If you’re like me, you spend quite a bit of time in your car running errands, and the more time you spend in the car, the harder it can be to keep it clean! Luckily, cleaning the inside of your car doesn’t have to be labor-intensive, time-consuming, or cost an arm and a leg.
And I’ve got a great DIY to share with you today to prove it! This DIY “Armor All” spray is ideal for cleaning the non-porous surfaces inside your car, and will eliminate gunk and leave your car gleaming.
As many of my blog post ideas are, this one was inspired by necessity. My car interior was in desperate need of cleaning, but I didn’t have any automotive cleaners on hand. So I did what I do best and searched the internet for answers, and that’s how I came up with this DIY “Armor All” car interior cleaning spray.
Here’s how you can make it at home!
DIY “Armor All” Car Interior Cleaning Spray
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups warm distilled water
- 1/2 cup baby oil*
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 5 drops Dawn dish soap
- 3-5 drops Simple Clean Essential Oil Blend
*Note: You can use coconut oil instead of baby oil, but it will shorten the shelf-life of the spray. I prefer to use baby oil here for that reason!
Directions:
Add the water, oil, vinegar, dish soap, and essential oils to a 16-ounce glass spray bottle and shake gently to mix. To use it, spray it onto a microfiber cleaning cloth and use it to wipe your center console, dashboard, and other surfaces.
Cleaning The Interior Of Your Car In 2 Easy Steps
Step 1 – Vacuum First
It’s always smart to start the cleaning process by addressing loose dirt and dust. Be thorough on your seats and floor mats, and don’t forget to vacuum up any accumulated dust or crumbs from your dashboard or console.
Step 2 – Spray And Wipe
After vacuuming up loose dirt and dust, use your DIY cleaning spray and a clean microfiber cloth to wipe interior surfaces clean. It’s great for plastic, faux leather, vinyl, and rubber, and you can use it to wipe smears and fingerprints off and built-in screens too. (Just be sure to spray the cloth, not the screen!)
Once you’re done, your car will smell as clean as it looks, thanks to the addition of Simple Clean in the spray! You may even want to consider using a car diffuser to keep that fresh and clean scent going. (Visit the link below for more on that!)
Related: Make Every Drive Better With This Simple Car Accessory
BONUS: Armor All Vs. DIY Cost Comparison
Out of curiosity, I did a quick price breakdown to find out how much you can save by making this DIY car cleaning spray. At the time of writing, you could get a 16-ounce botlle of Armor All cleaning spray for $6 on Amazon.
I did some math based on my material costs, and the amount of distilled water in the recipe cost $0.68 and the baby oil cost $1.07. The cost of the amounts of vinegar, dish soap, and a few drops of Simple Clean are almost negligible, so I’m confident this recipe costs somewhere between $2.00-2.50 — less than half the cost of the real-deal Armor All!
More Ideas You'll Love
One more quick tip: if you want, you can use this DIY car cleaning spray to make your own car cleaning wipes! Just follow the same method outlined in this post.
How do you clean your car’s interior?
Your shower cleaner (Dawn and hot vinegar) is exceptionally efficient for removing dead bugs from the windshield! Spray, wait, wipe.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for sharing this tip, Rose Anne. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Use caution with this spray in your car! Do NOT use it on the upper part of your Dashboard. The reason is because it will make your dashboard shiny, which will increase the sun glare. We learned this the hard way and now never use it there. It is wonderful for the rest of the car!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have this body spray that I love the smell of. Do you think I could substitute the tea tree for that?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Is there a way to turn off the mini video at the upper right hand corner of the page? I’m hard of hearing and the distraction is quite unpleasant. ( I turn off the sound to all my electronics).
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I enjoy your blog and creative ideas.
Side note, on YouTube I read the closed captioning , if it’s not captioned I don’t watch.
Yes! If you hover your mouse over that video, you’ll see a button in the top right of the video that says “close.”
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hello everyone! I love the idea of the diy wipes but a quick Google search asking if mineral oil is safe for leather will yield a lot of negative results. I’m going to include a link that is actually from a shoe care site but it gets all science-y as to why it isn’t good for leather. I also read some sites pertaining to car care and they also say to steer clear.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.http://oldleathershoe.com/wordpress/?p=608
THIS… mineral oil can be damaging to vinyls and plastics too, as can all petroleum products. Use with caution or not at all.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi! Great post! I am unfamiliar with essential oils, where can these be purchased? Also, I know baby oil can stain clothes. Once the mixture is put together do you have to worry about keeping it away from upholstery and clothing when using it? Sorry if this is obvious…I am just getting into homemade cleaners!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I buy mine from http://sparknaturals.com/, they have very high quality oils at great prices :-) I definitely wouldn’t use the wipes on fabric upholstery, but it won’t stain if you accidentally graze one across your tee-shirt, or something.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I haven’t checked out baby oil per se, but I would caution someone who would be inclined to use cloth wipes because when you wash oily rags & throw them in the dryer, the molecular properties are still able to spontaneously combust. Fire hazard in short. Be careful. Maybe wash separately and hang to dry?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m thinking this will not work on painted surfaces like cars
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yet again, Jillee and gang read my mind at the perfect time. :)
A friend called me very frustrated a few weeks ago about her “nasty” interior car windows. She asked if I had a quality, effective glass cleaner recipe? Well, of course I do!
https://onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/07/2-simple-glass-cleaners-for-sparkling-windows-and-mirrors.html
I always have a batch on hand, so I filled a spray bottle of this magic and gave it to her. RAVE REVIEWS from her, her hubby, her MIL, and sister. (My little spray bottle helped a lot of folks become Jillee fans that day.) :)
Same friend called me later and was totally disgusted with the state of her dash and console after her windows were so sparkly clean. She asked for a DYI Armor All recipe? Less than 2 weeks later and here we are. Thank you, AGAIN, for making our lives cleaner, cheaper, and better. Happy New Year!
In reference to organizing the recipes… Any suggestions for those of use that like having print outs for the solutions rather than electric/Pinterest?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I simply use a permanent marker to write the formulas on the side of the container beneath the name of the product. I also put them on recipe cards & store them in my recipe box in case they rub off the containers. I keep all the DIY cards together in one section at the back. Works for me since the DIY formulas don’t need more than the recipe written down.
I’m making extras so when my last chick leaves the nest in a few years I can give her a set of the cards. She’s very frugal with her money, & loves using the DIY formulas. I’m going to get a laundry basket, stuff it with a batch of each formula in labeled spray bottles or containers, add ingredients for making more of each thing & include the cards to make her a starter kit as a housewarming/getting you started gift.
Just a note: gallon vinegar containers with screw caps make great jugs to keep large batches in. In particular I use them to make a gallon of window cleaner & a gallon of foaming hand soap refill for quick refills. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wow what clever idea Julie!
Perfect! So glad to help Randa :-)
There is a green button that says “Print Friendly.” If you click it, you can choose which parts of the post you want to print, so that you can condense it down to just 1 page. You could keep those on hand and organize them in file folders :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Viva paper towels are great to smooth buttercream frosting to make it look like fondant. They are not textured like most other paper towels. Tip: after the buttercream crusts a bit on the cake, lay a towel gently on the frosting and smooth with your hand. Buttercream tastes way better than fondant.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.There goes OGT saving me money again.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Since Jill’s first post about the DIY wipes I have made all kinds of wipes. I can’t wait to try this recipe–my recipe does not have the baby oil.
For my car wipes version I use Scott Shop Towels (they are blue & found in auto departments). I do not cut them in half; I use an old Tupperware gallon pitcher and squish them in there. One towel can do the whole car and still have the chutzpah for the headlights stuck with bugs & grimy tires. Using pure Melaleuca oil also allows the use of plain tap water (it kills whatever might grow in tap water). I keep them in the garage because DH uses them for cleaning the lawnmower & to clean/condition tools. I use them to clean/maintain garden tools. I like the fact that they are blue because I easily can tell them apart from my more gentle wipes.
Can I use fractionated coconut oil instead of mineral oil? Also, would it be ok to use castille soap instead of Dawn
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Castille soap & vinegar do not work well together–in fact they make each other ineffective. Here is a post to explain it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.http://www.liverenewed.com/2012/10/days-green-clean-common-green-cleaning-mistake.html
Wait, WHAT?! :(
My favorite homemade cleaner contains some castille and vinegar. Is it possible that it still works and Ive never had a clumping reaction, because there’s also alcohol in it as an emulsifier?
I would stick with Dawn, here’s a post about how much I love it! https://onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/05/original-blue-dawn-its-not-just-for-dishes-anymore.html
Fractionated coconut oil should work well, it’s just a bit more expensive!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The good news is that I scored the two containers for $2.50 (off brand was on sale-same exact container). The bad news is that there is no way I’m getting these paper towels into this container! How is this possible? And yes I purchased the Viva towels (same as pictured). Any suggestions?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Did you cut the roll in half? It still doesn’t quite fit, but when you get them wet, they squish in there nicely :-) Does that answer your question?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I looked up the Melaleuca and this is what it said it was. Antimicrobial, Antiseptic, Antiviral, Fungicide, Insecticide and Stimulant. So you can see why it is used in the recipe. I would think you could add scent if you wanted too. But Melaleuca is a tea tree oil and that has a nice scent too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I would like to know how well the Viva towels hold up to scrubbing tires! Seems like a really tough job!
I love love love these recipes! Jillee do you have any recommendations for organizing these recipes? I’d love to hear your ideas!! Thank you for them all! Girls, you too!!!
Although I have not yet tried them on tires, viva paper towels are almost like actual cloth and have held up well to all scrubbing projects for which I have used them.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That’s exactly why we used melaleuca! Good research :-) The Viva towels are very strong, you’d be surprised! Most readers use Pinterest to organize the posts into different boards. Glad you like it, thanks Tricia!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great idea! I’m adding this to my DIY Solutions! FYI, mineral oil is baby oil without the scent, and it’s a lot cheaper.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Only proplem with oil like canola and olive is it can get rancid(spoil) from the heat in a car.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Good point Mari!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use old flannel sheets or baby blankets that i’ve gotten at thrift stores for all of my different wipes. They clean up great in the washer. I never hem the edges. I just cut into decent size squares. I have many that have some big stains on them…but i’m okay with that.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What is the purpose of the Melaleuca oil? If it is just for scent, could other oils be used here?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I assume the Melaleuca is added for its antibacterial properties.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It is for the antibacterial and cleaning properties, lemon would work, too :-)
Could you use another oil, maybe? How about olive oil? Or canola?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I would stick with baby oil, it’s much lighter and less sticky than olive or canola oil :-) It won’t attract dust and dirt like the heavier oils.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I wonder if you could use old rags for this?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sure! You could even cut up old tee-shirts to make rags :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks again for another DIY project! I hate spending money on wipes that are just thrown away but they really are sooo much easier.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Can you use a different essential oil?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Melaleuca really works great in this recipe, but if you don’t want to use it, then lemon would work too :-)
The disposable option is so handy!
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