The sunny weather is here, so it’s time to give your car a summer spruce up! Now, obviously there’s quite a lot involved in giving you a detailed step-by-step guide on how to clean your car, so we’ll save you time on stick to the essentials! Windows, wheels, interior and so on, they all need seeing to; so here at RAW2K, we’ve distilled the process down to the main points that you need to keep in mind when cleaning your car to get it looking showroom-ready. (Even if you’re still short of a showroom…)
And of course, if you’re looking to purchase a vehicle from our online car auctions here at RAW2K, here are the main points on how best to keep it clean.
Body washing
A good body wash is a great way to keep your car looking smart, while helping the paintwork to last too. Starting with the roof, work your way down with a sponge and some car shampoo, taking one section at a time. Rather than doing all the soaping, then all the rinsing, try cleaning a section at a time, and give the whole car one full rinse at the end, as this will stop the shampoo from drying on your paint job. Following this, apply some good sealant, as it binds with the paint and gives your finish that extra bit of protection against the elements.
Mirrors and windows
First and foremost, don’t use the same cleaning materials as you did for the rest of the car. We’d advise you only use lint-free soft rags or sturdy paper towels, as you could scratch the finish by using the same sponge as you did for the body. Spray the windows with a glass cleanser, and wipe in a circular motion (this will help you to avoid streaks).
As a side note, don’t forget to clean the windshield wipers themselves. If the blades remain dirty, they can leave streaks on the glass, or worse, scratch them, ruining all your hard work. Furthermore, ensure that you take care when moving the wipers, as they're notoriously easy to break!
Wheel care
The biggest nemesis you’ll face when attempting to clean your wheels is perhaps not the one you’d expect - it’s brake dust. This irritating material appears when your brake pads press against the rotor of your vehicle when you brake to slow down. Over time, the pad wears down under the heat and pressure, and the small filings and worn rubber fly off to create brake dust.
If brake dust is left to its own devices, it can start to corrode (and potentially damage) your wheels as a result. How do you take on this task? Well, you’ll need to get your hands on some wheel cleaner. When selecting wheel cleaner, you need to make sure that the cleaner you choose is appropriate for the metal on your wheels. For example, roughcast aluminium and chrome are more resistant than coated or painted wheels and require a stronger cleaner as a result.
Cleaning your interior
To truly clean your car, you’ll need to go below the surface of your vehicle, and give the interior a good going over so you know you’ve done a thorough job. To start, dust off your surfaces with a microfibre cloth. Then, get to vacuuming all the carpets, chairs, nooks and crannies. We’d definitely advise investing in a cordless handheld vacuum for this particular task, as you don’t really want to be lugging a heavy hoover around your vehicle, while ensuring you don’t pull it out of a plug socket. It’s not worth the hassle.
After that, clean your chairs by spraying some car upholstery cleaner on the material and give it a good scrub. Once you’ve got any stains out, give the area a dry with a soft cloth.
That’s the basics covered! If you follow these tips, your vehicle will be showroom ready in no time. Plus, if you’re in the market for a salvage vehicle, or you’re looking to sell, you’re in the right place. Here at RAW2K, we make it really simple for you to buy and sell salvage vehicles. Our online car auctions list thousands of used, salvaged and seized vehicles every week. So, whether you’re just a hobbyist, or a full time professional mechanic, why not take a look around, and see what you can find?
Our online car auctions are refreshed on a daily and weekly basis, and we include makes and models available from some of the world’s leading manufacturers, like& Volkswagen , Ford , Renault , and many more. There’s always a bargain to be found!
