- Put aside sufficient time - 2-3 hours should
be more than enough time in most cases - and don't get
distracted. Avoid washing
your car on a really sunny, scorcher of a day - the car care products
will dry too quickly and you may well have to repeat steps to get a
great finish.
- Whatever car-care product
you choose, make sure you follow the instructions to the letter. For
instance, if you use an acid-based wheel cleaner on the wrong kind of
alloy,
or leave it on too long even on the correct kind of wheel, you
could cause permanent damage.
- Don't
use domestic cleaning products on your car (ie. kitchen cleaning
products) - according to the men in
white coats; they're not formulated to cope with the kind of soiling
suffered by cars and may cause or promote damage to some surfaces. No
matter how stubborn unsightly marks may be, even on wheels, never
attack them with the kind of nylon scouring pad that you use on your
dishes - the results could be
disastrous.
- Before
hosing down the engine, make sure the car keys and alarm remote control
are in your pocket (a "short" could lock the doors unexpectedly), and
you have looked in the engine compartment and
owner's manual for any warning messages about pressure washing (you
don't want to invalidate your
warranty).
- A
long handled paint brush is an incredibly useful tool to agitate
cleaning products (notably Engine and Machine Cleaner) into heavily
soiled areas that are difficult to get at. Wrap some tape
around the
metal part of the brush (the bit that secures the bristles) to ensure
that you don't inadvertently scratch any painted
surfaces.
- A soft-bristled
(clean!) paint brush is also a great tool for deep-cleaning out those
pesky air ducts. Again, make sure you tape the metal parts of
the brush to avoid any scratching or scuffing of the
interior.
- If
you drop a cloth or sponge on the floor, don't use it again. Even if it
looks clean, assume it is contaminated with tiny bits of grit that
could cause
scratches.
- When
vacuuming the interior of your car avoid rubbing with the
hard nozzle on the end of the vacuum against plastic or leather
surfaces - you could easily cause permanent marks. Hold the nozzle just
off the surface and dust towards it with a soft paint brush. To clean
dash vents properly, suck and blow - suck with the vacuum with the
ventilation fan at full
blow.
- When
using any product on upholstery start with a test-patch somewhere out
of sight. Avoid being too aggressive when shampooing your headliner -
if it's old it could be delicate and it won't matter how clean the
headliner is if it's got a great big fist-sized hole in it
!
- To
tell if your car needs re-polishing, spray it with water. If the water
immediately forms droplets (or beads) on the
bodywork that run off quickly, you're
OK.
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