Car Cleaning Tips
Once you’ve ever thoroughly cleaned your car from top to bottom you realize this could become a habit. Many times once you start then you don’t stop until it looks showroom ready. That usually takes many hours to achieve. I’ve put together this article to help you with some of the best car cleaning tips I could find.
Always start with the exterior of your car. There is simply no need to go out and purchase any fancy car shampoos as plain liquid soap diluted with water will give you the same amount of clean. It removes the dirt and road grime just as well as the more expensive cleaners will. One thing you do need to keep in mind is that you should always wash your car (if possible) in a shaded area so that the when rinsed it doesn’t dry so fast that it makes water stains.
- First off, give your car a good pre-rinse with your water hose to remove the loose dirt and grime.
- Mix your soap and water in a bucket and using a sponge or car wash mitt then start washing the car from the top of the roof to the bottom down and including the tires.
- This keeps you from washing the dirtiest part of your car first (the tires and wheels) and then going up, so as to prevent any scratching caused from debris such as pebbles.
- It is also a really good idea to use one mitt for the tires and wheels and even the bugs on the grill and then using a different car wash mitt for the remainder of your car.
- As well as changing and using clean soapy water as you go.
- It’s also a good idea to wash in lines versus going in a circular motion.
- Take one section of your car at a time.
- Start with the roof, wash and scrub and then rinse.
- Then take the hood of your car and do the same working towards the back.
- Save the tires, wheels and grill for last.
After you have washed the entire car and rinsed it in sections then after you are done give it one final rinse from top to bottom once more. Next dry your car as quickly as possible to prevent any water stains from appearing.
- Use a shamois for this and again, remember to dry in lines not circular motions. Lines will be less likely to show in the sunlight than circular motions will.
Next let’s talk about car cleaning tips for the inside of your car’s interior. As you know this is as important as the exterior so be aware of what you are doing.
- Always check your owners manual for any type of restrictions for cleaning specific parts. You had rather be sure now about what is safe to clean as find you made an awful mistake later on.
After getting your vacuum ready also get together a few things for cleaning the interior such as:
- toothbrush or small paint brush or even Q-tips for those hard to reach places.
- It is a good idea to clean more on the sections or parts of the car that you use or touch the most.
- Places such as the seat belt, driver’s door and handle, steering wheel and your shifter.
In order to protect the car’s fabric you can use a little bit of mild laundry soap mixed with water. A wonderful way to eliminate any car odors is to use vinegar, it’s much more economical and works great.
For the other parts of the interior here are a few cleaning tips that you should pay attention to. There are several types of cleaners for making your dashboard clean and shiny. The choice on this is strictly up to you. For cleaning your cars interior upholstery I highly recommend using shampoo. This shampoo can also be used for vinyl coverings, and soft tops as well. It works on any standard type seating covering.
- If you car has a leather interior I would use the better leather sprays to prolong the life of the car’s leather.
Using your household vacuum cleaner works just as well as those that are made specifically for cars. The only difference would be the car vacs are much more light weight and portable. However, if you house vacuum comes with attachments that should make it easier to get to those hard to reach places in your car’s interior.
In order to keep your car looking good inside as well as out this can be a very tiresome job, but if done regularly this will keep it from taking so long. It will make this chore to be more efficient and less time consuming a chore, With the help of these simple car cleaning tips.
