Winter is the harshest season for automobiles, on account of salted highways, vicious temperature swings, potholes, ice, and mistreatment. Seeing that spring is here, Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR in Columbia, IL is here to tell you that it’s time for you to wash away the filth and make your car look like new.
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Clear Out The Trash
When you're cleaning any car or truck, much less a winter-weather-beaten one, start with removing all of the junk you've been neglecting. Have a trash bag and a "keep" box handy, because you'll want to hold on to some of the stuff. Be thorough: Get beneath and beside the seats and in the trunk.
Vacuum the Interior
You will want to work from the top down, simply because gravity requires that stuff stirred up works its way floorward. Additionally, yank out the salt-caked floor mats for a quick pass with the vacuum. Then utilize a house or shop vac and a stiff tool like a screwdriver to work dirt out of the creases.
Scrub Carpet and Upholstery
This step is optional but well worth the enjoyable results. Grab a spray bottle of automotive-upholstery-and-carpet cleaner and a heavy duty scrub brush to wash the soft parts of the interior. Spray the seats or anything cloth-covered; scrub, then wipe down. Perform a minimum of one more time, moving to the carpet for the same task. Being exhaustive with the carpet is very important, because it can work like a dirty, salty, damp rag that accelerates rusting. Whenever you are finished, pull the drain plugs under the flooring and let things air out for a few days. You'll certainly be astonished at how much better the vehicle smells.
Power-Wash the Floor Mats
The floor mats are undeniably the areas of the interior that take wintertime abuse the worst. If you have got all-rubber floor mats, they won't take very long to clean up, but carpeted mats will probably need two passes with a power washer in order to get all the salt and dirt out. If you don't have a power washer, Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR suggests that you utilize one at a self-service car wash. Let the mats dry out thoroughly before placing them back into the automobile or you could be begging for mold growth in the carpet.
Tip: Old Tool, New Trick
Whenever cleaning out door and body drain holes, we've discovered that the best method is to repurpose a plug-installation tool utilized in tire repair. Cut up an old shop rag or sock and place it into the slot of the tool just the way you would a tire plug. The set-up will make dragging out dirt and plant matter simple, and the fabric scrap is quite easily swapped out whenever it gets grimy.
Ditch Winter Windshield Wipers
Wipers get beaten up quite bad during the winter, and torn-up old wipers in a summer downpour will leave you blind.
Lube the Hinges
Hit each door, trunk, and hood hinge with white lithium grease to avoid squeaks and early wear.
Clean the Windows
Ever notice how your windows haze up really bad during damp springtime weather? Part of that is because of how filthy the interior of your windshield is, but you can take measures to prevent this. First, wash your windows with a good car-window cleanser; the ammonia in household stuff makes the clouding even worse. Fog has a much harder time clinging to a clean surface, and you can go a step further by wiping down the inside of the glass with an antifogging agent.
Wash the Automobile
This appears clear, but there are a few intricacies. As with the interior, you ought to clean the car from the top down, rinsing regularly. Do not begin at the rocker panels and proceed to the roof—it drags dirt around and scrapes the clear coat. Whenever the body is clean, invest a few bucks at your neighborhood automated car wash and get the underbody flushed. This will dislodge the road salt that's doing its best to turn the underbody into Swiss cheese.
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Exchange the Cabin Air Filter
This filter keeps dirt, pollen, and plant matter from entering the ventilation system. It gets dirtiest during autumn, when falling leaves work their way into the cabin-intake system.
Do not forget the Trunk
Add a bag of sand, gravel, or kitty litter to the trunk as ballast to improve traction in slick conditions and to have something to throw under the tires when the car or truck's stuck in the winter. But come springtime, get rid of the bag and various other winter gear to boost fuel economy and free up space.
Wipe Down the Entry
Scrub door sills to help keep your pants clean, and dust off any nooks overlooked in a car wash. Wipe door seals with mineral oil or utilize silicone spray to make sure they're supple.
The qualified technicians at Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR can offer a comprehensive “spring cleaning” plan for any car or truck in Columbia, Waterloo, Southern Illinois, Millstadt, Freeburg, and Athens, IL, incorporating paint touch-up, dent and scratch repair, and more, all at a reasonable cost.
When you're cleaning any car or truck, much less a winter-weather-beaten one, start with removing all of the junk you've been neglecting. Have a trash bag and a "keep" box handy, because you'll want to hold on to some of the stuff. Be thorough: Get beneath and beside the seats and in the trunk.
Vacuum the Interior
You will want to work from the top down, simply because gravity requires that stuff stirred up works its way floorward. Additionally, yank out the salt-caked floor mats for a quick pass with the vacuum. Then utilize a house or shop vac and a stiff tool like a screwdriver to work dirt out of the creases.
Scrub Carpet and Upholstery
This step is optional but well worth the enjoyable results. Grab a spray bottle of automotive-upholstery-and-carpet cleaner and a heavy duty scrub brush to wash the soft parts of the interior. Spray the seats or anything cloth-covered; scrub, then wipe down. Perform a minimum of one more time, moving to the carpet for the same task. Being exhaustive with the carpet is very important, because it can work like a dirty, salty, damp rag that accelerates rusting. Whenever you are finished, pull the drain plugs under the flooring and let things air out for a few days. You'll certainly be astonished at how much better the vehicle smells.
Power-Wash the Floor Mats
The floor mats are undeniably the areas of the interior that take wintertime abuse the worst. If you have got all-rubber floor mats, they won't take very long to clean up, but carpeted mats will probably need two passes with a power washer in order to get all the salt and dirt out. If you don't have a power washer, Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR suggests that you utilize one at a self-service car wash. Let the mats dry out thoroughly before placing them back into the automobile or you could be begging for mold growth in the carpet.
Tip: Old Tool, New Trick
Whenever cleaning out door and body drain holes, we've discovered that the best method is to repurpose a plug-installation tool utilized in tire repair. Cut up an old shop rag or sock and place it into the slot of the tool just the way you would a tire plug. The set-up will make dragging out dirt and plant matter simple, and the fabric scrap is quite easily swapped out whenever it gets grimy.
Ditch Winter Windshield Wipers
Wipers get beaten up quite bad during the winter, and torn-up old wipers in a summer downpour will leave you blind.
Lube the Hinges
Hit each door, trunk, and hood hinge with white lithium grease to avoid squeaks and early wear.
Clean the Windows
Ever notice how your windows haze up really bad during damp springtime weather? Part of that is because of how filthy the interior of your windshield is, but you can take measures to prevent this. First, wash your windows with a good car-window cleanser; the ammonia in household stuff makes the clouding even worse. Fog has a much harder time clinging to a clean surface, and you can go a step further by wiping down the inside of the glass with an antifogging agent.
Wash the Automobile
This appears clear, but there are a few intricacies. As with the interior, you ought to clean the car from the top down, rinsing regularly. Do not begin at the rocker panels and proceed to the roof—it drags dirt around and scrapes the clear coat. Whenever the body is clean, invest a few bucks at your neighborhood automated car wash and get the underbody flushed. This will dislodge the road salt that's doing its best to turn the underbody into Swiss cheese.
This filter keeps dirt, pollen, and plant matter from entering the ventilation system. It gets dirtiest during autumn, when falling leaves work their way into the cabin-intake system.
Do not forget the Trunk
Add a bag of sand, gravel, or kitty litter to the trunk as ballast to improve traction in slick conditions and to have something to throw under the tires when the car or truck's stuck in the winter. But come springtime, get rid of the bag and various other winter gear to boost fuel economy and free up space.
Wipe Down the Entry
Scrub door sills to help keep your pants clean, and dust off any nooks overlooked in a car wash. Wipe door seals with mineral oil or utilize silicone spray to make sure they're supple.
The qualified technicians at Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR can offer a comprehensive “spring cleaning” plan for any car or truck in Columbia, Waterloo, Southern Illinois, Millstadt, Freeburg, and Athens, IL, incorporating paint touch-up, dent and scratch repair, and more, all at a reasonable cost.