Whether your vehicle is brand new or a certified pre-owned model, it’s important to learn how to maintain it and keep it clean. With these five pro tips for detailing your car at home, you can ensure the life and care of your vehicle.
Choosing Cleaning Supplies
If you want to detail your car the right way, you’ll need to choose the appropriate cleaning supplies. Start with a car shampoo for washing. Avoid using dish soap because of its harsh chemicals that can damage your paint job. You can opt for two-in-one car shampoos that have paint conditioners mixed in. For tires, wheels, lights, and windows, use tire and rim cleaning products and special glass cleaner for automobile glass. You’ll also need several soft cleaning cloths for different areas of your car.
Washing Your Vehicle
If you want to wash your car like a pro, first set up two separate buckets: one for soap and soaking and another for rinsing. This way you don’t cross-contaminate your clean rinse water with dirt and debris. Wash your tires and rims first, then move onto the rest of your vehicle, starting at the top and working your way down. Keep a few separate washrags to use for the body paint, plastic trim, and other parts where you don’t want to transfer dirt from used washcloths. When you’re done, rinse your vehicle from the top down.
Drying Your Vehicle
While it isn’t a big deal to let your car air dry after washing it, hand-drying your vehicle can reduce water spots and areas where water accumulates, like the nooks and crannies around the hood. To dry your car without these unsightly water stains, use a chamois cloth made especially for vehicles. You may want to invest in two chamois cloths, one for drying the body of your car and another for drying the rims, tires, and bumper areas.
Protecting the Paint
Protect your paint job just like the pro service detailers by using the best car wax products. You’ll also need a soft cotton cloth for this job so that you can apply and buff in the wax product. When you plan to wax your car, move it to a shaded area so it’s out of the sun. Applying wax and paint protectant products while your vehicle is hot or sitting in the sunshine can cause the wax to bake into the paint of your car, which can end up damaging your paint job rather than protecting it.
Detailing the Interior
Get the inside of your car exceptionally clean by investing in a stout vacuum with attachments for reaching small crevices. Use appropriate cleaners for the dash, console, and other components that aren’t cloth. You can also shampoo your seat and floorboard upholstery with products made just for car materials. If you have leather upholstery, consider a leather cleaning spray to wipe down the seats, console, and steering wheel.
Detailing your car may be a day-long project, but you can seriously improve the appearance of your vehicle with regular upkeep. Additionally, keeping your car clean and tidy will help ensure your vehicle’s longevity.
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