Car Cleaning Tips
For many vehicle owners, the weekend act of washing a car by hand is a therapeutic act that is beneficial for the person’s state of mind as to the vehicle’s appearance. That’s good because frequent washing is also the best way to maintain a new-car finish. But as simple as washing your car may seem, there are some things to watch for so that you don’t accidentally scratch or degrade the finish. Here are some basic car-washing tips.
When should I wash the car?
Don’t… wait for a layer of crud to accumulate before washing. Dead bugs, bird droppings, and chemicals from the atmosphere all leach acids that can strip away wax and eventually eat into your car’s paint. If left too long, they can cause damage that requires sanding and repainting the area to correct.
Do… wash off dead bugs, bird droppings, and tree-sap mist as soon as possible. Other than this, a weekly car wash will keep the finish in its best shape. In addition, if you live in an area that suffers from acid rain, rinse your vehicle off after a period of rainy weather. Otherwise, acidic chemicals in the rainwater will be left on the surface after the droplets have evaporated, leaving a mark that can permanently mar the paint.
What kind of products should I use?
Don’t… use household cleaning agents like hand soap, dishwashing detergent, or glass cleaner on the paint. These aren’t formulated for use on a car’s paint and may strip off the protective wax.
Do… use a dedicated car-wash product, which is milder and specifically designed for use on automotive paint. Apply the suds with a large, soft natural sponge or a lamb’s-wool mitt.
Grease, rubber, and road-tar deposits picked up from the road often accumulate around the wheel wells and along the lower edge of the body. These can be stubborn to remove and may require a stronger product, such as a bug-and-tar remover. Use a soft, nonabrasive cloth to remove these deposits, as they can quickly blacken your sponge.
Use a separate sponge to clean the wheels and tires, which may be coated with sand, brake dust, and other debris that could mar the car’s finish. Mild soap and water may work here; if not, a dedicated wheel cleaner may be required. Be sure the cleaner is compatible with the type of finish (paint, clear coat, chrome, etc.) used on the wheels. A strong formula intended for mag wheels, for instance, can damage the clear coat that’s used on the wheels that come on today’s cars. To be on the safe side, choose a cleaner that’s labelled as safe for use on all wheels.
Are there any general guidelines I should follow when washing a car?
Don’t… wash your car when the body is hot, such as immediately after driving it or after it has been parked in direct sunlight for a while. Heat speeds the drying of soap and water, making washing more difficult and increasing the chances that spots or deposits will form.
Don’t move the sponge in circles. This can create light but noticeable scratches called swirl marks. Instead, move the sponge lengthwise across the hood and other body panels. And don’t continue using a sponge that’s dropped on the ground without thoroughly rinsing it out. The sponge can pick up dirt particles that can scratch the paint.
Do… rinse all surfaces thoroughly with water before you begin washing to remove loose dirt and debris that could cause scratching. Once you begin, concentrate on one section at a time, washing and rinsing each area completely before moving on to the next one. This ensures that you have plenty of time to rinse before the soap dries. Start at the top, and then work your way around the car.
Work the car-wash solution into a lather with plenty of suds that provide lots of lubrication on the paint surface. And rinse the sponge often. Using a separate bucket to rinse the sponge keeps dirt from getting mixed into the sudsy wash water.
When rinsing, use a hose without a nozzle and let the water flow over the car from top to bottom. This creates a sheeting action that helps minimize the pooling of water.
How should I dry the car when I’m done?
Don’t… let the car air dry, and don’t expect a drive around the block to do an effective job. Either will leave watermarks, which in areas with hard water are the minerals left after evaporation. In addition, don’t use an abrasive towel or other material that can leave hairline scratches in the paint.
Do… use chamois (natural or synthetic) or soft terry towels. If you choose towels, you may need several. It’s best to blot the water up instead of dragging the towel or chamois over the paint. The drying process can be speeded up by using a soft squeegee to remove most of the water on the body, but be sure the rubber is pliable and that it doesn’t pick up bits of dirt that can cause scratches.
Tips for a Spotless Exterior
- Wash your vehicle in a shaded area. Your vehicle’s surface should be cool. If the car’s hot, the soap suds will dry too quickly, staining the surface and requiring another wash.
- Pre-soak your vehicle to remove heavy contaminants like boulders and squirrel remains.
- Use mild liquid soap and a car wash mitt or sponge– and don’t skimp on the water.
- Wash one section at a time, and then rinse it off. Start with the roof of the car, then proceed to the hood and the rear. Next, clean the upper sections of the sides, and then, finally, clean the lower areas, including the rocker panels, which invariably have the most dirt. Why this sequence? If you clean the lower sections first, you’ll wash the dirt from the top of the car back down onto the lower parts. But, more importantly, you run the risk of having small pieces of debris adhere to the mitt or sponge and could scratch the vehicle.
- Always hose off your mitt or sponge before putting it back in the wash bucket tear-soap. In other words, start with a bucket of clean soap– and end with a bucket of clean soap.
- Rinse your vehicle thoroughly. When you think you’re done rinsing—that’s when you give it a final rinse!
- Use a different mitt to clean the tires and rims. Using a separate mitt for the wheels will reduce the chance that you’ll scratch the car’s paint with brake dust and dirt you pick up from the rims.
- Be very cautious when cleaning wheels, especially if you’re using a spray-onwheel cleaner. This is not just for your car’s health but for yours as well. Wheels can be extremely hot if the car has just been driven. This is especially
likely with wheels that use high-performance brakes. When you spray wheel cleaning chemicals on hot metal, the chemicals will vaporize—and you’ll inhale them, which can’t possibly be good for you.
- Forget the pricey automotive cleaners. Instead, use a mild, liquid soap that’s well diluted. That’ll do everything you need, such as removing dirt, grease, and films without damaging plastics or other materials. Plus, it’s a lot cheaper than the aggressively marketed, fancy products.
- Dry your vehicle immediately to prevent water spots. Chamois work well. One commercial product I like is “The Absorber.”
- Skip the expensive chemicals. The only products I use are:
Black Magic Wax: This is an exterior wax which protects the surface of the vehicle. In my experience, it provides great gloss and protection. It was rated “very good” by a leading consumer magazine in 2006. Plus, it’s less expensive
than other major brands.
Meguiars Polish: Meguiars Polish is easy to use and gives the paint a vibrant look. It really brings out the colour.
Meguiars Quick Detailer: This product provides the “just waxed” look in between car washes, and it’s very easy to use.
Tips for a Tidy Interior
- Refer to the owner’s manual before attempting to clean the interior of your vehicle. I’ve found that many of today’s auto components are very sensitive to cleaners. Before you start, test each of the interior materials in small, out-of-the-way locations, where the consequences won’t be too terrible if it doesn’t work out. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Do you want to look at the spray pattern from a can of Super Duper Quikkie-Kleen for the rest of the life of your car?
- Don’t vacuum hard-to-reach places—instead, blow it out by connecting your vacuum hose to the vacuum outlet. It is most effective to rapidly toggle the power switch on your vacuum between “on” and “off.” Here’s why. If you blow the debris out at full speed, it’s going to fly all over the vehicle. Doing it at a reduced power, however, will move the debris just far enough so you can access it and then easily vacuum it up.
- Get a paintbrush and a toothbrush. These are the two best tools for accessing hard-to-reach cracks, crevices and corners. The paintbrush is great for reaching into deep locations. Vacuum with one hand as you brush those hard-to-reach locations, and you’ll quickly clean up tricky spots. Leave both brushes in your glove compartment so you’ll have them when you stop by your local car wash and vacuum emporium.
- To thoroughly remove debris from carpets and mats, use a sturdy brush and run a vacuum right behind it. Don’t get too aggressive with the brush. Mats and carpets are (sadly) poorly made these days, even on high-end vehicles. You can easily cause fraying or other damage by using too much force.
- For gum, wax, and other materials, use chewing gum remover. It actually freezes the gum so that it can easily be scraped off. Use a dull paint scraper to remove the gum once it’s frozen. If you can’t find chewing gum remover, you can also use dry ice. Get the gum cold enough so it will crack when you apply light pressure with the scraper. Chewing gum remover may not be available at your local automotive parts and accessories store. You may have to purchase it through an auto-detailing company or a janitorial supply company.
- Skip the ArmorAll all on the interior. I find it actually attracts dust. If you do use it, buff it in with a moist rag.
- Be very cautious cleaning the transparent plastic on your vehicle’s instrument cluster. A lot of these plastics are extremely soft and will scratch easily. I use Plexus plastic cleaner.
- The dirtiest spots in a car’s interior are the locations you touch, meaning the steering wheel, seat belt, the shifting knob and the driver’s side door panel. The “V” between your legs, where your Egg McMuffin and coffee winds up, can also be very dirty. Locate these components and plan to spend a few extra minutes cleaning them.
- When you’re cleaning seat belts, only use diluted, mild laundry soap. This will protect the integrity of the belt fabric.
- Windows should be cleaned inside and out with glass cleaner and paper towels. Then, lightly buff the windows with a 100% cotton towel.
- The dashboard and vehicle panels should be wiped with a dampened cloth with water. To remove grime, use an all-purpose cleaner diluted with water. As always, use the mildest soap possible.
- Need to get rid of smells? Vinegar works very well, and it’s a whole lot cheaper than commercial products. Start with a 20:1 water-to-vinegar concentration and scrub thoroughly. If that doesn’t work, slowly increase the ratio until you have success.
- No matter what you’re doing to your car, be gentle. Because of manufacturers’ interest in saving a buck and the desire to increase the EPA fuel economy, a lot of manufacturers are using less durable materials. So, whether you’re working on the inside or the outside, be gentle, or you may permanently mar or damage your vehicle.
What to Look for in a Detailer
- Ask if he has a carpet extractor machine. This is a standard issue for a good detailer and a sign that they’re really, truly cleaning your carpets. Less scrupulous detailers will simply spray on some harsh chemicals and brush your
carpet to make it appear as though it’s been cleaned.
- He should be using a wet vacuum with at least five horsepower. Anything less powerful won’t do the trick.
- Check the wheels on a car that he’s recently detailed. There shouldn’t be a dry spot on the sidewall. If there is, it means the detailer didn’t roll the car after applying ArmorAll or a similar product to the sidewall.
- Here’s why. When the vehicle is parked, the bottom of the tire is compressed against the road surface. So when you apply tire dressing, this portion of the tire doesn’t get thoroughly cleaned. The detailer needs to take the time to start the vehicle and move it forward until this tire section is unweighted and can be fully shined. It’s just a sign that the guy cares and is conscientious.
- Check the windows. If the car has a frame around the window, roll the window down. That small section of glass that sits in the frame should also have been cleaned. If it hasn’t been, it means that your prospective detailer is lazy.
- Look for uniform cleaning in completed cars. Detailers who rush through a high volume of cars will only clean the dirtiest spots. Look instead for consistent,thorough cleanliness.
How to Remove Odors from Your Car
Removing stale cigarettes and other odours from the upholstery and carpet in your car is one thing. However, smoke fumes that get sucked into the air conditioning ducts and heater system make odour elimination nearly impossible. Since the AC/HEATER systems are buried deep under the dashboard, it is very difficult and expensive to remove these components just to clean them. Not to worry, though! There is an alternative.
Steps
Clean your car as thoroughly as possible.
Get out any trash and items inside your car. Clear it completely out, making sure to check under the seats.
Wipe the car inside with a cleaning product. Vacuum the rug and upholstery inside the car.
Shampoo the inside of the car. Open the windows to air out the vehicle.
If the odour is due to mildewing water leaks, you may not be able to get out that funky smell until you can stop the rainwater from coming in.
Spray the carpet with Lysol for mildew.
Armed with a spray bottle of a quality odour neutralizer, begin by opening the hood of your car in a well-ventilated (preferably outdoor) location.
Start the engine and set the parking brake for safety. Next, place the AC and FAN on full. Important: make sure the “fresh air/recirculate” setting is in the FRESH AIR (outside air) position.
Go to the front fender side of the car (usually the passenger side) look in the engine compartment, and find the AC/heater AIR INTAKE, sometimes called the cowl vent. Different vehicles use different air intake vent configurations, but all are just below the bottom edge of the windshield, normally on the passenger’s side, and all have some sort of screen, grid or louvres covering the intake.
Liberally spray the deodorizer directly into the intake screen.
After a few sprays, get back in the car and smell to determine if the deodorizer is circulating through the AC system. Repeat if necessary. This application should treat the air conditioning EVAPORATOR, BLOWER and DUCTING..the places where smoke and odour particles will collect.
Now, switch the AC/Heater control to FULL HEAT, leaving the engine running, the air control in the “fresh air” position, and the FAN on full.
Go back outside the car and repeat the spray treatments into the air intake as you did in step 4.
By switching to the HEAT position, the deodorizer is now treating the HEATER CORE, BLOWER and DUCTING..another place where odours will hide.
Repeat spraying if necessary.
Tips
- HINT: If you’re having trouble locating the air intake screen, shut off the engine and place the key in the “RUN” position. Check to make sure the AC fan is still running. Go to the front side of the car, usually the passenger side, and listen for the movement of air and the blower running. After spraying and treating both the AC and HEATER, shut off the engine, close the hood and let the car sit undisturbed for a couple of hours. This will allow the deodorizer to “work” on the odour.
- Don’t use Oust in large quantities, or it will pool somewhere in the vent system and leave a bad smell overnight when you turn on the air/heat/vent the next day. Use Lysol (the old-fashioned kind) to kill off that smell.
Warnings
- Caution: Many AC/HEATER systems use a vacuum to operate, and the running engine is the provider of the vacuum. There is an inherent danger of injury when working under the hood with the engine running. Never perform this procedure with children nearby. If you do not feel comfortable doing this procedure, take your car to a mechanic or repair shop. They should charge you very little (if anything) for squeezing the spray bottle a few times!
Cleaning Cigarette Smoke Residue from Walls
Cleaning a smoker’s house is a nightmare; brown and yellow stains will be on everything from the windows to that intricate crown moulding. Unless you’re willing to hire somebody else for the task, get ready for a lot of work.
- Vinegar
Next to Italian salad dressings, this may be vinegar’s most important job. Even if you are going to paint the walls, you still need to clean them first. In a large bowl or bucket, mix one cup of white vinegar for every two cups of warm water, then add a scoop of baking soda – it should fizz. Use a sponge mop or brush to wash down your walls and ceilings with it. This solution will make residue much easier to remove and should be easy on your paint, too. Follow this up with a vinegar-based window washer for windows (which can be found in organic grocery stores) and your basic bubbly vinegar/baking soda mix on the window mouldings. - Paint
If you’re still not happy with the result, you can attempt the last step again or just repaint your walls.
Removing Cigarette Smoke Smell from your Car
Good old Vinegar
The same mixture of vinegar and baking soda that you used on the walls inside the house can work on the interior of the car (one cup of white vinegar for every two cups of warm water, along with a good scoop of baking soda). Wash down the windows, plastic mouldings, and metals with a generous amount of sponge. Don’t use this on fabric, however. Treat fabric as you would carpet inside – saturate it with baking soda, spray it with a diluted solution of essential oil and water (optional), let it sit overnight, and vacuum it.
Cigarette Smoke Smell Home Remedies:
There are almost as many cigarette smell removal remedies as there are people. Some of the ideas appear to mask the smell with another more powerful odour rather than remove it, so be sure you are going to be happy with the result. Here are some of them:
Fill a tub with vinegar and place it on the floor in the front seat, close the windows, open the floor vents and turn on the heat full blast. Let the car run in this state for an hour before removing the tub. Another version of this remedy requires hot summer weather and allowing the tub to sit on the floor with the windows closed all day.
Leave an opened bag of charcoal in the car overnight.
Put a few drops of vanilla extract on a rag and toss it under the seat.
Put a sliced apple in a cup and set it on the floor. Leave it until it shrivels.
Sprinkle dry coffee grounds on the floor of the car, let them sit there for a few days and vacuum them up.
Mix of apple sauce and cinnamon and put it into a jar with holes punched in the lid. Place the jar on the floor of the car.
Whichever method you try, be prepared for several re-applications. You are going to most likely need them. If you have any tips to make this easier, please share them with the rest of us using the form below. Good luck!
How to Get Rid of Tobacco Odors in Cars
Tobacco odours can make a car smell like an ashtray. Here is how to get rid of that stench.
Steps
Clean your mats with a carpet cleaner and vacuum them. Even if you can’t clean them at least vacuum them. This alone may help the smell.
Spray fabric refresher on all car fabrics. If you can, get an antibacterial one, as these tend to work better with all smells. Spray on seats, floor mats and even seat belts. Dryer sheets, such as Bounce or Downy, also work to keep a car smelling fresh. Just place several sheets or a small, opened box of dryer sheets somewhere in the car. When exposed to heat from the sun, the dryer sheets will release a fresh scent. A box of dryer sheets will freshen your car for a long time and will be less expensive than buying numerous “car fresheners” with artificial smells.
Regularly clean out the car’s ashtray. After cleaning it out, spray some ordinary air freshener into it and rub it around with absorbent kitchen paper. This will leave a thin layer of the air freshener in the ashtray. It’s not enough for it to be flammable but enough to have a pleasant scent.
Always have a hanging car freshener or one of those fan ones that clip onto the car’s air vents.
If the odour is particularly pervasive, consider spraying a highly diluted cleaner (Lysol, very low-concentration bleach water, etc.) through the heater ducts. Do this by finding the air intake (typically under the hood right close to the windshield) and, with the fan on in the car, spray with a water bottle. This will clean out some odours that have stagnated inside the ducts.
Check the car’s air filter in the heating and A/C system. It will absorb all smells that are in the car, including smoke.
Wipe the interior of the car, including the glass (smoke creates a haze on the glass), with vinegar and water. You can also mist the cloth interior with the vinegar-water mixture. To make the mixture, combine 1/4 cup of vinegar (white, not cider) with 2 cups of water. Pour into your sprayer and shake.
Tips
Don’t use too strong a cleaner, or you could ruin your upholstery or dash
Test all cleaners in an inconspicuous place first.
Another good aid is: 1. cut an apple into quarters and put toothpicks around the sides so each quarter can rest in a cup of water.
- Put the apple quarters in strategic places in the car and leave them during the day or overnight. (It works best with the windows down during the day).
- Repeating the procedure may take a week; in this case, repeat steps one and two for a week.
Things You’ll Need
Carpet Cleaner
Air Freshener
Paper Kitchen Towels
Fabric Refresher
Vacuum
In-car Air Freshener
Spray Bottle
Cleaner
White Vinegar
Main Reference:
https://www.wikihow.com/Category:Cleaning-Cars
