archive:fun:auto
AUTO & GARAGE
Keep an auto maintenance book. Write down dates that repairs, or
maintenance was done. Write down where the work was done or by
whom.
On a piece of tape write the mileage down when the next oil
change is due. Attach this to your upper windshield or another
convenient place to remind you when it's time to change the oil.
Never wash your car in the sun to prevent streaking.
A dust mop head, worn as a mitten is great for washing your car.
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.
Steel wool pads with soap cleans white sidewalls the best.
Clean splattered bugs off with baking soda and a nylon net.
When white walls are clean use a little vinyl top wax to keep
them clean longer.
Clean headlights, chrome and enamel with baking soda.
Drop a business card or file card with your name on, down the
window slot in case you ever need to prove ownership.
Prevent rust by keeping the underside of your car clean also.
Place a lawn sprinkle under your car and turn on full blast. Move
occasionally so it will reach all areas. This is a good way to
remove all salt and road grime
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.
Remove tar from rubber car mats, by dabbing a generous dose of
linseed oil on tar. Let it soak for about fifteen minutes and
blot with a dampened cloth.
Use newspaper to wipe windows dry after cleaning to avoid
streaks.
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.
Line your car trunk with a plastic rug protector to protect the
carpeting. It will make clean up easier if dirty or greasy
objects are placed in the trunk.
Leave one window open a crack to prevent frost from building up
on the inside of the window.
If car windows do steam up on the inside, carry a blackboard
eraser in your vehicle. This will quickly remove fog.
When tuning up your car, set gap on plugs using the widest gap
that the manufacturer recommends, Your car will run better, idle
better, and will give you better gas mileage.
Clean hard to reach areas (dash, cup holders) with a dampened
sponge tip brush.
Laundry prewash takes tar off car finish.
Peanut butter has been known to remove tar also.
Avoid putting air in your tire if the temperature is below 10
degrees. The valve could stick and let all of the air out.
If wipers are beginning to wear down, extend their life by
rubbing briskly with sandpaper.
Clean windshield wipers with a good scrubbing of baking soda and
water.
A radio antenna will slide up and down easier, if a coat of wax
is applied occasionally. Wax paper will work great. Rub the wax
paper up and down the antenna, the wax from the paper will coat
the antenna.
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. Soda and water will also
do the trick.
Apply vaseline to battery posts for better contact.
Grease one side of a penny and place that side down on the middle
of the battery so corrosion will collect on the penny instead of
the battery posts.
If you don't have a sealed battery, make sure to check the water
level. Water evaporates fast during summer heat.
A broom is the quickest way to clean snow from a car. You can
cut the handle down on the broom and store it in the trunk.
In the glove box, keep a few Handy Wipes to remove gas odor from
your hands from filling the tank.
Remove auto grease from hands with baking soda and water.
A hubcap can be used as a shovel if your auto gets stuck in the
snow, mud, or sand.
Place a bag of kitty litter in your trunk, in case you get stuck
in the snow. Sprinkle some under the tires to get traction.
An unpainted garage entry door can swell and warp and be hard to
open. Remove door and allow to dry. Paint door and all edges to
seal out moisture.
Grease and oil spots in garage are unsightly and also can be
tracked into the house. Avoid ruining carpets by keeping garage
floor clean.
Auto grease can be cleaned up with ordinary baking soda and warm
water.
Make a drip pan to collect oil drips by placing corrugated
cardboard in a cookie sheet. Or fill a cookie sheet with kitty
litter. Change as needed.
Oil drips on your garage floor can be absorbed with kitty litter
or oatmeal.
If your vehicle leaks fluids, leave kitty litter on floor and
sweep up when saturated.
To prevent dust from rising when sweeping out a dirty garage,
shred newspaper and dampen with hot water. Spread newspaper
around floor and then sweep.
Fresh grass clippings can also be used to keep dust down.
If you have an automatic garage door, and you often come home to
find it open, try changing the frequency. Your neighbor's garage
opener may be set to the same frequency as yours. While on
vacation unplug opener to avoid garage door being open.
If you have poor lighting in garage, place reflector tape on
objects that might be hit.
Paint a bright color strip or use luminous tape on center of back
wall to aim the car down the center of garage.
Use carpet strips, foam rubber, or pieces of rubber tire around
support studs or framing that car doors open against.
Paint parking spaces on garage floor for bicycles, lawn mowers
and other objects to help children return objects to the right
places.
/home/gen.uk/domains/wiki.gen.uk/public_html/data/pages/archive/fun/auto.txt · Last modified: 1999/09/29 15:39 by 127.0.0.1