Keeping Your Car Clean and Well Organized

Keeping your car constantly clean and in order can prolong its life. A clean car means not only on the inside but also on the outside. Here are helpful ways you can consider for effectively cleaning your car.

1. Park your car in a sheltered and cool area. If your car’s body is hot from being in the sun for quite a while, wait for about 20 to 30 minutes until it cools down before cleaning. As the sun’s heat can speed up the time of water and soap to dry, you may need to wait for your car to cool to avoid water and soap stains.
2. Gather your cleaning supplies. For your car’s exterior, assemble 2 buckets, sponge, rag or cloth, tire cleaner, car wax, and lambs wool wash mitt. For cleaning your interior, gather a trash bag, vacuum cleaner, glass cleaner, carpet cleaner, paper towels, rags, upholstery foam cleanser, and Q-tips.
3. Fill the 2 buckets with water. One bucket will be for sudsing your rag with a car cleanser while the other one will be for washing your rag or cloth. Hand soaps and dishwashing detergents should not be used to clean your car as they have harsh ingredients that may strip the wax off your car.
4. Clean the exterior by hand wash. Use a hose to bathe thoroughly with water the surface of your car before putting on soap. Get rid of any debris, leaves, twigs, and dirt to prevent scratching. You can use light pressure from your hose if needed, to rinse off deep seated grime or dirt. Make sure the water pressure is just enough to take away the dirt and not to strip off your car’s paint or wax. Clean from top to bottom. Lather with soap using lambs wool mitt or sponge. Do not clean in circular motion as it can create swirl streaks.
5. Clean the wheels using a different cloth or rag. If slightly dirty, use only mild soap and water to clean. But if your wheels are extremely dirty you may have to use a pre-wash degreaser to get rid of dirt. Then apply a car wheel cleaner. Do not use caustic cleaners as they contain acidic ingredients that can destroy the finish of your wheels. For small openings, use a toothbrush with soft bristles.
6. In waxing your automobile, make use of a clay bar to get rid of miniscule dirt around the surface. Cut it into 3 to 4 segments then even out one of the pieces. Spray a small quantity of clay lube on one of the small section of your car then lightly slide the clay around the lubricated part in a back and forth motion.
7. Apply car wax in polishing the exterior in an up and down motion (not a circular motion) and use moderate pressure only in applying the wax to obtain an even and smooth coat. Make use of a microfiber towel to polish the wax.
8. In cleaning the interior of your car, be sure to remove and shake the floor mats. Set them aside for vacuuming later. Take out any trash inside the car such as paper, tissues, cups, coins, and any other objects that should not be there. Put them in a trash bag and be sure to wear gloves in removing them to protect your hands.
9. Vacuum the interior starting from the seats, console, and dashboard and work your way down to the floor. Adjust the seats to clean hard to reach areas. Spray your carpet and fabric with cleaning products exclusively designed to clean them. Use a glass cleaner, or vinegar and water solution of ½ cup vinegar to l gallon of water to tidy up your windows.

You and your car will feel better when all is clean and shinny.