Your car is not only one of your biggest investments, but also your pride and joy. Caring for your vehicle doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult. With a bit of extra time and the right equipment, you can keep your car spotless without risking damage to the inside or outside by following our car cleaning tips.
Love Is In The Air (And Splattered Across Your Paintwork)
May and November are Lovebug
season in Florida. Even a short drive can decorate your car with the bodies of
dead lovebugs. Keep in mind that the
longer a lovebug stays on your paint,
the more its juices will dissolve the protective layer over your paint. If your
car is left in the sun, the heat ‘cooks’ the bug splat onto the paint and makes
it harder to remove.
- For fresh splats use water and a microfiber cloth. Wet the
area, lay the microfiber cloth over the mess. Press down firmly, without
any rubbing. The microfibers will pick up bits of the bug without
scratching your paint. Continue wetting and pressing until clean.
- If the bug has been sitting for a while, first spray it with
a hose or power washer to remove excess dirt. You’ll need bug removing
soap and water. Use a bug sponge to soak the stain, then rub in straight
lines (not circular) with the least amount of pressure possible. Keep
going until it’s clean.
- For bugs on your windshield use a glass razor tool.
Tar – The Other Tricky Stain
Tar is notoriously hard to get rid of. Don’t resort to harsh
all-purpose cleaners. They may be strong enough to remove the tar, but they
will damage your paintwork in the process. There are many tar removal products
for you to choose from.
Pro Tips For Safe Cleaning
Cleaning your vehicle requires more than drive through carwash –
different areas and materials require specific cleaning attention and products.
Here are some practical cleaning tips to help keep your pride and joy as
fresh as the day you bought it:
Paintwork
- Paint must be cool to the touch. Work out of direct sunlight
and don’t allow products to dry on the paint. Start from the top and work
your way down.
- Don’t use an all-purpose cleaner. It will get rid of the
dirt, but it will also destroy the protective coat on your cars paint.
Choose a foaming paint cleanser the will lift the dirt for you to wipe
away.
- Use the three bucket system. One bucket with water, foaming
paint cleanser and a wash mitt. This is for the body of your car. Have a
second bucket with clean water for rinsing. Your third bucket is for the
tires. It will have wheel soap, a wash mitt, a wheel wooly and a lug nut
brush.
- Each bucket needs two or three grit guards at the bottom to
trap dirt and prevent you wiping it back onto your car and risking
scratches.
Chrome Wheels
Our wheels pick up tons of dirt as they are closest to the road
surface. The grip that enables good road holding also tosses up a lot of loose
dirt that settles in all the hard to reach places.
- Wheels must be cool to the touch before you start washing.
- Start by rinsing loose dirt off the wheel and the wheel wells
using a pressure hose.
- Working on one wheel at a time, spray the surface of the mag
wheel with wheel cleaner and allow it some time to soak into the dirt.
This will begin to lift the dirt away from the surface.
- Use a wheel mitt to get into the corners and finish with a
lug nut brush for the tight spaces and the lug nuts themselves.
Interior Upholstery
How you keep the
interior of your car clean depends on the type of material you are trying to tackle:
Fabric
- Don’t use dish soap or all-purpose cleaner. Mix a tiny bit of
laundry detergent with water.
- Spray sparingly, be careful not to soak the foam underneath
the seat fabric. Use a scrub brush, or a clean interior detail cleaning
brush to agitate the area in small, circular movements to lift the dirt.
- Use a wet/dry vacuum to remove the moisture. You can wrap the
nozzle in a microfiber cloth to press against the wet surface and pick up
the dirt as it soaks up the liquid.
Interior Plastics and Vinyl
- No all-purpose cleaner! Use a car interior spray. Avoid
direct spray on gauge cluster, radio and buttons.
- Avoid getting cleaner on the pedal and steering wheel as this
will cause damage over time.
Besides looking good, regular
vehicle maintenance will add years to your cars life. Here at Foreign Affairs
Motorsport, we care about your car, because you care about your car! For expert
car care advice, give us a call today.
