Between your visits to Carnauba Autospa, here are some pointers to help you keep your car looking good.
When do I wash my car
Don't wait for a layer of grime to accumulate before washing.
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 immediately.
They leak acids that strip wax and eat into your car's paint.
Do rinse your vehicle off after a period of rainy weather as paint suffers from acid rain.
Acidic chemicals in rainwater will be left on the surface after the droplets have evaporated, leaving water marks that can permanently ruin car paint.
How do I wash my car?
Don't wash your car when the surface is hot.
After driving or after it has been parked in direct sunlight, allow the car to cool down. Heat speeds the drying of soap and water, making washing more difficult and increases the chances that spots or deposits will form.
Do rinse all surfaces thoroughly with water before soaping
This is to remove loose dirt and debris that could cause scratching. Start at the top, and then work your way around the car.
Do use a dedicated non-sodium based automotive car-wash product.
Don't use household cleaning agents like hand soap and dishwashing detergent on car paint. These may strip off the protective wax
Do work the shampoo solution into lather with plenty of suds.
This provides lots of lubrication on the paint surface.
Do practice the two bucket system.
One for shampoo solution and the other to clean and rinse the sponge to keep away dirt from getting mixed with the shampoo solution.
Do apply the soapsuds with non-silicone based sponge.
The presence of silicone may harm car paint.
Don't move the sponge in circles.
This can create light, but noticeable scratches called swirl marks.
Don't continue using a sponge that has dropped on the ground without thoroughly rinsing it out.
The sponge can pick up dirt particles that can scratch the paint.
Do concentrate on one section at a time, from the top.
Wash and rinse each area completely before moving on to the next one. And rinse the sponge often. Remember to start from the top always. This ensures that you have plenty of time to rinse before the soap dries. When rinsing, use a hose without a nozzle and let the water flow over the car from top to bottom.
Do use a separate sponge and tire brush for wheels and tyres.
Wheels and tyres will be coated with sand, brake dust, and other debris that could mar the car's finish. Mild soap and water may work here. Otherwise, a dedicated wheel cleaner may be used. To be on the safe side, choose a cleaner that's labelled as safe for use on all wheels.
Do use a soft, non-abrasive cloth to remove wheel deposits.
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 are stubborn to remove and may require a stronger product, such as a bug-and-tar remover.
How do I dry my car?
Don't air dry the car or drive it around the block to dry.
Both will leave watermarks, which, in areas with hard water, are the minerals left after evaporation.
Do use a synthetic chamois or soft terry towels.
An abrasive towel or other harsh material can leave hairline scratches in the paint. It's best to blot the water up instead of dragging the chamois or terry towels over the paint.
When do I polish and wax the car?
When swirl marks appear, it's time to polish.
Swirl marks are circular lines and microscopic scratches that show up in bright sunlight and it prevents your car from looking 'right'. They are usually the result of wrong car care methods or poor detailing practices. That's why 'avoiding scratches' is rule No. 1.
When water do not bead up, it's time to wax.
Watch what happens when you wash your car. Does water bead up on the roof and hood or does it run off in sheets? If you see firm round beads of water on paint panels, it means your wax is intact. As soon as the water beads start to flatten out, it's time to wax.
How do I clean the interior of my car?
Vacuuming
Begin from top down, so that particles that are dislodged and fall during cleaning can be picked up later when you vacuum the seats and carpets. Remove the floor mats and vacuum and clean them separately. Use the dusting brush to vacuum plastic, hard vinyl, and metal parts such as vanity mirror and dashboard components. Use the floor brush when vacuuming the carpet. Move the seats forward or backward to reach areas under the seat.
Carpets
The best way to clean automotive carpeting is with a hot water extractor (often referred to as a "steam cleaner").
Fabric upholstery
If using a steam cleaner, check to see if a special upholstery shampoo or machine attachment is recommended. If not, use a spray-on upholstery cleaner and work it in with a soft brush and let it dry, according to directions.
Leather trim
Use leather cleaner on a damp cloth and rub it softly onto all leather areas.
Leather Conditioning
After cleaning, leather should be treated with a conditioner formulated specially for it. This is particularly valuable for dried-out leather.
Glass
Use a glass cleaner formulated for cars to wash the inside of windows (this is particularly important in the case of tinted windows). Spray the cleaner directly on the cloth to avoid streaking and getting the cleaner on the upholstery.
Dashboard
A mild auto cleaner will remove any remaining dirt on your dashboard, steering and column, rubber door mouldings, and interior trim. Spray the cleaner directly on a clean cloth.
Re-vacuuming
A follow up vacuuming removes dirt dislodged during the cleaning process and any dirt you may have missed in the initial vacuuming.
Odour removal
If you still have noticeable odours after such a vigorous cleaning, use an odor-eliminator product designed to get smells out of fabrics.