Car Cleaning For The Perfectionist. The weekend car cleaning job often does more damage to the paintwork than we care to admit. Often light swirls and scratches are caused by careless cleaning, typically where a cleaning cloth or sponge is used close to the wheels where it picks up grit which is then wiped over the paintwork. Here are some top cleaning methods to help you to avoid adding scratches to the paintwork, making sure that anything that touches the paintwork is free of grit and is rinsed thoroughly each time it is reapplied to the bodywork. 1. Rinse and wet the car using a pressure cleaner that will produce a strong jet .If you don’t own a power cleaner then the garden hose is your next best bet. The idea is to remove the loose grit and to loosen up the dirt. 2. Pick up loose paper and cool drink bottles and other items inside the car. Take out the mats and wash and vacuum them then move on to the rest of the interior with the vacuum. Wipe down the dashboard, console and all other plastic with a damp cloth. Interior cleaner is good for cleaning off stubborn spots but avoid using products that will leave a greasy residue on the pedals that may cause your feet to slip off when driving. Polishing the dashboard can cause glare on sunny days and is not recommended. Finally wipe over the sills, trunk, seams and the bits you only see when the door is open using a damp sponge. 3. The car should still be wet but hose over one more time ready for the pre wash. Use a clean soft fluffy woollen cloth and very gently wipe over the entire car to remove all grit particles starting at the top of the car and working round it in circles so the dirtiest parts the sills and bumpers are the last thing you touch. 4. Pre wash. Using a bucket of clean water and a car pre wash product – choose something that does not foam up too much. Don’t choose to use a shampoo with built in polish because this tends to seal the dirt and stains under a thin layer of wax and makes the cleaning job far harder than it needs to be. 5. Time to use a hard sponge working in circles. Be sure to avoid creating those wheel mark scratches caused mainly by bad cleaning methods or automatic car washes. 6. Clean off wheels and tires with a brush first, then use a hard sponge. Brake dust is very hard to remove and you’ll usually require an alloy wheel cleaner. These usually need brushing on and leaving for a few minutes and then sponging off . Be careful to avoid getting this material on your bare skin. 7. Rinse off with fresh clean water from a plastic bucket. Do one panel at a time beginning with the roof and then the hood. 8. Use a Chamois leather to dry the car off. 9. Using a glass cleaning product go over the windows inside and out in a circular motion. Use a proper automotive glass cleaner and not a normal household type for this job. 10. Apply polish in straight lines not circles to a light haze then buff off. There’s a wide range of products available in automotive retail outlets and online including complete kits. Be sure to use a quality polish to achieve that showroom finish.
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Happy motoring!
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