The Ultimate Car Cleaning Guide

Cleaning the car is a cumbersome chore we try to postpone as long as possible. However, if you follow these tips, keeping your car in tip-top condition should not take more than an hour every two weeks.

Cleaning the car can become a cumbersome chore; however, if you follow these tips, keeping your car clean can be a simple task.

Cleaning the car can become a cumbersome chore; however, if you follow these tips, keeping your car clean can be a simple task.

Cleaning the car is a cumbersome chore we try to postpone as long as possible. However, if you follow these tips, keeping your car in tip-top condition should not take more than an hour every two weeks.

THE INTERIOR
Always start by cleaning your interior: while a wash or polish will make the exterior shine, you want the inside of your car to be comfortable and pleasant for passengers and drivers.

  • You can use an electrostatic dust cloth to brush over
    the knobs, dashboard, vinyl surfaces, and plastic trim.
  • Using an old towel, wipe the surfaces mentioned above
    with an all-purpose cleaner.
  • Take out the floor mats and shake them. Floor mats are a
    worthy investment: they can be easily replaced if they
    get stained and they protect the carpeting. Buying
    rubber mats might be a good idea if you live in a region
    with plentiful rain or snow.
  • Vacuum the mats, seats and car carpeting.
  • Slide the front seats back to tackle hard-to-reach areas, and make
    sure to move them all the way forward to reach backseat
    debris.
  • Tilt the seats back so you can vacuum in
    between cracks as well.
  • Roll down your windows when cleaning them to get the
    grime off the edges.
  • A microfiber cloth and water will
    clean windows well, leaving them streak-free.

THE EXTERIOR
You might be tempted to clean your car in a warm, sunny spot, but streaks are sure to result. Instead, wash your car in a shady area or in the early morning or evening.

  • Use the hose to get rid of loose dirt.
  • Lift the windshield wipers to reach the cracks.
  • Rinse the hubcaps and wheels thoroughly.
  • Make sure your wash mitt is clean; if not, you could end
    up with a dirtier car.
  • Using one-eighth of a cup of mild dishwashing liquid
    (like Dove), tackle the hood, sides and trunk of your
    car.
  • Do not suds up the windows to prevent streaking; you
    will wash them separately later.
  • Use a separate sponge to suds especially grimy areas
    like the tires and windshield wipers. Save the front
    tires for last because they get the dirtiest.
  • Rinse your car again: be sure to cover “hard-to-reach”
    areas, including the rim of the gas cap cover, areas
    underneath door handles and side-view mirrors.
  • Use a towel to wipe the surface before water spots ruin
    your clean car.
  • Dry spots like the roof line above windows, which could
    spill excess water when you move your car.
  • Grime, grease and bugs will make your car’s glass
    windows harder to clean. To avoid streaking, you should
    give your windows a few hours to dry before rolling them
    down.

For more information about cleaning your car, visit Real Simple’s Web site.

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