There are several things you must do to keep
your car in immaculate condition and retain
its value. Apart from regular mechanical
servicing and maintenance, your car must
also be groomed regularly to keep it looking
like new. This means more than simply
putting it through the carwash each week.
Although it takes a bit longer, you'll find
that hand grooming your car achieves a far
better result. There's no need to spend a
lot of money on car care products, however
you will need to buy a few. These are some
tips I use every time I clean my car.
Exterior
Rinse your car down to get rid of excess
dirt, and then wash it with a sponge and
soapy water. Once you've washed the whole
car, rinse it off and then dry it with a
soft cloth. If you don't dry your car
afterwards, water droplets gather dust, and
when they dry out, you're left with many
spots all over the body of the car. This is
especially noticeable with dark colored
cars.
Every month or so you should use a bug
and tar removal product on the body of your
car. There are many of these types of
products available at most car care stores.
A great product to go for is one which
removes bugs, tar and other spots, while
polishing the car's surface at the same
time.
Polishing and waxing your car regularly
maintains the "shiny look" and also protects
the paint from being damaged by the sun.
Always clean the wheels and shine the
tires. If your car has alloy wheels, dirt
shows up more easily and makes them look
dull. You can buy wheel cleaning products
which remove the build up of brake dust, but
if you clean them each time you wash your
car, you should only need to use water and a
cloth. When shining the tires, I always use
a spray-on tire shine which is quick and
easy to use. This not only keeps them
looking like new, but protects them from the
sun and makes the whole car look
magnificent.
For other external areas, use a surface
protecting product which is designed to
protect rubber, vinyl and plastic from the
sun's UV rays. This can be used on bumpers,
rubber seals around doors and windows, and
for the interior as well.
Interior
Purchase some car seat covers to protect
your seats from getting worn out. They can
easily be taken off and washed once in a
while. I vacuum the seats and carpet every
time I clean my car. Dirt and grit which
falls deep into the carpet causes it to wear
out quickly, so regular vacuuming is the
best way to prevent this. Buying a set of
floor mats will keep the majority of dirt
from getting into your carpet.
Clean the inside of your car's windows
with a glass cleaning product and a soft
cloth. I use a normal household glass
cleaning spray for this and it seems to do
the job. When cleaning the dashboard and
other interior surfaces, be careful you
don't use a product that will damage them.
Some vinyl and plastic surfaces can be
ruined simply by using the wrong product
when cleaning. Once cleaned, you can use a
surface protecting spray on these areas
also.
When you aren't using your car, park it
in the garage. This not only keeps it out of
the weather, but also prevents it from
getting dirty. If you don't have access to a
garage, consider buying a car cover.
Protecting your car from the weather as much
as possible will ensure it remains
immaculate.
For info on
vehicle covers, auto accessories, or
car
seat covers visit the
Auto Accessories website.
About The Author: Paul MacIver is a car
enthusiast, and writes about various
vehicle-related topics. |
