The TikTok car hygiene hacks that could actually damage your car
There are plenty of car cleaning tips to be found on TikTok, but some hygiene hacks could actually damage your car
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Keeping your car clean has a wide range of benefits for your wellbeing, from tackling stress to offering a distraction-free environment.
28% of Brits say they always scrub their car themselves as they know they’ll do a good job, with one driver in 10 admitting they wouldn’t trust anybody else to wash their motor inside and out.
However, giving your vehicle a spruce-up can be time-consuming, which is why more and more motorists are turning to social media for hygiene hacks that will get their car shining in record time.
On TikTok alone, videos featuring the #carcleaning hashtag have a whopping 4.2 billion views, but the reality is that some of the quick fixes shown in the viral clips could do your vehicle more harm than good.
We've uncovered some common TikTok hacks that might potentially damage your vehicle and have highlighted the unintended consequences.
Toothpaste to clean mirrors
One of the most popular car hygiene tricks trending on TikTok is cleaning your vehicle mirrors with toothpaste.
@mrrhyan’s video, which has amassed almost 40 million views and more than 1.7 million likes, shows that rubbing toothpaste on your wing mirror can make the glass sparkle in seconds.
As every household owns at least one tube of toothpaste for their daily dental routine, this hack is quickly becoming an appealing practice among social media users.
However, Sam Sheehan, our motoring editor, warns of the negative effects this hack could have on your mirrors: “Applying toothpaste on the mirrors of your used Audi or BMW sounds like a quick, hassle-free way to polish your glass surfaces.
“But while it does seem to work at first, it’s important to know that toothpaste contains mild abrasives that can scratch the delicate surface of your mirrors.
“This can result in blurred or compromised reflection, meaning that you may eventually even have to replace your mirrors because of how badly they have deteriorated.
“So, when cleaning your wing mirrors, opt for specialist products or soap and warm water instead, and limit the use of toothpaste to your dental care only.”
Olive oil and coffee filters to wipe your dashboard
If you struggle to keep your car’s dashboard clean and dust-free, social media creator @brunchwithbabs says that wiping it with olive oil and coffee filters can do the job.
In her video, which has received more than 63,000 likes, the TikToker explains that this hack can also act as an effective repellent against dust and lint building up quickly.
Yes, olive oil can keep dust at bay, but bear in mind that it can also be a dangerous practice – especially if some of the oil spills or ends up on the steering wheel.
If you don’t wipe it all off carefully, you’ll be left with a slippery wheel that could affect your grip and potentially lead to serious collisions.
Laundry pods to clear car seats
If laundry pods can wash clothes and towels, they can surely remove stains from car seats – right?
According to TikTok user @cleanfreakpro, scrubbing your driving and passenger seats with laundry pods dissolved into hot water can get them back in tip-top condition.
Although this may sound like an easy solution, the reality is that laundry pods are designed to treat clothes, and their chemicals can be damaging to your car seats.
For example, they may not be suitable for maintaining the colour of your upholstery, leading to fading or discolouration. Laundry-pod chemicals might even contain abrasive particles that are too harsh for car seats, causing wear and tear on the fabric.
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Coconut oil to remove stains
Another car hygiene hack trending on TikTok is using coconut oil to remove stains from plastic elements on your car.
TikToker @mrs_tink filmed herself trying the trick on her vehicle and said she was happy with the result, with the video receiving more than 22,000 likes.
Spreading coconut oil on your car isn’t a wise choice, however, as it can create a few issues in the not-so-distant future.
In fact, this DIY cleaning method can compromise your vehicle’s clear coat layer, affecting the brightness of the paintwork and expanding the scratches on your surface.
A car with damaged paintwork is more likely to rust, resulting in pricey maintenance bills and a shortened lifespan for your motor.
Shaving foam or gel to clean your upholstery
Usually used to provide you with a stubble-free face, shaving foam is another product identified by TikTok influencers as a way to get your car shining in no time.
Receiving 69,000 likes and almost 13,000 shares, @coley_07’s clip demonstrates how spraying shaving foam on her upholstery has revived the look of her car’s interior.
While the results in the video are impressive, the benefits of using shaving foam or gel as a vehicle-cleaning product should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Repeated use of shaving foam or gel can stain your upholstery over time, as the product contains mineral oils that are tough to remove and can cause irreparable damage.
What’s more, shaving foam can leave residues that are challenging to remove, attracting both dirt and dust and leaving you with a sticky, unpleasant surface.
Car cleaning hacks
Social media is packed with hygiene hacks to help you streamline your car cleaning duties. Before you test these tips for yourself, however, make sure to check whether specific products are harmless to your vehicle or not.
Some tricks might save you precious time when giving your motor a good scrub, but they could also land you a hefty repair bill down the line.