Unless you live in Florida, coastal California or Australia, chances are you’re still experiencing ugly, winter weather. So, I guess it’s no wonder that I’ve received a few emails over the past couple of weeks with questions about winter car care.
Yesterday, Mike in Cape Cod wrote: “
David, my car is filthy and I’m depressed. It’s been too cold outside to wash by hand and I don’t dare take my new Lexus through the wash tunnel for fear it will be scratched. What can I do? Help!”.
Well, Mike, you’re concerns are valid. If you use the wrong kind of wash tunnel, your paint could come out with swirl marks and may even get scratched. So, here’s what you do:
First, find a touchless wash system in your neighborhood. This is a wash tunnel that does not use brushes or scrubbers that physically touch your car. Instead, a touchless wash system uses only high pressure water jets to agitate the soapy water on the surface of your car. Unlike a wash tunnel that uses brushes and scrubbers, a touchless wash tunnel is relatively safe.
Once you have located a good touchless
car wash, stock up on waterless detailing supplies. You will need detailing towels, a quality
detail spray, your favorite rubber and vinyl protectant and some old cotton towels for the grungy areas.
I recommend the <a href="http://www.autopia-carcare.com/mf-201.html">Sonus Ultimate Detailing Towels</a> for this kind of work because they work well on all surfaces. My preference in detailing sprays is the new<a href="http://www.autopia-carcare.com/ult-2022.html">Ultima Detail Spray Plus</a>. This quick detailer and waterless wash system quickly cuts through the nasty winter road film the touchless wash tunnels leave behind. Plus,
Ultima Detail Spray Plus contains enough polymer sealant protection to restore the shine and protect against the next round of winter’s assault on your vehicle.
When you have you have your supplies together and a decent day (dry with daytime temperatures in the low 40’s or above) you can clean up your car in about 30 minutes. Here’s how:
Step 1: Run your car through the touchless wash tunnel. If they offer an undercarriage wash, I recommend using it to remove road salts, cinders and other road grime that cause corrosion.
Step 2: Park where you can work and open your car doors, trunk and hood. Allow the car to drip-dry while you work on wiping down the tires and wheels, door jambs and under the hood. Use your old cotton towels on these surfaces. Be sure to remove leaves and other debris under the hood that may be leftover from fall.
Step 3: Wipe down the dash, console, door panels and seat faces with a soft detailing towel. If you’re using
Ultima Detail Spray Plus, give these surfaces a light mist to aid with dusting. It cleans and protects interior surfaces, too.
Step 4: Before the exterior of your car dries completely and spots, mist with detail spray and wipe. Start on the top surfaces first and work down. This way your towels will stay cleaner, longer. Don’t forget to mist and wipe your door jambs and the channels under the hood, as corrosion tends to start in these areas first.
Step 5: Treat your exterior rubber and vinyl with a good dressing. If your vinyl and rubber is clean and in like-new condition, I highly recommend <a href="http://www.autopia-carcare.com/ult-7004-120.html">Ultima Tire & Trim Guard Plus</a>. This exclusive formula is the first and only pure polymer treatment for trim surfaces. It offers protection that truly lasts for months and will not wash off. If your trim needs reconditioning and cleaning, dress it now with a gel product like <a href="http://www.autopia-carcare.com/son-730-8.html">Sonus Tire & Bumper Dressing Gel</a> and save a sealant treatment for spring after you give your car a thorough cleaning.
If you don’t have a touchless car wash tunnel nearby and your garden hose isn’t frozen solid, you can do-it-yourself with a foam gun. I recommend the <a href="http://www.gilmour.com/Cleaning_Maintenance/Washguns/foamasterII.asp">Foamaster II</a> gun from Gilmore Gardening Supply. You can pick up this handy tool from your local Lowe’s, Ace or True Value hardware store. To use it, add one ounce of <a href="http://www.autopia-carcare.com/ult-5022.html">Ultima Paint Guard Wash</a> to the mixing cup and fill with water. This will produce more thick, rich suds than you can imagine. Allow the suds to soak and penetrate the dirt for 1-2 minutes then rinse with a stiff stream of water.
Hang in… Spring will be here soon!
~ David
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