive variety in this case – take a wooden clothes peg and drop some essential oils on the end. Clip the peg on to one of the central air vents, and when the fans are on, the scent will be circulated around the cabin.
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Baking soda
© ShutterstockBaking soda can be used to remove smells from the car upholstery. Sprinkle it over the affected area and then remove it using a vacuum cleaner.
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Screwdriver
© ShutterstockBecause Q-tips and cotton buds are being discouraged from use for their role in plastic pollution, you’re going to require another solution for cleaning those hard to reach places. Wrapping a microfibre cloth on the end of a screwdriver is the answer.
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Find more Car Hacks
© ShutterstockIn total, there are 126 tips and tricks in the Car Hacks book, and it comes highly recommended by Motoring Research. The RRP was £12.99, but you can find it online for around a tenner. Grab a copy and get hacking!
