Questions tagged [cleaning]
Anything to do with cleaning the interior or exterior or removing things like stickers and decals.
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Why does the car drying towel I bought have a rough side and a soft side, can both sides be used for drying the car?
I bought this drying towel:
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Microfibre-perfect-streak-free-vehicles-04512000/dp/B09NBSWQSY/
but I find that it has a soft side that can be used to dry the car body, but it ...
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What cleaning solvents are appropriate for crank bolts, pulleys and gears?
Have bolts and parts(crank gear, shaft-end, bolts).
Which solvents can I use to clean them up a bit? And do I need to lubricate any of these?
I have Zylene-based wax, parafin, turpentine, motor oil, ...
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How to spray underbody in winter?
I see a lot of advice online recommending that drivers living in cold climates spray their vehicles' underbodies during the winter to reduce salt buildup and the rust it engenders, but I haven't been ...
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Is IPA the correct alcohol to clean my windshield?
I have somewhat a substantial amount of gunk spots (probably dust, pollen and liquefied bugs etc.) accumulated my windshield. Washed the windshield with car shampoo bunch of times but to no avail.
Is ...
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Safe product(s) to use to clean spark plug well
What are products that can be used, and which ones should be avoided, for cleaning the spark plug well and seat?
eg. brake cleaner, carb cleaner, throttle body cleaner, etc
Intention is to clean oily ...
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Cleaning head bolt shafts
I am about to put my two cylinder heads back in and did some preliminary finger fitting of a bolt in every one of the 16 shafts to make sure it goes in smoothly, i.e. no gunk/debris impeding the fit. ...
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White residue deep in carpet after serious leak
The car in question had a very serious leak, and because "reasons", it sat a long time (2 years) with wet interior, I mean it had a puddle inside...
The crazy thing that besides some rust on ...
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How much should you clean dirty pistons and valves when you aren't removing them?
I took the heads off so I could get some broken exhaust manifold studs out and retap (actually I was advised to use a Heli-Coil instead so doing that) one of the other stud holes.
The piston heads and ...
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Cleaning mating surfaces before RTV sealant
How should engine mating surfaces be cleaned before applying RTV sealant? Here is an example of a timing chain cover for a 1GR-FE Toyota V6 engine.
Due to its meandering shape, it does not use a ...
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Cleaning up spilled loctite thread locking compound
I spilled locktite red 271 in my toolbox drawer. It's dried and is covering the plastic tray as well as some of the tools. Is there anything that will dissolve it?
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How can I clean an egg from the windshield and from the body of a car?
Somebody very successfully egged (as I now learned the term for this obscene phenomenon) my car last night, while parked in an unknown neighborhood. Reports are coming that multiple cars were targeted ...
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Is this "All Surface" Interior Detailer Spray really good for leather seats?
I have some "Turtle Wax All Surface Interior Detailer Spray". (I could only find it at Wal Mart) It says you can use it on vinyl, leather, and several other surfaces. The seats and dash in ...
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Where is the cabin air recirc intake?
Background: I am trying to remove a slight smoke smell from a 2014 Buick LaCrosse. I am taking several steps to get the smell out. This question is really only focused on one of those steps.
Here is ...
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How to clean heated car seats
My car has heated seats so it has all these little ventilation holes in them
A child spilled her drink in the seat and some of it seeped through the holes. What would be the best way to ensure that ...
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Cleaning Mold From Fabrics, including Seats and Headliner
I own a Vauxhall Corsa Twinport (04) which previously leaked water through the bulkhead into the car, which results in pools of water in all footwell, plus significant damp across all fabrics. I fixed ...
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Best way to clean corrosion off exhaust manifold mating surface on engine side?
It’s an aluminum block and there are some high spots of white powdery corrosion.
I was able to gently scrape most off using a (dull) metal paint scraper and a green scour pad, but there are some ...
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Engine oil in carpet - how to remove
I was carrying a 5L container of (new) engine oil in the boot of my car. The lid was loose and around 500ml or less leaked out and into the carpet in my boot.
Has anyone successfully removed an oil ...
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Air intake cleaning/ yes or no?
2007 Impreza wagon 2.5. Previous owner didn’t take car of it and I was thinking of using the CRC intake valve cleaner. I would love your opinions on whether to do it or not. Please explain why it’s ...
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How to make a DIY car wash liquid
What's a good 'recipe' to make car wash liquid at home?
I have used this product for a while and was happy with it. The interwebs suggest:
1/2 cup dishwashing liquid
1/2 cup baking soda
1 gallon warm ...
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Should I be wiping or removing contact cleaner?
After testing a part (solenoid, sensor, etc) in an older vehicle, I have gotten in the habit of blasting the connection socket and plug with contact cleaner.
It's basically impossible to wipe the ...
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Is it ok to wipe down hvac intern aka with white vinegar/bleach? [duplicate]
I am going to be cleaning inside the scuttle panel and taking the my HVAC system apart to clean inside it.
Is it ok to mix white vinegar or bleach/Dettol(similar to Lysol cleaner marketed in the USA) ...
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What is the main content of Backlight Remover (that red coat on the orange blinkers)?
Can someone tell me which main content Backlight Remover has? Several years ago I sprayed my orange blinkers in red and that worked but not for long. It seems to me it has no UV protection or there is ...
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Cleaning Car Window Switches?
I accidentally spilt a soft drink that landed directly onto the car window switches on the driver side. As you may have guessed, the switches are now very gummy given the dried sugar within...
This is ...
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Hot Tank Solution for Aluminium?
My aluminium cylinder head is caked with oil and carbon. I’m going to be cleaning that along with other steel/iron parts. I’m planning to make a DIY hot tank to boil the parts in but what can put in ...
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Leftover pollen residue after cleaning car
I recently washed my car for the first time in several weeks after spring pollen. Lots of tree pollen / leaves I was unable to get these stains off the car, any thoughts?
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Can I use tar removal to remove the stubborn mark at the tyre rim?
I have a stubborn mark on my tyre rim alloy.
Please refer to the image below:
Overview
Zoom in
Another view
The brown mark on the tyre rim is very stubborn. I have use anti-grease liquid but it ...
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Does modern automobile windshield (windscreen) glass have manufacturer surface coatings owners/maintainers should be aware of?
For example, once officially sanctioned in manufacturer windshield service documents, feldspar-powder containing Bon Ami 1886 Formula Cleaning Powder now cautions for "vintage auto windshields (not ...
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What class of cleaning/detailing products do I use for artificial/imitation leather?
I just bought a Tesla Model 3, and it's full of artificial leather (seats, dash, doors, center console...)
When browsing car detailing/maintenance stores, I find 2 separate "classes" of cleaners and ...
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Cigarette in the ac vent
I have a Ford Fiesta, a friend of mine dropped a cigarette inside the left air conditioning vent..Should I worry about it catching fire? Even if not, how do I get it out?
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What is the best DIY approach to keeping brake dust off your rims?
I used to work at a car wash, so I am familiar with the assembly line brushes they used.
I do have a bag of old t-shirt rags, but I am not sure I want to deplete them by single-use for this task. I'...
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Steam clean vs jet wash to remove dust etc in car seats?
My car(Honda civic vti) is about 20 years old and the car seats are extremely dusty. Just tapping causes a lot of dust to fly up along with my eczema.
I know steam cleaning would clean a lot but I ...
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Car got mildly flooded - what to do first?
I started driving my car after a day of very heavy rain, and discovered an inch or so of water on the floor of the back seat - apparently I had parked on top of the (insufficient) storm drain. ...
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How to clear air vents of leaves and other such debris?
Car is a civic vti 99. It was left under a tree for some 8 months or so.
Recently started to use it and smelt bad. Cowel screen and under it was covered in leaves and pollen and the the cabin filter(...
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Want to clean EGR passages using shop vac, worried about debris from broken catalytic converter getting into exhaust manifold
I need to clean the EGR valve and passages on a 1998 Honda Accord 4 cylinder. Needless to say I would like to vacuum the debris out after scraping it up, the catch is that this vehicle possibly has ...
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Best Way to Clean A Plastic Inlet Manifold?
What is the best way to clean a plastic inlet manifold?
Is it safe to soak it with a mix of water and dishwasher overnight?
Edit:
Is it safe to apply engine degreasers on a plastic inlet manifold?
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Removing wax from motorcycle plastic fairing
What's a safe way to remove wax from a plastic motorcycle fairing? I may have used an inappropriate cleaning product in the past, and UV may have made it worse.
I can remove some of it with friction (...
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Is Windex safe for the windshield?
I see conflicting information on whether or not Windex (or ammonia-based glass cleaners) is harmful for the windshield. For example, thoughtco claims:
In reality, auto shops and auto-glass ...
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Is it okay to wipe rubber hoses with WD-40?
A mechanic recently performed a vehicle repair for me. After he was done, he took a rag, sprayed lots of WD-40 on it, and rubbed it onto several of the hoses in the engine compartment (ex. power ...
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Can damp in boot cause cabin to have condensation\become damp?
Car is a 1999 honda civic vti coupe. I getting damp reappear quite quickly and am wondering if its cause im leaving it stationary/not airing enough or because I have a damp situation in the boot. If ...
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How can you prevent condensation/damp when you plan to leave a car idle?
My old car tends to develop condensation quite easily. If you leave your car in a cold climate not ventilated for an extended period of time I guess that is what happens.
If we plan to leave our ...
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Cleaning behind the flywheel
My 2001 Ford Focus has been leaking oil at the rear main seal. I want to clean the engine plate with a degreaser (soapy water) and wipe it down.
Is it okay to spray it with soapy water, or should I ...
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If I don't have throttle body cleaner, what can I safely use as an alternative?
Pretty much as the title states, I need to clean my throttle body, but I don't have any 'throttle body cleaner'.
Are there any other common solvents I could use instead, that would be both effective ...
user21327
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How to clean up carbon
I was wondering what the best way to clean up carbon off of the Pistons and valves is since I have to change 2 head gaskets
I heard abrasive cloths and cleaners aren't so good for the piston heads, ...
user38183
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Can hand wrenches and sockets be cleaned in a sonic cleaner?
Since tools are a big part of motor vehicle repair I've run across some old hand wrenches and sockets that have rust on them and I'd like to keep them but wanted them cleaned. I was curious, due to ...
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Cleaning inside of headlamp housing
my family owns a 2009 Maruti Suzuki Alto. Sometime back the RHS lamp exploded inside the housing, since then the housing became hazy, although the light output does not seems to be affected much, I ...
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Ways to protect paintwork from minor damage?
Assuming you plan on actually using your car as the manufacturer intended minor damage to the paintwork is inevitable - bird droppings, stone chips, light scratches from people brushing past, "swirl ...
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How to clean spilled drink from dashboard and control buttons?
A sports drink was recently spilled over the dashboard and control surfaces (radio, climate control, etc) of our 2011 Chrysler Towne & Country. The drink was immediately cleaned up and no damage ...
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just changed head gasket reusable?
so, my car was sent to the shop to change a new head gasket just a few days ago. my car is an old 2e toyota engine which I was thinking of painting it to look nice. But in order to paint it I have to ...
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How to clean parts under the hood
Would you advise how should I clean the parts under the hood?
When I say "parts under the hood", I mean the parts in the picture below.
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Will dislodging carbon deposits harm the catalytic converter?
If I use an intake valve cleaner that dislodges chunks of carbon from the intake valves or piston head, and they flow through to the exhaust, could they harm the catalytic converter?
I'm interested ...
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