Posts Tagged ‘car washing’

The Do’s and Don’ts of Car Washing

Monday, July 26th, 2010

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DO wash off bird droppings or unidentifiable stains as soon as possible. If you end up with a high-acidity stain on the paint, it can actually eat out at it. If this happens, you won’t be able to repair it and will have to repaint.

DO wash your car often to prevent debris from causing scratches.

DON’T forget to rinse your car after a heavy rain. The acidity from the rain can stain the paint if not washed away.

DON’T forget to rinse after manually washing the car. Leaving soapy water to dry on the car will cause stains and might dull the finish.

DO use a dedicated carwash formula to wash your car. Soap, soap dish or other household products are not meant to be used on paint and can dull the finish or affect the protective coating.

DO dry off your car after washing. Letting it dry naturally can cause streaking.

DO use a tougher sponge or scrubber to clean the tires and wheels. A soft sponge or cloth won’t remove all debris. You might need a brush for stubborn mud.

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Do’s and Don’ts of Keeping Your Car Clean

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

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There’s more to washing your car than a sponge and a bucket of soapy water. In fact, washing your car this way can end up damaging it rather than helping it. Instead, there are a few steps you can follow to preserve your vehicle in top shape.

Clean obvious stains as soon as you notice them, even if you’re not ready to give your car a full wash just yet. This is especially true of bird droppings and other acidic elements, which can eat into the paint if left on it for too long. Use a soft sponge and water to clear the stains completely.

Rinse your vehicle after a heavy snowstorm or a drive near the beach. Both sand and salt (used on icy streets) can damage paint and metal.

Use only cleaners especially designed to wash cars. Home detergents and laundry products can be too harsh on the metal and might dull or damage the paint. The same is true of the type of cloth you use to soap and then dry the car. A regular sponge would work fine or you can use any type of cloth that doesn’t produce lint as it gets wet.

Finally, make sure you rinse the sponge often so there’s no risk of your picking up dust particles or debris that could scratch the car when rubbed against it. If your car is too dirty, use a hose to rinse it off first so you get rid of all loose debris and prevent scratching.

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How to Get Rid of Offensive Car Odors

Friday, August 28th, 2009

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Keeping your car smelling good shouldn’t be a problem if you regularly vacuum and wash it. If you find yourself with an offensive car odor, however, the key is to attack it as soon as you discover, to prevent the smell from penetrating into the upholstery and carpet.

If you can’t identify the source of the smell, your best bet is to clean everything using carpet and upholstery cleaners. If the odor persists even after the cleaning, it may have penetrated into the fiber, so you may have to replace the carpet underpad and treat other areas, like the metal underseat, with disinfectant.

If the odor is inside the upholstery itself, you may need something to block the smell while cleaning the material. Products like Febreze and Atmos-Klear prevent the release of odors into the air and are a good alternative to use when you need something to spray after cleaning.

When cleaning your car, always do it with the windows down and in the open air. This will not only allow air to circulate and remove the odors, but it will also avoid you headaches from the chemical fumes.

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