Trustpilot
March 8th, 2023 by
Keeping your car clean is a quick way to keep it looking great and feeling like new for longer. If you've just bought a new car, or even if you've had it for years, here are some simple steps you can take to keep it looking like new.
1. Wash the exterior.
Perhaps one of the most obvious things to do is to keep up with regular exterior washing. Your car can build up grime and dirt easily while driving along the roads, sometimes these things can also lead to tar spots and salt corrosion which will not only make your car look unsightly but can cause irreversible damage. To give your care the best clean possible you should:
Use a pressure washer to clean your car's body, including all windows and tires. If you don't have a pressure washer, you should really consider investing! Not only will it easily blast through dirt you can also use it to keep patios, driveways and exterior walls clean too!
Use snow foam prior to your contact wash to remove caked-on dirt and get to those hard-to-reach areas like the roof and boot lid. It will loosen dirt make it slide off the body of your vehicle and helps to reduce the risk of scratching your paintwork.
Use a chassis cleaner to get to those out-of-reach places that are easy to forget but equally as important to maintain. With Chassis cleaner, you can easily remove built-up dirt from the undercarriage of the vehicle, and behind the wheels. While you can't see these areas maintaining them will definitely help to keep your car running at its best. In fact, it is recommended to clean the chassis at least 4 times a year.
Pro-Kleen Pressure Washer and Snow Foam Kit Price: £124.38
2. Clean the interior.
Cleaning the interior of your car is another great way to show it some love and make it look fresh and new. Using a vacuum cleaner to remove dust from hard surfaces like the dashboard, steering wheel and other parts of the interior. And while you can use damp clothes to clean these hard surfaces using a specialised product such as Pro-Kleen Dashboard Shine which can be used on any plastic, rubber or vinyl surface to give unbeatable shine, it will also leave your car with that new car smell while the anti-static formula will help to prevent a build-up of dust.
If you have leather upholstery in your vehicle, then use a leather cleaner on it so that it stays soft and supple for longer. Leather shampoo and conditioner are available at most auto parts stores and are easy to use: just spray or wipe on the cleaner, rub it in with a sponge or towel (or even your hand), let dry naturally and buff off any excess residue with another soft cloth. If there's any discolouration left behind after drying, repeat this process until the seat looks shiny again! If you have leather upholstery that needs additional protection from stains or spills as well as daily wear-and-tear such as pet hair removal--try using an all-in-one spray/wipe product instead of buying both separately since some products combine these two functions into one single package which saves money over buying two separate bottles each time they run out rather than wait until one runs out completely before stocking up again.
If there's carpeting or other fabric upholstery inside your car (and most modern vehicles come with some sort of carpeting), then get out that carpet cleaning kit or alternatively use an upholstery cleaner. Nothing gives that new car a feeling more than a fresh and clean-looking interior, after all that's where you spend most of your time with your car! If you want to keep your leather car seats looking like new, deep clean them regularly with a product specifically designed for them.
3. Wash your tyres.
When you're washing your car, don't forget to wash the tyres. A quality tyre cleaner will help remove dirt and grime from both sides of each tyre, as well as inside the treads. Use a soft brush to clean away stubborn dirt and mud from around the edges of your tyres, then rinse well with water before drying with a microfibre cloth. As mentioned above using a chassis cleaner will also make cleaning tyres easier too.
We also recommend adding an iron fallout remover to your car care routine. Iron fallout is unfortunately unavoidable since it is caused by small ferrous pieces usually caused by the friction from the brake pads, these attach themselves to your alloys if left untreated this can lead to corrosion. This cannot be removed using normal shampoo which is why fallout remover is required, as this will remove the particles and leaves your alloys with a fantastic shine.
5L Pro-Kleen Trolls Breath Price: £26.95
4. Use a tyre dressing.
A tyre dressing is a liquid that you apply to the tyres of your car. It's designed to make them look shiny and give them back their deep black colour it can also help protect them from UV damage and keeps them clean (especially if you live somewhere with lots of dirt). The easiest way to get a good coat on each tyre is with an applicator sponge or towel, or alternatively using an aerosol tyre shine makes the job much quicker.
If you want something more permanent, try adding some black rubber paint around the edge of each sidewall where it meets up with another part of your car--like where they meet up with rims or fenders--this will give them more definition when viewed head-on.
5. Protect your paintwork and alloy wheels with a wax protection product.
Wax protection products are designed to protect the paintwork of your car. Waxes and polishes are used on the exterior and interior of your vehicle, as well as on all types of paintwork including lacquered, painted and plastic surfaces. Not only will they add extra shine to your paintwork but they will also repel water and dust to leave it looking cleaner for looker, they will also protect against scratching too.
Pro-Kleen Amazing Glaze Carnauba Wax 150g Price: £17.99
6. Get rid of grime, dirt and tar with a tar remover.
If you've ever been unfortunate enough to have tar on your car, usually as a result of hot roads, then you know how difficult it is to remove. Tar removers are designed specifically for this purpose, and they usually come in the form of a liquid or gel that can be easily applied with a long-handled brush. You'll want to apply the tar remover directly onto the area where the tar is located. Then use a scrubbing motion while moving back and forth over that area until all traces of grime are gone (you may need several applications). Rinse off with water and dry thoroughly before applying any waxes or polishes so as not to damage them later on!
7. Get rid of traffic film
Sometimes a normal contact wash just isn't enough to remove the build-up of contaminants on your vehicle, things such as traffic film caused by oil, grease, brake fluids and other things can build up on your paintwork leaving a dull grey film and in order to remove them you need a specialised product. Traffic film removers are powerful cleaners designed to lift this layer of grime with ease. While the powerful formula will not damage paintwork, it is not required to be used with every wash, just introduce it into your car cleaning routine once every few months.
8. Shine up in minutes with a glass cleaner
When you're looking for a quick and easy way to make your car look brand new, try a glass cleaner wax or bumper shine spray. These products are specially formulated to clean glass surfaces that have been stained by water spots, fingerprints and other contaminants. They can be applied directly onto the surface of your windshield or windows with a microfiber towel. Once you've applied the product to your chosen area of glass (be sure not to use too much), wipe off any excess with another clean microfiber towel before buffing off any leftover residue with another dry one. You'll be left with crystal-clear visibility through all four seasons!
9. Polish Trims
Keep plastic and rubber trims looking like new with a trim and bumper Shine spray. The Pro-Kleen spray can not only be used on bumpers but can also be used on any other plastic trims and rubber seals. The 3-in-1 formula will revive, shine and protect to not only refresh it and keep it looking like new but also form a protective barrier against dirt and traffic film so it will keep them looking new for longer.
Pro-Kleen Trim and Bumper Shine 500ml Price: £10.98
Keeping your car clean keeps it looking new!
Keeping your car clean is one of the best ways to make it look new. Even if you don't have time to wash and wax your car every week, cleaning up after yourself will help keep dirt from building up on the exterior and interior surfaces.
It helps you be proud of your car: When people see a dirty car, their first thought is that its owner doesn't care about their vehicle. By keeping everything clean inside and out, others will see how much pride goes into owning a well-maintained vehicle!
It saves money in the long run: Keeping up with regular maintenance can be expensive--but doing so means less wear and tear over time, which translates into savings at the repair shop! A dirty engine bay or mouldy carpet may require more frequent replacements because they're exposed to more extreme temperatures than other parts (or just don't look very good).
We hope we've inspired you to try some of these tips and tricks out for yourself. Whether it's a quick wash or a full-blown detailing session, getting your car looking its best is an important part of keeping it running smoothly. You may even find that by taking care of your vehicle in this way, it will last longer than expected!
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