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5 Automobile Cleaning Best Practices You Must Follow

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Automobile Cleaning

As car owners, the most important thing you can do to keep your car looking good and save money on restorations, is to follow proper cleaning practices. By doing so, you can prevent any significant problems that can occur at unexpected times.

Keep in mind that maintaining your vehicle is very crucial to making your car look new all the time. As such, you should always follow your maintenance schedule. Never ignore or prolong this so that your vehicle can look and perform at its best.

However, we all know that maintaining a car can be, for the most part, expensive. That’s why it’s better to become more familiar with some basic cleaning and maintenance practices. For a little help, listed below are five automobile cleaning practices to follow.

1. Inspect and Examine

First things first, you must inspect and examine your car personally. Yes, it’s basic, but when you do an inspection frequently, you can detect anything that seems out of the ordinary and correct it before it becomes a serious issue.

Be sure to check all the lights, make sure they’re still working correctly. Don’t forget to inspect the air pressure of all the tires of your car. Check the air pressure every month or so especially if the weather has a dramatic change in temperature. Have a tire air pressure gauge in your garage or even in your glove box for an easy checkup.

Using an air pressure gauge is excellent for the longevity and health of your car’s tires. You’ll extend the life of your tires, get better gas mileage, and you’ll save more money when it comes time to refuel. Moreover, be sure to listen for and pay attention to any bizarre sounds, as these can be an indicator something isn’t right. Also, be sure to notice any shaking or wobbling while driving, sometimes the inside edge or wall of the tire may have damage that isn’t visible.

Double-check your tires and ensure that they have enough tread. To check, use a coin and insert it into the tread of your tires with the coin’s head facing downwards. If you can still see the upper part of the coin’s head, then it means you need new tires immediately. Not having deep enough tread causes a serious risk of hydroplaning on wet surfaces. If the tread wears down too low, the cord of the tire can become exposed and cause a blow out at higher speeds which is extremely dangerous.

2. Check the Fluids

As a car owner, you should be able to learn to check your car’s fluids. So, here’s the thing. There are five fluids that you need to check regularly. The radiator coolant, engine oil, brake fluid, power steering fluid, and windshield washer fluid.

To check the engine oil, pull out the dipstick and wipe clean using a clean towel or rag. Then put it all the way back in get a proper measurement. If you are running low, get an oil change or add more. Be careful not to overfill. To check the coolant, scan for the plastic overflow container alongside the radiator. Make sure the car has completely cooled down before unscrewing the cap, because the radiator can have high pressure built up on some car models. If it’s below the lower limit, fill it to the proper line with a mixture of antifreeze and water.

To check the power steering fluid, you’ll need to warm up the liquid by driving the vehicle, then park the car, turn it off, and look for the power steering tank. Once found, remove the cap and then check the fluid level. If its low, add more fluid to the proper fill line. Do not overfill.

To check the brake fluid, unscrew the cap on the reservoir. See if the brake fluid level is below the low indicator line. If it’s not enough, add more. Also, don’t forget to check the color of the fluid. Sometimes fluid becomes old and worn out, you’ll need to change it if its unusually dark in color. Also, if the fluid is older than 2 years, it’s time to change it.

Lastly, to check the windshield washer fluid, open the hood and look for the washer fluid reservoir. Take off the cap and check the fluid level. If its low, add more until it reaches the top fill line. Make sure to use windshield washer fluid and not water because you do not want it to freeze in the winter time.

3. Interior Cleaning

To maintain the cleanliness of the interior of your car, you must clean it at least once a month. To get the job done, start with a vacuum. Clean first the dashboard, console, and door panels. Save the carpet for the last to avoid knocking the dust and dirt down on to the carpet.

Next, clean the door jambs which are the parts of the body of the car that the doors hide when closed. Use microfiber towels and wipe them clean. Moreover, to remove the dirt and dust off your door insides and dashboard, wipe down the vinyl, rubber, plastic and leather with a microfiber towel.

Also clean the steering wheel because it can get really grimy and become difficult to grasp. Be sure to wash your windows to get rid of dirt build up as well has water stains, wipe the seats with a microfiber towel, and lastly tackle the floor.

4. Cleaning the Wheels

To clean the wheels, use an auto detailing product. Be sure to use a cleaner that’s free from corrosive or harmful substances and works on all wheel surfaces. Stay clear from toxic cleaners that have acid and/or dishwashing detergents because these cleaners can deteriorate the finish on your wheels.

Drench a soft sponge into the mixture, or if you’re doing a waterless carwash use a microfiber detailing cloth. If your wheels are very muddy and stained, you can also apply a degreaser first before washing them if your detailing product allows for this.

Once cleaned, rinse and dry the wheel. Wash it off thoroughly with water until you remove all the debris. Dry the wheel and buff with a microfiber cloth for best results.

5. Takeaway

Cleaning your car is a must. It will not only lengthen the life of your vehicle, but it will make your daily drive a lot smoother and more pleasant.

Maintaining your car helps you prevent any wear and tear from getting out of control. Washing your car is, without a doubt, easiest to do at home, especially if you know what you’re doing and if you have the right tools.

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