What's the secret to better car care? Mary Findley offers tips for keeping your vehicle looking its best.

• Wash your vehicle in the morning or evening to avoid water spots. Wash the top first, dry then section-clean your vehicle.

   

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• Cotton or 100% lambswool mitts are best for cleaning without scratching. Woolite for clothes or baby shampoo are both very mild and will not damage the gel coat finish on vehicles. Add one-third cup of distilled white vinegar to your bucket of wash water to help prevent water spots.
  
  
• Clean the windshield wiper blades monthly with sudsy water to prevent them from smearing the windshield, which reduces replacement costs. If they continue to smear after cleaning then it is time to replace them.
  
  
• Apply a very, very light coat of car wax or RainEx on your clean windshield. This seals the glass making bug removal easier. If your car wax contains petroleum distillates, do not get it on the gaskets around the windshield. Petroleum distillates dissolve rubber causing the windshield to leak. Clean gaskets with a stiff bristled toothbrush.

• To help with bug removal on the front of your car, apply your "wax" (polish/protectant) twice a month until you have 5 or 6 coats of a protective layer built up. Wax your rear view mirrors as well for easier bug removal.

• Tires require regular cleaning. Rubber naturally oxidizes with time. Scrub tires four times a year with sudsy water and a brush made for tire cleaning to remove the oxidation. Be sure to use a protective treatment on your tires that will not degrade the rubber — some petroleum-based products can damage rubber.

• Test your vehicle's finish for oxidation twice a year by rubbing a polish and protectant on one spot on your vehicle for several minutes. Any paint that comes off on your rag indicates oxidation problems. If you are applying polish and protectant only once or twice a year, increase that to four times a year.

©2004 by Mary Findley.

 

About Mary Findley

Mary is a veteran cleaning expert with over 12 years experience. She has developed a full line of cleaning tools. Visit www.goclean.com or call (800) 345-3934 for more information.