HOW TO CLEAN YOUR CAR LIKE THE PROS,
How to clean your car like the pros
While it’ s hard to think about detailing your ride in the midst of winter, the warmer temperatures of spring and our renewed love affair with vehicles are just around the corner.
Professional car- cleaning shops can do a bang- up job on even the grimiest chariot, but you can save yourself some major dollars and achieve similar results with little effort. Besides, there’s something rather therapeutic about getting away from it all and spending a few hours on a bright Saturday morning in your driveway to achieve some worthwhile and tangible results. What you’ll need You don’t have to spend a fortune to outfit yourself for some car detailing. A five-gallon plastic pail, good wash mitt, chamois cloth, garden hose, kitchen- type nylon scrub brush, shop vacuum, paper towels ( or clean microfibre cloths) should cover the hardware needed.
For the software, a container of car- wash soap (never use liquid dish detergent), glass cleaner (vinegar and water mix is a cheap alternative), quality liquid wax, carpet- upholster y cleaner and some tire dressing ( spray silicone lubricating compound is a better alternative) is a basic list. Start on the outside first Trying to clean the interior of a car before washing the exterior is like shovelling snow while it’s still falling. You’ll be constantly dragging dirt and grime in. Many may argue the reverse is best, to keep dust and grit from the interior getting on the outside. But if you waxed the exterior or let it dry completely, any dust will simply blow off.
Avoid parking in direct sunlight, as it can cause water spots when the sheet metal dries too fast. Rinse the entire vehicle thoroughly to avoid grinding grit into the paint with your wash mitt. You’ll get better results if you tackle one panel at a time, for example, the roof, then a door, then a fender, etc. Start at the top and work down. Re-rinse each panel before giving it a rubdown with a soapy wash mitt; rinse again before starting the next panel.
If you wax, plan to wax on and wax off before hitting the interior. Leaving a clean exterior before waxing, even for the short time you may be working on the interior, is a sure way to wax grit into the paint. Clean vehicles are like grit magnets, so the quicker you finish the exterior, the better.
Stick with trusted name brands such as Turtle or Meguiar’s for waxing (the li- quids are the easiest to work with) and follow the package instructions. Interiors are where you can really shine Start with a thorough vacuuming of floor carpets and seats. Lightly whacking the carpet with your vacuum attachment will cause deep grit to get to the surface, where it is easily sucked up. A quality upholstery- carpet cleaner will handle most stains, but road salt is the worst.
If your cleaner and a good brush scrubbing won’t lift the salt, you’ ll have to resort to heat. A steam wand is best, as it minimizes the amount of water that gets to the floor.
Remember, automakers love to hide wiring, electrical connectors and other electronics under the carpets, so any moisture you put down has to be dried up to avoid potential problems.