June 3rd, 2021 by Sarah Miles

Summer is coming, restrictions on travelling and socialising are changing, and we’re all keen to get out more and make the most of summer weather. That will most likely mean getting out in the car more and wanting it to look its best.

Summertime makes car detailing much more of a pleasure than in the winter and bright weather certainly maximises our efforts in terms of allowing it to gleam in the sunshine so here are a few car care tips, specific to the warmer months of summer.

1. Don’t use snow foam when it’s really hot

If you are a car enthusiast, you will no doubt use snow foam as part of your car cleaning regime due to the way it gets to work on the dirt before you shampoo. Snow foam can certainly still be used in the summer but don’t bother when it’s especially hot. That’s because when the paintwork is very hot, it will burst the tiny bubbles in the snow foam. These bubbles help it cling, which is how it gets to work on the dirt. Without the bubbles, the snow foam will simply slide off the car. It won’t do any harm, but you won’t get any benefit either so there’s no point. Instead, choose a cooler day to work on the car. On the really hot days, just sit in the garden with a gin and tonic!

2. Beware sweaty seats

Not the most pleasant thought but just imagine the amount of sweat that soaks into car upholstery when the weather is very warm – even with the benefit of air conditioning. Over time, that is going to start to smell! When you add in all the contaminants from the skin (salts, cosmetic products, dirt and so on, you can even end up with stains – or at least some discolouration. We’re used to cleaning all the hard surfaces in our cars when we do a valet but it’s more important than ever to wash seats with an upholstery shampoo in the summer.

3. Protect from UV rays

We all know the damage that direct sunlight can have on anything outdoors. Ultra-violet light can cause fading, cracking and even blistering to materials and your car is also vulnerable to the harsh effects of the sun. While modern car paintwork includes a seal that protects the colour underneath, adding extra protection, such as that you get from car wax, will take that up a level and minimise the risk of UV damage, not to mention acid rain, bird droppings, and general dirt.

5L Pro-Kleen Wash and Wax Shampoo

Price: £17.95

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4. More driving = more traffic dirt

After a long few months of bad weather and lockdowns, many of us will be taking the opportunity to get out and about and that will mean using the car more. More driving, plus more traffic on the roads, will inevitably lead to more environmental contaminants on our car’s surfaces. This includes insect splatter, dirt, grease, and almost anything else you can think of. Instead of just washing it off with car shampoo, why not add a traffic film remover product into your routine? It lifts tough dirt and debris from all surfaces of the car, including paintwork, glass, and mirrors and is specifically designed to work on this type of grime.

5L Pro-Kleen Traffic Film Remover

The Pro-Kleen Traffic Film Remover is a super strong, powerful green solution that is formulated to lift and remove traffic film including insects, grime, smudges, finger marks and dirt. 

Price: £17.95

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5. Lookout for tar spots

Have you ever noticed tiny black spots around the bottom of your car, especially behind the tyres? You may even have tried to wash them off but been unable to. These are tar spots: specks of melted tar from the road that have been splashed onto your car’s paintwork. This happens when the roads get really warm (hence being a summer issue) and the Tarmac softens enough to be splashed around by cars passing over it. If you have tried to wash them off, you will know that it’s almost impossible. This is not entirely surprising when you know that it’s molten tar that has dried solid.

These spots are unsightly but, more importantly, they can damage your paintwork if left so they do need removing. For this job, you can use a tar spot remover product, which contains ingredients that dissolve the tar but don’t harm the paintwork. Just apply, leave to work, and then wash away.