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A CAR cleaning expert has revealed two household items to make your motor sparkle - and they're better than a pricey £10 alternative.
The YouTube guru has compared products available from major retailers and recommended how best to keep car grilles gleaming.
Dave, from Epic Automotive Detailing, has been thanked for his shopping tips after demonstrating his car cleaning hacks.
His begins with a spray wash of a VW Gold MK7 GTI, before he gets to intricate work on the front grille.
He told how many people use products known as "wheel woolies" - often sold for around £10 - to tackle any grit and dirt.
But he recommended using a available for £7.49 on Amazon, as well as yellow sponges on sticks which can be bought from Halfords at a price of .
Dave's video compares the pros and cons of each item - including praise for "wheel woolies", despite warning they can be tricky to track down as retailers sell out of stock of the popular products.
Demonstrating his cleaning methods, he told viewers: "I’m sure you’re going to look at this and say, Dave, they are just sponges on a stick.
But the point I want to get across in this video is, could these sponges on a stick potentially be better for your grilles?
"Normally in most cases a soft brush is going to be good, but it does have its limitations – for example, when I’m trying to brush in here I can’t quite get right at the back where I’d like to.
"Because these are so soft and delicate, I’m not really attacking it in the way I’d normally want to."
He also described wheel woolies' "limitations" as being down to their "solid plastic in the middle", adding: "solid plastic in the middle, while these do absorb quite a bit, there’s not much softness in them."
He then showed the effects of the four differently-sized sponges on sticks.
Dave said: "Because these can absorb more water and they can squeeze down, you can get right into the tips - which means I should be able to get 100 per cent coverage which is exactly what I’m going for."
He also recommended follow-up care with a cloth, saying: "Anyone who’s been blessed with fingers is able to wrap a micro-fibre cloth around them and just shove it in."
But he also pointed out potential drawbacks of the sponges, since they can crumble easily and leave residue in the grille.
He said: "Not everybody’s going to be gentle - you are just going to cause it to fall to bits."
He added of wheel woolies: "They’re still going to more than any other wheel brush you’ll buy in your life.
"They will last you twice, maybe three times longer than any other traditional brush so it’s not a total downer."
YouTube commenters praised his advice, with one describing it as "great work" while another his "fantastic and informative video".
Dave has previously recommended a £1.99 tip to keep car windows clear of smears.
He also gave advice on stopping fogging from condensation as well as how to make sure your mats look brand new.
And Dave warned of a big mistake drivers were making when cleaning with water as well as offering tips on cleaning car interiors.
Another motors expert suggested a £5 find for tackling frosty windscreens.
Also recommended was a £2 hack to keep your car interior spotless.
And a cleaning whizz told of a £3 gel to make sure your motor remains in good condition.
