How To Clean Your Engine With Coke

Last updated: September 10, 2018

It's a drink, it's a cleaner…it's Coca-Cola! No longer just a sweet tasting carbonated beverage, its uses have become much more widespread from cleaning rust stains to tenderizing steaks. Now I'm sure as a kid you heard all the reasons why drinking cola was bad for you. 'It'll rot your teeth', my mother said. 'It's poisonous', my friend once told me. So, let's examine the Coke hacks for cleaning that have appeared over the past few years.

Driveway Oil Stains

Has your driveway become ridden with oil spills over the years? Well here's a quick and easy fix for you that requires no effort. Pour a bottle of coke on your oil spill and let it soak for a few hours. After you've left it for a few hours, take a hose (ideally one that has strong pressure) and rinse the no longer stained area.\

Got Skunked?

Let's admit it- the smell of skunk is gross and almost impossible to forget. For those of you who live in an area where skunk smells are an issue, take one can of coke and add it to a bucket of water with detergent. By simply being present, the cauldron of Coke helps to break the odor down and make it less nauseating! If you (or likely your cat/dog) ever get skunked, here's an easy cleanup tip. Forget mama's tomato sauce tip and get into the shower instead. Cover yourself (or your pet) from head to toe with coke and wait a few minutes before rinsing off. Lucky for you, cola makes for an excellent hair treatment so you just got two tips for the price of one!

Rust Remover

Are your old golf clubs getting a little rusty? Considering buying new ones? Save yourself big bucks and invest $1.25 in a can of coke instead. Coca-Cola is an excellent rust buster because of its citric acid. Soak your old clubs in a container of coke for 24 hours. Remove and rinse with water to wash away any stickiness. Use this technique on anything from golf clubs to pennies. The properties of coke help break down rust particles and make them easier to clean.

Stinky Slacks?

Gone fishin'? If your clothing smells and you fear the lingering odor, worry not. Grab a can of Coke of course and add to the wash with your regular detergent! One can will help break down and neutralize odors, getting rid of the even the worst odor culprits.

Grout Out

Ever spilt Coca Cola on the floor and realized its cleaning potential? Little did you know that cola is great for cleaning tile grout! If you have dirty, dingy grout, pour a bit of cola onto the area, let it sit for a few minutes, and wipe clean. For tough stains, use a cleaning toothbrush to scrub the grout before wiping the area clean. Cola Cola can also be used on carpet stains. Pour cola onto the area, let it sit for a few minutes then scrub to remove the stain using a scrub brush. Finish by using soapy water to wipe over the area once you're done.

Clothing Stains

If you have any clothes with grease, asphalt or creosote stains, you know how difficult they can be to remove. Grease stains are famously difficult to remove from clothing and we all know how expensive stain removers can be. So put your inefficient stain removers aside and join the bandwagon for a cheaper, alternative stain remover. Pour a can of cola into the wash with water and detergent as you usually would and run it through a normal cycle. Once finished, let it dry and enjoy wearing your now stain-free clothes! This method is also quite effective for removing blood and it helps to deodorize smelly clothes.

Ready-Set: Connect!

We've all been there. You're repeatedly cranking your key in the ignition and your car just doesn't want to start. It could be as a result of your car's battery connections. If there is excess built-up corrosion, it makes it difficult for your car to start. A quick fix is to pour a can of coke onto your battery connections (when the car is off) to remove cruddy corrosion. It may seem pretty obvious, but a clean connection makes it easier to start the car!

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