Spring is here, and most of you have already started spring cleaning your house and workspace. If you’re spending your weekends dusting cobwebs and deep cleaning your home – make sure to add your car to this cleaning spree! Cars go through a tough time during winter; the snow, salt, dirt, and sand can take a toll on your car.
This blog has been updated on June 16, 2021.
According to car wash industry experts, spring is a good time to prep your vehicle for all the road trips you’ve planned. In this post, we’ve compiled top spring car cleaning tips you can follow to get rid of the winter mess. Read on to know more.
Deep clean your car’s interior
Begin your cleaning process by taking out all the trash inside the car, like gas receipts, coffee cups, wrappers, etc., and dispose of them in a garbage can. Follow that up with a thorough vacuum of your car’s seats, headliner, trunk, cushions, and other nooks and crannies to remove any traces of dust particles. After removing the dust, use a cleaning spray and microfiber cloth to wipe your console, dashboard, and other surfaces. Clean the floor mats and carpets thoroughly to get rid of the salt stains caused during winter. For leather seats, use a leather conditioner to scrub and remove the deeply ingrained dirt.
Pay attention to your tires and wheels
Tires are the grubbiest part of a vehicle and need extra attention while cleaning. Use a high-pressure washer or spray nozzle on your hose to remove loose dirt, mud, and debris. We’d recommend using a high-quality tire cleaner instead of a standard car wash cleaner.
Apply the tire cleaner and scrub thoroughly using a brush. Next, apply the car wash shampoo or soap and scrub to remove any dirt on the wheels. Finally, rinse the wheels and tires using water and dry them with a microfiber towel. Remember to check tire pressure, and if you still have your winter tires on, change them to regular tires.
Remember to replace the wiper blades
Winter can take a toll on your car’s windshield wipers. Make sure you replace them with new wipers for spring. Also, good windshield wipers can come in handy during heavy spring showers. Depending on use and temperature, car wash experts suggest changing the wipers every six months to a year.
Add windows and mirrors to your checklist
Your car’s windows and mirrors should definitely be a part of the spring cleaning checklist. Clean the windows, mirrors, and windshield with a glass cleaner–suited to clean car windows–and microfiber towels. Remember to avoid cleaning the windows in a circular motion – swipe consistently from left to right or top to bottom.
Wash your car’s exterior
Wash your car’s exterior thoroughly to remove dust, mud, and salt that could have accumulated over the winter. If there is light dirt on your car’s body, we suggest using a waterless car wash product and microfiber towels to clean it. The process is straightforward – spray the waterless car wash product on the car’s body and leave it to sit. After some time, wipe it off with a microfiber towel. We recommend that you use different microfiber towels for different sections of the car. Remember, a waterless car wash only works for vehicles with light dirt.
If your car is covered in thick dirt and mud, we suggest you wash your car with a two-bucket system. Fill one bucket with car wash soap solution and the other to collect the dirty water and rinse out your mitt. Dip your mitt into the soapy solution first, clean your car and then dunk it in the second bucket to rinse or wring it out.
If you’re looking for a quick exterior wash, you could try one of your local automated car washes. Websites and apps like Way.com offer professional and top-rated car wash services at great prices. What’s more, the whole family can get in on the sudsy action thanks to Way.com’s Carwash Voucher and Family Car Wash Pass that can be used on multiple (that’s right, multiple) vehicles!
Read our blogs for information on the best airport parking and hourly parking spots near you and the most affordable insurance for your car.