At Investment Auto, our cars come off the lot spick and span! But life happens… Kids, fast food, spills, and disasters can make for a dirty car. Here are some tips and tricks to detail your car like a pro.
Clean Leather
Using the right tools and materials can help you maintain your leather seats and keep them looking sleek and plush for years to come. And the best part is you don’t need to shell out loads of money for premium tools and top-of-the-line materials. You can find many of these items at your local auto retail shop or favorite online retailer.
Rinse Before Washing
When washing your car, start with a pre-rinse. If you hit your dry paint with soapy water, you’ll just grind the surface dust and road grit into your paint finish. Remove as much dirt and grime as you can with clear water before moving on to soap.
Polish the Finish
Waxing adds more gloss and protects the finish from the elements. Polishing your vehicle’s finish is the key to getting the best gloss (pros would never skip it). Apply a dollop of polish to the pad and wipe the pad across a 2 x 2-ft. area. Run the polisher at a slow speed to spread the compound over the entire area for the best car cleaner. Then boost the speed and let the polisher do the work for you.
Best Way to Clean a Car: Brush Out the Air Vents
The air vents are magnets for dust, sometimes a vacuum attachment just can’t get it all. Take an inexpensive artist’s paintbrush and give it a light shot of furniture polish. Work the brush into the crevices to collect the dust. Wipe the brush off with a rag and move on to the next one. This is a way to go the extra mile, to get your car detailed like a pro.
Deep-Clean Carpet and Upholstery
Dirt and grime can get buried into the fibers of your carpet. Renting a carpet cleaner can be a real game changer for your car. The carpet cleaner sprays the carpet with a solution of water and cleaner and then sucks the dirt and grime into a reservoir. It might shock you to see the amount of unseeen dirt that the carpet cleaner removes. A machine like this pays for itself after just a few uses. You can also rent one from a rental center or use a spray-on cleaner and a scrub brush instead.
Fix Tears in Leather Seats
A leather or vinyl repair kit is an inexpensive solution, and the repair takes only an hour. But don’t expect perfection. You’ll still see the tear, and you probably won’t get a perfect color match. However, this fix will contain the tear and look better than a gaping hole.
Clean the Hood Latch
Wipe the built up dirt away with a clean cloth. Try to get any bits of sand that may be embedded in the existing grease. If you see rusted or stuck parts, give the latch a spray of WD-40, then move the mechanism several times. Wipe it again and give it a liberal coating of white lithium grease.
Scrape Off Those Annoying Stickers
Stickers can be a fun way to commemorate the moment, but after a while, you may want to start fresh. The high-quality stickers will pull off if you can get under a corner and carefully pull them free at a 90-degree angle. Others may leave a residue behind. Cover your dash with an old towel and dab on a degreaser like Goo Gone. Then scrape and wipe it off. Easy as that.
Slide Seats Forward and Clean Out the Junk
It’s shocking how many things can get lost under your seats. Crumbs, toys, pens, fries…Vacuum the seats, remove the mats and vacuum the carpet. Use a brush attachment for the dash and door panels. Don’t forget to clean out and vacuum the door pockets.
At Investment Auto, we pride ourselves on the quality of our vehicles. If you are in the market for a quality pre-owned vehicle, look no further. Investment Auto is ready to help you find the perfect vehicle for your phase of life. Contact us today to test drive.
