Best detailing tools that are not made for detailing

[SheldonH]

Just thought i wold start a topic to see what some of you guys use as tools for detailing that our not made for detailing.

Mine our as follows
Cheap foam sponges from the dollar store=tire dressing applicators
Toothbrush=good small scrubber
Bissel little green machine=a respectable carpet shampooer
Compressed air for computer=Make a make shift tornado gun
Windex glass cleaning rag=A microfiber on one side and a drying one on the back

These are just some, post some of yours on here and help forum members save some cash on some useful alternatives.

[RhetoricMixes]

I use toothbrushes to get dirt out of small crevices. I also use small paint brushes with soft bristles to clean the creases in seat seams. Paint brushes are also very good at agitating any cleaner you let dwell while detailing engine bays.

[SON1C]

lowes has mf applicators for about $1.25 a sponge (the small rectangle mf sponge applicators)

not a non detailing the the small carrand brush for interior detailing its short its like $2.50, very cheap, but works great and doesn't really lose its bristles, atleast so far, some of the carrand brushes lose a ton of bristles on every use aka junk

cotton swabs

[opie_7afe]

stipple brushes made for arts and crafts = swissvax style brush...ethnic hair brush or a natural bristle nail brush for leather/vinyl/hard plastics

[Agfan]

Might be a bit old school but here goes.
Green scrub pads for interior
Wd-40 for wheels
Distilled water for washing cars
Tide bleach stick for white walls on tires.

I'm not giving all my secrets out but there's a few. Lol

[Jomax]

Mr clean eraser


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[Dr Oldz]

Beer cooler!

[andrew b]

Swiffer duster, the original. Use it to remove light brake dust that's accumulated but never gotten wet.

[Klasse Act]

I've been to Ikea a couple times and have bought these dusters that work AWESOME on cleaning the insides of the wheels. The duster part is very long as well as the handle, this way you get all the way in there after letting the wheel cleaner break things down for a bit. Once your done, rinse off with low pressure water and let dry on the ground standing it up, this way the weight doesn't pull down the duster and make it come off. Once its dry, just twist the handle and it fluffs itself out and its ready for cleaning next time.

The pink eraser, great for getting wax out of pourous areas and/or rubber, just erase like you would normally and it gets in there and goes away, follow up with your favorite dressing to make it look new again, BAM!

I know most people know about this but there's always someone who hasn't, so use WD40 to remove that grease/tar you sometimes pick up from the road, comes off SOOOOOOOO easy and doesn't hurt the finish (after cleaning, hit the area with some quick detailer anyways)

Armor All (noone uses it for automotive uses anymore, right!) This stuff does the trick when you want to make the wheelwells look shiney on your car or more importantly, your truck! It may not last the longest but its cheap and does the trick in there.

Great topic OP!

[gatoman39]

Qtips for applying dressing to rubber trim around windows and mirrors. Small cotton rounds used for cosmetics (saturate with waterless wash)to spot treat bird dropping and those little yellow spots that I've been told are insect droppings.