You Won’t Believe What You Can Clean At A Car Wash
The stroke of inspiration that led me to see if I could clean a rug at a car wash hit me as I was driving. I’d been considering how to go about cleaning the dirty rug in front of my kitchen sink, especially since it was too big to put in the washer.
Related: This Is The Single Best Way To Clean Your Area Rugs
As I drove past by the self-serve car wash at the end of our street, an out-of-the-box idea occurred to me: what if I could clean my rug at a car wash the same way I clean my car’s floor mats? I wasn’t totally confident that it would work, but I was willing to give it a try due to the sorry state the rug was in.
How To Clean A Rug At A Car Wash
I headed to the car wash with my rug, clipped it up on the wall, and started spraying it down. I couldn’t BELIEVE how grimy the water was that was coming off of the rug, but I found it oddly satisfying too!
After my successful car wash rug cleaning, I just set the rug in the bed of my husband’s truck and headed home. (If you don’t have a truck, you could squeeze out enough water to stop it from dripping and set it on a few spare bath towels to help keep your trunk or seats dry.)
Once I got home, I put the rug out in the sun to dry, and soon I had it back in my kitchen looking good as new!
Related: 17 Brilliant Hacks That Will Make Cleaning Your Car A Breeze
And once I know something works, I want to try it on everything, so I set myself to brainstorming other items you could clean at a car wash. Here’s what I came up with!
More Surprising Things You Can Clean At A Car Wash
1. Patio Equipment
Not sure where or how to clean your patio umbrella? Take it to a self-serve car wash and give it a thorough cleaning! Consider cleaning these other patio items there while you’re at it:
- Umbrellas and sun shades
- Patio furniture
- Charcoal grills
- Storage bins
- Window screens
Related: How To Put Away Your Outdoor Furniture The Right Way
2. Toys & Baby Gear
Not sure how to clean up bulky outdoor toys or other baby/kid gear? Take it down to the car wash! It’s a good option for cleaning things like:
- Wading pools
- Outdoor toys
- Bikes/trikes
- Baby gates
- High chairs
- Strollers
3. Yard & Garden Equipment
Giving your yard and garden equipment a good cleaning at the beginning or end of the season is a good way to keep it looking great! Spray down these and other outdoor items at a nearby car wash:
- Bird baths
- Planters and pots
- Compost bins
- Wood items you’re planning to refinish
4. Camping Gear
It’s dirty out there in the great outdoors, but camping gear and equipment isn’t always easy to clean at home! Head to a nearby car wash bay to clean camping gear like:
- Ice chests
- Cots
- Fire grates
- Tarps
- Camping chairs
- Boots and shoes
5. Miscellaneous (Bulky, Grimy & Hard-To-Clean Items)
- Ladders
- Doormats
- Pet crates
- Garbage cans and recycling bins
- Greasy range hood filters
You might also like these posts:
- 19 Little Ways Your Dishwasher Can Make Cleaning Easier
- 18 Unexpected Things You Can Clean In Your Washing Machine
Have you ever cleaned anything unusual at the car wash?