Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange
Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [cleaning]

Anything to do with cleaning the interior or exterior or removing things like stickers and decals.

166 questions
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Effective way to clean inside of windshield?

The inside of my windshield has a thin layer of grime. When the light hits it a certain way, it drastically reduces my visibility. I have used glass cleaner with clean microfiber car cloths and paper towels, but it doesn't seem to clean the…
user11271
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8 answers

Do I really need to wash the outside of my car?

Some people say they wash the outside car every week as it makes the paint nice etc Are there any benefits of washing the outside of my car? Do I really need to wash the exterior of my car every week? Does it damage my car if I don't wash it for a…
George
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How to get rid of a decal on the rear window?

I've bought a car which has ugly label glued to its rear window. What are inexpensive and effective ways to remove it without residue? Edit: my car has it on the outside on the blank glass but it‘s good to know what to do when it is inside or on…
Kinaeh
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Cleaning brake fluid (general tips)

There are some other threads on other websites about cleaning up brake fluid. But I just wanted to get a more organized, concise answer here on SE. Wanted to confirm that cleaning up brake fluid just requires water and the same detergent you would…
CarlGammaSagan
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Why is my Toyota dashboard shiny and sticky, and how do I clean it?

I have a 2008 Toyota Camry, which is primarily kept in Florida (southern U.S.). My entire dashboard has been sticky / tacky for years. I do not know why or how it got this way. It accumulates dust and grime, and I have no way to properly clean it…
JoshDM
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How should I remove stickers or pinstripe decals from paint?

I want to remove a dealer's sticker from my car. The sticker is on a painted surface. What is the best way to do it? Could I remove pinstripe decals in the same way?
William Cline
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Why has white powder formed on metal parts after cleaning with degreaser and what can I do about it?

I just cleaned much of my engine compartment with Abro Heavy Duty Degreaser, and I noticed that on certain metal parts like the valve cover, thermostat housing and transmission housing a white powder has formed: I left the degreaser on for maybe 30…
Robert S. Barnes
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How to restore and care for leather?

I have an old car and I am wondering about the processes involved in cleaning the leather on it and bringing it back to an almost new looking state. The roof exterior is leather and the whole interior is tufted leather. What does the process look…
Jonathan Musso
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Tips for an oil change at home: cleanliness and disposal?

Drain oil, add new oil... find oil everywhere. It spills, the funnel is full of it when I'm done and drips forever, and I'm pouring kitty litter all over the driveway. If I had a proper garage this would be simple, but as a shade-tree guy, I never…
Jeff Ferland
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How to Make a Homebrew Engine Degreaser Spray?

Can anyone recommend a cheap and safe homebrew engine degreaser that can be used in a spray bottle. When I say safe, I mean both for the engine and me. I would be rinsing with either another spray bottle or a water hose. EDIT I went to every…
Robert S. Barnes
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Cleaning and Shining Black, Under Hood Rubber and Plastic Parts

There are various black plastic and rubber parts under my hood I would try to make look nice such as my cold air intake box: I tried cleaning it with water that had a little vinegar added to it, which pretty much didn't do anything. I bought a…
Robert S. Barnes
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Can I use washing up liquid to wash my car?

I was just wondering, can I use something like Fairy washing up liquid or dish soap (which is added to hot water in a sink or basin to wash plates, dishes and cutlery etc) in warm water to wash my car? I'd use two buckets and two sponges and then…
George
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How can I clean the dirt build-up in my alternator?

The alternator in my '04 Lumina SS is its Achilles' heel. It lasts a few years before it starts to overcharge the battery, after which the only practical remedy is to replace it. While I cannot be sure of the cause for this, I have always noticed…
Zaid
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Avoiding the grease, dirt and oil from getting onto the skin and under the nails?

I started learning to maintain my motorcycle on my own, and cleaned the chain and lubricated it yesterday. Ended up with grease+oil smeared all over my hands and under the nails which haven't gone off entirely even until now (a bit of a nightmare,…
Nav
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How can I achieve a streak free windshield?

I can never quite get the streak free shine on my windshield from using Windex. Is there another product that works better?
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