SPRING CLEANING: DON’T FORGET YOUR CAR!

 

 

 

Getting the Interior

 

 

The first step in cleaning the interior is removing clutter. Plenty of us use our cars as extra storage, but for deep cleaning, it’s important to get everything out of the vehicle. Once it’s clear, you’re going to get a gentle brush and go over all of the fabric in the car. This includes the seats and the floors (but leather should be excluded). The brush will loosen any dirt or particles stuck in the fabric and make the next step easier.

 

Now, it’s time for the vacuum. You can go to a car wash and use a timed vacuum if you need to, but for anyone with the option, a shop vac is a better option. It lets you take your time and pursue a thorough cleaning.

 

After vacuuming, it’s time for finishing products. Leather cleaner (if you have any interior leather) and interior car finish (like Armor All) will make the interior shine. These products also offer a protective layer, which is a big motivator for spring cleaning the car in the first place.

 

 

Normally, you can drive through a car wash or go through the knobs at a self-spray car wash. For spring cleaning, we want to go a little deeper. Some of you will prefer to pay to have the car detailed. That’s honestly sufficient. For those of you who like a little DIY, a hand wash is what this is all about.

 

You actually want to start with the tires. They’re the dirtiest part, and if you get a little vigorous, you can fling a little dirt around. It’s better to do that before everything else is sparkling. You can start by hosing down the tires and rims. After that, get a tire-safe cleaner and a stiff brush for all of the chrome. You don’t need to cleanse the tire, but you do want to remove debris from the tread. It usually goes without saying, but strong and sharp tools (like screwdrivers or knives) should NOT be used for this. A stiff brush is better.

 

When the tires are clean, you can scrub the body of the vehicle. You can use a garden hose to keep things wet, but the scrubbing is going to be with a gentle agitator. Car paint is hard, so you don’t have to worry about things embedding into the paint. Something soft can get the job done, and anything hard can scratch the paint. Usually, working your way from top to bottom is best. You can use a soap designed for cars. Most of them will have protective chemicals (modern replacements for car wax) in the formula. If you don’t have such a soap, then clean the car first and then apply your protective finish. Perhaps most important is that you want to towel dry the car. You aren’t using distilled water, so the water will spot if you let it air dry.

 

 

This is spring cleaning. You want to get the engine too. The good news is that you can do this the easy way. You want to pressure wash the surfaces in the engine. Going to a local car wash is the easy way (and should probably be done first as to not undo your other exterior efforts). With a pressure sprayer, try to remove the layer of dirt, dust and grime on the engine. The hoses should look black again. The metal should look metallic. Once the engine is clean, it’s easier to see signs of wear, leaks and other issues. Consider addressing them sooner rather than later.

 

That is all you need for a thorough spring cleaning of your vehicle. It will be free of clutter, sparkling clean and smell great. It’s a wonderful way to embrace the changes in spring and prepare for summer road trips