SPRING CLEANING

Spring has officially sprung! With warmer weather and more sunshine, it is the perfect time to deep clean your vehicle! While it is a good habit to keep a vehicle as clean as possible all winter long, spring brings the perfect opportunity to restore its shine! This guide to spring cleaning your vehicle will touch on some of the most important aspects of keeping your vehicle in top notch shape.

RINSE AWAY CONTAMINANTS:

It is a critical step to remove any dirt, salt, or other potential contaminants from your vehicle’s surface before washing it. This can be done by giving the vehicle a good rinsing with water from a hose or pressure washer. Be sure to rinse the body panels, glass, wheels, wheel wells, and under carriage to provide a clean slate.

USE THE RIGHT CLEANING PRODUCTS:

While it may seem like a clean all, dish soap is not the right product to use when cleaning your vehicle. Instead, find a high quality concentrated liquid car wash soap that is easy to mix in a bucket with water, this will make for a much easier wash. It may seem like a soft bristled brush is the easiest way to remove built up grime, but often - especially with darker colored vehicles - these types of cleaning tools can leave swirl marks or cause the clear coat on your vehicle to fade. Opt for a car wash mitt or a sponge specifically made for the task to avoid paint damage. When drying after you’ve rinsed the soap away, use a clean microfiber cloth to soak up the water in long strokes over the vehicle to prevent swirling watermarks.

Often, our vehicle’s interiors contain several types of materials from plastic and fabric, to leather or faux leather alternatives and these can often all be in close proximity to each other. For this reason we recommend an all-purpose interior cleaner, however you’ll need to be sure to use a leather conditioner on any leather components.

EXTERIOR CLEANING TIPS: 

When washing the exterior of your vehicle, use the car mitt or sponge in a circular motion, working from panel to panel to ensure no surface is missed. Be sure to use a different sponge, mitt, or soft bristled brush for the wheels, as they tend to be more dirty and can carry many small particles that can embed themselves in cleaning tools that can etch clear coats. When rinsing, start from the top down to be sure all soap and dirt is rinsed completely.

DRYING:

Even in the most idealistic conditions, air drying your vehicle can leave water spots and a dull paint finish, caused by dust in the air collecting on even the slightest bit of moisture. Instead, use a microfiber towel, again starting from the top down, dry each panel in sweeping strokes to avoid water spots. 

WAX AND TIRE SHINE:

Waxing your vehicle's exterior surface will ensure it’s shine all spring and summer long. Applying wax will leave a beautiful shine in the sunlight while also protecting the vehicle from rain and other contaminants. Wax should be applied in small sections at a time in circular motions, once the product has come to a haze, it can be buffed off with a clean microfiber cloth. In addition, tire sidewalls should be sprayed with a tire shine and wiped to really boost the car's look.

INTERIOR CLEANING:

When cleaning the interior, first remove everything including items in the cabin, gloveboxes, and trunk. This will get everything out of the way and lets you take inventory of what is necessary to carry and what isn’t. This may be a good time to implement using an interior trash holder or trunk organizer, to keep items safe, secure, and orderly. 

After removing everything, wipe down the dashboard, entertainment surfaces, center consoles, and door panels with an all purpose cleaner and a microfiber cloth that will collect a lot of dust before vacuuming. When vacuuming, use a soft bristled brush to remove any additional dust from vents, seat cushions, door pockets, and similar spaces. For carpets, cupholders, headliners, and mats a stiff bristled vacuum head can be used. 

Seats should be vacuumed, if available a shampooer can be used for a deeper clean on cloth seats. For leather seats and any other leather components a leather conditioner should be used to ensure a clean surface and will help prevent any drying or cracking.  

GLASS CLEANING:

Lastly, interior glass surfaces should be wiped down with a microfiber cloth before the cleaning process. Be sure to use a glass cleaner formulated for vehicles to avoid steaks. Spray a clean microfiber cloth and wipe glass surfaces starting at the top and working downward in small circular motions then wipe the surfaces dry with a separate additional clean cloth.

Following these spring cleaning procedures will ensure a long lasting clean through the warmer seasons!