Time to set a shining example

How can I spruce up my car for spring? Jack Evans explains how to give a little love.

With the longer days, it’s fair to say many people will be feeling a little brighter about the months ahead. With spring rolling through, it’s likely people will look to give their homes a sprucing up – and the same can be done for your car, too.

Particularly with lockdown restrictions having been in place for some time now, many vehicles won’t have moved as much as usual over the past year.

So, now could be the best time to give it some muchneeded TLC – and here’s how to do it…

FLUIDS AND LEVELS

While we’re here, it’s a good idea to give your car’s fluid levels a little check, to ensure they’re up to scratch.

To check its oil, remove the dipstick (usually denoted with a yellow handle in the engine bay) and wipe it clean with a rag or some paper towel.

Then, return it to the engine, and remove it once more – it should show you the amount of oil via a gauge on the stick itself. If it’s low, adjust accordingly with the correct oil for your vehicle.

Take a look at your windscreen washer fluid, too.

Signified by a blue cap with a washer logo on it, the washer fluid bottle should also have levels to read.

If it’s low, replenish it with proper washer fluid – don’t be tempted to use just water, either.

TYRES

If your car has been standing still for a little while, then there’s a good chance that your tyres will have lost a little bit of pressure.

You can adjust them either via a home compressor that plugs into your car’s 12-volt socket, or a tyre inflator at a petrol station or garage.

Check the manufacturer’s recommended pressures – you can usually find these in the car’s handbook, behind the fuel filler cap or on stickers in the doors shuts – and adjust the tyres accordingly.

THE INTERIOR

Right, now to get to the cleaning. It’s a good idea to start with a thorough vacuum, removing the mats to ensure that you get into all of the nooks and crannies.

Don’t forget to vacuum down the sides of the seats, switching to a thin nozzle to get into the hard-to-reach areas. Give the seats a good going-over, too.

Now that you’ve vacuumed all of the key areas, you can start cleaning.

Find a car-friendly carpet cleaner and work it into the areas like the carpet and seats – and don’t forget those mats, too. Use a stiff brush to work the product into the material, following the manufacturer’s guidelines regarding how long to leave it there. Again, use a car-friendly cleaner to treat all of the harder surfaces throughout the car. You might want to use a bleach-free antibacterial cleaner to treat all of the most-touched areas such as the steering wheel and gearstick, too.

It’s worth giving the inside of your windscreen and windows a clean, too. Again, use a glassspecific cleaner here along with a clean microfibre towel to ensure a streak-free clean.

Don’t forget the wheel arches when washing your car, and cleaning off any water beads with a clean microfibre cloth