By Kale Richards, Founder and CEO
So many hacks, so little sense
The right tool for the right job is a good motto to live by, and we know tools
Some of the worst advice spreads the fastest and nowhere is that truer than in the world of DIY car care. From toothpaste on headlights to using dish soap as car wash, these “hacks” are everywhere and they’re quietly destroying your paint, trim, and interior.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through some of the most common viral detailing hacks that cause more harm than good, and I’ll show you what actually works instead.
The links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy through them. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Now let’s save your car from confident idiots on the internet.
But first, my top pick
A personal, versatile favorite for everything from wash to wiper fluid
👉 Grab the kit at Amazon: Optimum ONR with Towel & Sponge
Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine is one of the most versatile products on the market.
➡️ Wash your car with one bucket of water
➡️ Dilute and used as an interior or surface cleaner
➡️ Use in a spray bottle as a quick detailer
This is the one I go through the fastest. Whether it’s a quick shine after a drive or cleaning up whatever mystery stickiness my kid left in the back seat: ONR just works.
Toothpaste to polish headlights
“Use toothpaste to polish up those cloudy headlights!”
Sure. If you want to waste toothpaste while giving your car a minty-fresh and disappointingly temporary shine.
Toothpaste is mildly abrasive, so it can scrub away some surface oxidation. But it won’t remove it completely, and it definitely won’t stop the haze from coming back. Why? Because the factory UV protection is already long gone, and toothpaste can’t replace it.
You could wax afterward and maybe squeeze out a few extra days of clarity. But really, would you use car polish on your teeth? No? Then stop using dental products on your headlights.
In my experience, Cerakote makes one of the fastest, most effective, and fairly priced kits on the market. I used it on my daily driver (pictured above) and on friends’ vehicles with excellent results each time.
👉 Get it now: CERAKOTE® Ceramic Headlight Restoration Kit
- Chemically removes oxidation
- Includes sanding discs and ceramic UV sealant
- Hand powered, no power required
- Provides Long-term protection
PS: It’s time to ditch the toothpaste for polishing any kind of plastic. Meguiars PlastX is a fantastic general purpose plastic polish.
👉 Find on Amazon: Meguiars PlastX Bundle w/Cloth & Pad
Magic eraser for scratches and dirt
A magically bad idea for most automotive surfaces
The magic eraser. A little rectangular miracle made of melamine foam. Cheap. Versatile. Completely inappropriate for almost every surface in your car.
It’s hard to swing a damp microfiber towel without hitting someone who swears by using it for detailing. Honestly, swing it a few more times and you might knock some sense into them.
Here’s the thing: melamine foam is abrasive. Not just “slightly abrasive” actually, chemically abrasive. Think of it as ultra-fine sandpaper in sponge form. Now consider what that means when you’re rubbing it on clear coat, leather, or anything glossy.
Let’s break down some common “magic eraser hacks” and why you should avoid them:
🛑 Remove contamination from your paint
Nope. Your clearcoat is whisper-thin. Melamine doesn’t polish, it scours. You might “remove” defects, but you’re also removing the protective layer and leaving behind haze and micro-marring. You’ll need an actual polish to clean up the mess you just made.
🛑 Clean your leather seats
Still no. Most modern automotive leather (and leather-look surfaces) have a thin protective finish. That finish does not appreciate being sanded off. Even if it looks clean afterward, it’s compromised, which means it’ll crack, fade, or get sticky sooner.
🛑 Wipe your infotainment screen
Let’s revisit that whole “abrasive” thing. Want a cloudy, scratched-up display that looks like it’s been attacked by a cat? Be my guest.
🛑 Scrub brake dust off your wheels
Some wheels are clear-coated. Some are powdercoated. Some are high-polish or machined. None of them were designed to be cleaned with an abrasive block.
Fortunately, the right tools for the job are easily available.
🟢 Remove contamination from your paint
Let me introduce you to another magic rectangle. A rectangle made of clay. The Mother’s California Gold Clay Bar Kit contains everything you need to tackle mild to moderate paint contamination the right way. And, it’s super satisfying.
👉 Clean it up: Mother’s California Gold Clay Bar Kit
🟢 Clean your leather seats
Many quality leather and vinyl care kits exist. I like 303 because it is exceptionally gentle and includes UV protection to help keep things fresh. It’s good for leather and vinyl.
👉 Find on Amazon: 303 Products Leather 3-in-1 Complete Care
🟢 Wipe your infotainment screen
For this task I like plain old water. How can water work so well? The trick is a quality microfiber towel. The Rag Company makes my favorites, and this lint and streak free option is the way to go.
👉 Find on Amazon: Premium Window, Glass, Mirror & Chrome Detailing Towels
🟢 Scrub brake dust off your wheels
If your car generates brake dust like mine does, you’ll be glad to have a quality wheel and tire cleaner. Adam’s helps blast off the dust and the nasty brown gunk seeping from your tires. Personally, I rarely even use a dressing. I’m also including a link to my absolute favorite wheel brush.
👉 Find on Amazon: Adam’s Wheel and Tire Cleaner
👉 Grab an amazing brush: Autofiber Barrel Blade
Dish soap car wash
Did it Dawn on anyone that this isn’t a good idea?
Why not just grab some dish soap on the way to wash your car?
This one comes up a lot. Are the people suggesting it also planning to grab the moldy sponge from the bottom of the sink? Because that’s where this advice belongs. Toss it in the garbage disposal.
Yes, dish soap cuts grease. Yes, it will make your car clean.
But here’s what else it does:
💀 Strips off your wax or sealant. Like, completely
💀 Dries out your plastic trim and rubber weatherstripping
💀 Leaves your paint unprotected and more vulnerable to sun, water spots, and other contaminants
Dish soap is designed to remove food oils, not protect your nice paint job or expensive ceramic coating. There’s a reason they don’t sell it at auto parts stores next to the foam cannons.
Believe it or not, you can buy soap designed specifically for your car!
I have several favorite soaps, and I’m going to link them all. Personally, I find the Sonax cleans marginally better, but it also smells like Red Bull. Pro or con, you decide. The CarPro does a fantastic job and has a more neutral smell. Both are ceramic coating safe. Honorable mention: Meguiar’s Ultimate. It’s a great choice if you just want an easy to use wash that leaves a shine.
👉 For an invigorating wash: Sonax ActiFoam Energy 618300
👉 Neutral, pleasant odor: CARPRO Car Wash Shampoo
👉 Easy all-in-one: Meguiar’s Ultimate Wash and Wax
For a bonus, I’ll remind you about my favorite rinseless wash. It’s amazing for using indoors, in the winter, or during a drought. I even use it diluted with distilled water as an interior cleaner and instant detailer. If you’re on the fence with the four options, I’d start here:
👉 High tech and versatile rinseless: Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine
Getting into the two or three bucket method is out of the scope of this article, but you should grab a good washing pad and drying towel.
👉 Wash with this: Cyclone Ultra Wash Mitt and Pad
👉 Dry with this: Gauntlet Car Drying Towel
Leave a Reply