A Clean Car is a Happy Car
Keeping your car clean may be hard work, all those washing
and soaping around. The inside of your cars should be also cleaned as well and they should be free from crumbs and dirt. All that hard work eventually pays off when you see your
car squeaky clean. If you’re a busy guy, you’d probably just hand it over at a car wash station and let the guys do it for you while you sit around and read your newspaper until
it’s done. What others don’t know is that car washing isn’t really that tedious, it could be fun sometimes plus it’s free when you do it in your own garage.
Some people ask the same things to themselves before starting to wash their cars themselves. Questions like; when should I wash my car? What products should I use? Are there guidelines to consider when washing my car and how should I dry my car?
Car Washing Tips
Well, in washing your car you should wash off the dead bugs, bird crap, tree-sap mists and leaves as soon as possible. If you live in an area where it suffers acid rain, immediately rinse your vehicle off after the rainy weather. Don’t wait for crud to accumulate before washing. If dead bugs and bird droppings are left too long, they can damage your car and might require sanding and repainting for the area to be corrected.
In terms of products, use a dedicated car-wash product, which is milder and specifically designed for use on automotive paint. But remember never to use household products like hand soaps and detergents to clean your car. They aren’t formulated for automobiles and might just strip off the protective wax of the car.
In drying up your car, use a chamois (natural or synthetic) or soft terry towels. If you choose towels, you may need several. It's best to blot the water up instead of dragging the towel or chamois over the paint. Don’t expect that you could leave it outside to dry by itself or you must dispose the thought of driving around just to dry it. It won’t do an effective job.
Other Car Cleaning Tips
Keep the Exterior Clean
Do regularly wash the exterior of your car to ensure the car that it will last long. Have your washed up at least once a week.
Clean your car on a shady or cloudy day
If you wash your car on a sunny day, the water would easily evaporate and would leave watermarks or spots.
Do some canvassing
You may be thinking that there’s not much difference in terms of the costs of maintenance, especially with dealers. Truth is, the difference really varies much. Set for example, seven Nissan dealers in an area quoted prices for 60,000 mile service from $269 - $1,078. Some Nissan dealers offer extra services too like, putting an additive in oil and fuel.
Start with the wheels when cleaning
Do some extra cleaning with the wheels and tires, these parts are the closest to dirt and are subject to corroding effects of brake dust.
Always remember to keep the insides clean
As stated earlier, you should also clean the inside of your car. You should vacuum what you can; this includes the floors, fabric upholstery, mats and under the seats. Remember to wipe down those hard, non glass surfaces. Use a damp cloth in wiping down areas like the dashboard, steering wheel, center console and the inside of the doors.