We all know that buying a car is the first step and makes up about 30 percent of the whole car ownership joy. Servicing and maintenance make up the rest and speaking of maintenance, the most basic step is keeping the car clean and making it look like it’s new for as long as possible. Over time, a car will start showing its age and regular maintenance helps keep it looking fresh.
Taking to a detailer is an easy way, but there will be expenses involved. The best way is to do it at home and here are five simple ways to keep the car looking fresh and brand new.
Thorough wash
The first step is a thorough wash. If you have a pressure washer, this makes the process easier. Rinse the car fully and remove as much dirt as possible with the pressure washer alone. Then, spray it down with foam and let it soak up the dirt before washing it off again. If necessary, have a contact wash, using a cloth soaked in soap to wash the car.
If you do not have a pressure washer, use a few buckets of water to rinse the car completely and move on to the contact wash method. Also, use two buckets for this, one with the car wash shampoo and the other with plain water. Every time you use the cloth on the car, dip it into the bucket of plain water before dipping it in the soapy water for more shampoo. This method avoids scratches and re-contaminating the washed surface. This is called a two-bucket method and follow this if using a pressure washer as well.
Interior cleaning
Cleaning the interior is a time-consuming task and is worth every minute spent at the end. Start by taking out the floor mats, followed by vacuuming the carpets. Use a little brush if necessary to remove stubborn marks while vacuuming. Then, either with a dash cleaner, or water – I usually prefer the latter – thoroughly wipe down the dashboard. Now, move on to the seats and give them a good wipe-down after vacuuming again.
If you have leather seats, this is the time to condition them with a good leather conditioner. Use a good quality roof lining cleaner for the interior and when cleaning the roof liner, be gentle. This is also a good time to clean the windows.
Get the nooks and crannies
Use old toothbrushes and get to all the little edges and gaps, be it outside or inside. If it is a painted surface, avoid the toothbrush as it can scratch the paint. Use the brush to clean the wheels, and any mechanical bit within reach, including the engine bay. This is an extremely satisfying process.
For the interior, use a brush to get into and between the air vents to clean them, while also using a harder brush to clean the pedals. This is a time-consuming process but is worth the time spent.
Dress the tyre and wheels
Pay attention to the tyres and wheels. They are often caked with brake dust, giving them a black coat. Plain water, a soft brush and some patience do the trick, but if you don’t have the latter, use a dedicated wheel cleaner, which makes the process faster. Just ensure that the wheel cleaner does not damage the paint of the alloys if they are painted.
The tyre is an easier process. You can use a car shampoo, a regular shampoo, or any soap to just scrub the wheels with a hard brush. Wash the sidewalls, and just this bit will add to the overall shine of the car.
Protection
The last step is protection. After washing and drying it thoroughly, apply a coat of wax polish and shine it off. Depending on the wax polish, the paintwork will stay protected for 3 to 6 months, and with a good quality polish, the protection will be on for 6 months.
There are other options as well, such as ceramic coating, PPFs, and a host of others, but a wax polish is the most cost-effective way that does not harm the paint at all.