Spring Cleaning for Your Car

 

It’s spring cleaning time again. Hooray! (Not really.) Still, it needs to be done; and, shouldn’t you extend a little of that elbow grease toward making your car shine as well? You absolutely should. Giving your vehicle a thorough cleaning this time of year will allow you to keep it in tip-top shape and continue to get the most out of it in terms of performance and longevity. It won’t take you very long to complete, and your vehicle will love it; so, time to get cleaning!

Start on the inside. Begin by emptying it of all unnecessary contents. Toss any trash you find, including those crumpled up cheeseburger wrappers and empty water bottles rolling around your car floor (psst, they’re recyclable). You don’t need that many winter jackets piling up in the backseat; and, it’s probably time to get your snowboard boots out of the trunk as well. If you don’t NEED it in your car, it’s got to go.

Just by removing all of the unnecessary items from your car, you’ve already increased your fuel efficiency.  Awesome, right? But, you’re not done yet.

Once the big stuff is out of the way, it’s time to get some microfiber cloths and start dusting everywhere in the interior. Break out the all-purpose cleaner if there are smudges that a dry cloth alone can’t get out. You’ll especially need it for those dried up non-fat, half-caf, mocha frap spills in your cup holder.

Next, grab the vacuum hose attachment and get to work vacuuming the floors and seats and under the seats. Look, there’s a quarter! You just made this whole undertaking profitable – sweeeeeet! Don’t gloat too long, bigshot; you still have to grab the glass cleaner and get busy. Nothing’s more dangerous than not seeing where you’re driving, so get the inside of those windows good – and clean your rearview mirror while you’re at it.

At this point, some people like to use some of that polishing stuff on various inside surfaces, but if you do, keep it off the dashboard as it can evaporate and make the inside of your windshield turn hazy. Finally, I like to cap off the interior cleaning section with a nice pine-scented, tree-shaped air freshener, but this step is entirely up to you.

Now, you’re probably wondering, “Wait, what about the outside of the vehicle?” Very observant of you. Here’s where I like to take the easy way out and head on down to the local (cheap) outside-only car wash machine thingy. Before you go, grab a couple of chamois or similar drying cloths for after. Upgrade to the wash with the undercarriage option too, as there could be all kinds of winter crud under your car that you’re not going to be able to clean with just your garden hose.

Once you put your vehicle through the machine, pull to an open parking space and start drying all the leftover water drops the blower missed. While you’re doing this, examine your entire vehicle for any signs of winter wear. Inspect the tires, weather stripping, and see if any locks or hinges need lubricant. While you’re at it, poke your head under your vehicle and see if there’s any rust or other issues that need to be checked out by a professional.

Depending on when the last time you had your vehicle waxed, you may want to consider applying a good coat of wax at this point too. However, I’m going to assume your vehicle doesn’t need it right now, and save that discussion for another blog post.

Lastly, run through your (mental or actual) checklist, and make sure your vehicle has a clean air filter, useable wiper blades (winter can be rough on them), full fluid levels, and a recent oil change. All good? Nice! Then you’re finished and ready to cruise around for another few months (before it’s time for a Summer Car Check).

As always, if you have any questions about vehicle maintenance, stop by or call. We have a team of service professionals willing and happy to help you keep your vehicle looking and running great.