The 5-Step Guide to Cleaning Your Car

Beyond driving through a car wash once in a while (if that!), how often do you actually work to clean your car and leave it looking great?

Not often, I’d bet!

Because unlike an MOT or service, making sure your car’s look is maintained won’t affect its performance, at least not at first.

But did you know that bird poo left uncleaned on your car can cause permanent damage to the paintwork? And that continually treading old food and rubbish into your interior can leave it unsalvageable?

And what happens when you come to sell it on a few years down the line, or try and give it back to the lease company? You’ll receive considerably less cash, that’s what!

But not to worry, SkyParkSecure has come up some top tips on keeping your car in good nick.

5) Car Wash Basics

 

You should be cleaning your car every month to keep it in tip-top shape, or more if you live in a dusty area or by the beach.

The basics are simple:

1. Wash your car with a hose to get rid of any loose dirt.
2. Use car shampoo and a wash mitt to wipe the car down. Always use proper car washing soap and not something like washing up liquid which can damage the paint.
3. Hose it down again.
4. Clean the wheels with non-acidic wheel cleaner.
5. Use a cloth to dry the car off and avoid unsightly streaks

Once clean and dry, it’s important to protect your vehicle’s exterior surfaces including glass, paintwork and wheels.

Then your car will have a show-winning shine that will last for weeks.

And speaking of shine…

4) Get Glossy With It

Now you’ve washed your car, you can leave it there, safe in the knowledge you can cruise round town in your sparkly motor.

However…

If you want to really add a layer of shine to your car, you might want to consider using a little gloss. This will give your car a silky smooth finish, improve colour depth and help reduce dirt build-up, making it less of a pain to clean next time!

We recommend a quick-drying gloss. You simply mist it onto a microfibre cloth and lightly wipe it over the car surface, before swapping to a dry cloth and gently buffing. Not so difficult, really!

3) Give the Car a Once Over

After you’ve finished cleaning your car, it’ll be easy to spot any scratches or oxidation in the paint, so you can decide if you want to tackle those at this stage.

But some things aren’t so easily visible.

If you haven’t properly removed all the gloss, or there’s any dirt remaining on the bodywork, you’ll easily spot it by running your hands over the surface.

Not only is it a point of pride to feel your handiwork, but you’ll be able to give it another wash, or buff out any gloss, before you’ve packed everything away.

2) Lights & Mirrors

There are a few things that people always forget about: wing mirrors and headlights.

While cleaning these may not make your car look any flashier, it will make it much easier for you to see in front and behind you.

If you want something that’s probably lying around the house, window cleaner works really well. Give it a spray and then wipe with a cloth and you’ll notice an immediate difference.

But if you want something that will not only clean your lights and mirrors but prevent them from fogging up, take a look at this anti-fog cleaner:

1) No More “Sorry About the Mess”

It’s all well and good having your car look like new from the outside, but there’s nothing worse than picking someone up and feeling sheepish when they get in.

Keeping the inside of your car in a presentable state can be as simple as vacuuming any debris on the floor and seats, giving the hard surfaces a once-over with a wet wipe, and airing out those floor mats.

However, if you want to go the extra mile, there are loads of products on the market to keep your interior fresh, even if you’re rocking a leather interior!

Take care of your car, and it’ll take care of you when it’s time to sell up!