HOW TO | Spring clean your car
Get the family involved in cleaning the car, and remember use buckets, not a hose. Photo: Supplied
Ah, spring is officially here and you know what that means (no, not storms and unseasonal snow), it’s time to give your vehicle some attention after the harsh winter conditions it had to endure.
Even if you garage your car, it faces dirt, grit, petrol and diesel fumes and spills, grime, pollen, UV rays, stones, bitumen splatter, road-works sludge ... the list goes on.
But regular cleaning allows you to remove these nasties before they eat away at your chrome and paintwork.
And don’t forget to check out the AutoMuse review of the perfect towel to clean your car.
Remove rubbish from the car, then vacuum the carpets and seats. Photo: Supplied
INTERIOR:
Remove any rubbish from the car. Besides looking tidy, it avoids rubbish and mess getting caught around your feet – and the pedals you use to control your vehicle.
Vacuum the carpets and seats, and wipe down the interior surfaces with a damp cloth (microfibre cloths are perfect). Always do this before washing the exterior of your car – that way there’s no chance of electrical cords coming into contact with water that’s lying around.
If your car has leather seats, remember to apply a specific leather polish or coating to them every six months or so.
Apply protectant sprays to the vinyl (or leather if your car features this) – they bring the vinyl up to a good gloss and help protect against the effects of the sun.
Clean the inside of the glass with glass cleaner – throughout the life of a vehicle the sun reacts with the interior surfaces of your car – commonly known as ‘vinyl bleed’ – this results in a thin film over all the glass surfaces and over time makes it increasingly hard to see through. Be sure to spray the solution onto a clean cloth not the window itself, to avoid inadvertently spraying anything else.
You a microfibre towel to clean the exterior of the car, and look for scraps. Photo: Supplied
EXTERIOR:
Clear any leaves or debris from out of the gutters that sit at the bottom of the windscreen.
Rinse off the exterior of your vehicle then wash it with a car wash/water mix and a soft mitt (made of sheepskin or microfibre cloth), checking for any new scrapes, damage, and general wear and tear as you go. (If you are in Auckland, just use a bucket, not a hose.)
Start washing at the top of the vehicle and work your way down. Periodically try to clean inside the normal door lines to get those spots that you can’t see from the outside but where dust and road dirt tends to accumulate. Try to do this in a shady spot to avoid water residue drying on the vehicle.
If you are using a wash and wax product, try to avoid having the solution get onto the windows of your car – it leaves a residue that’s hard to remove.
If you suffer the misfortune of bird droppings on your car – remove them as soon as you can. These droppings are quite corrosive to the paintwork of your car and can leave permanent marks if not removed quickly.
Wipe the windscreen wiper blades and check for deterioration, replace if needed.
Wash your wheels separately at the end with a different mitt.
Use a chamois or squeegee to dry off the panels and remove excess water.
Clean the outside of the windows (as per the inside).
Clean your lights (front and back) as they’ll have grime on them too.
There’s an old truism in the car business – look after your car and it’ll look after you.
Advice courtesy of MTA NZ
