How to Keep Your New Car Spotless
So you’ve just bought a new car and are excited at the prospect of caressing and babying it. The thing is, rust and grime are the natural fate of every new car, and if you don’t know how to take proper care, it’s just going to become dirty over time.
Those old cars you see on the road that are still spotless and shining probably have diligent owners who’ve invested in essential cleaning supplies and even tools. This might seem a little too much for a car, but remember that it’s a significant investment that you must take proper care of. The better your car looks, the more money you’ll be able to fetch when you inevitably have to sell it.
Plus, taking care of your car should be a ritual and a great way to enjoy some free time away from the hassle of work. The most basic form of car care is, of course, washing and polishing. Even if you’re not an expert at these jobs, doing some washing and polishing will help keep your car’s paint fresh.
Let’s take a look at some ways you can keep your new car spotless.
Washing and Polishing
Learning how to wash and wax your car properly will take a bit of practice, but it’s totally worth the effort when you look at your spotless and shiny vehicle. Of course, properly washing and polishing your car will involve a little more than just a water hose.
To be exact, you’ll need a car wash shampoo, an assortment of cleaning cloths, some detailing sprays, and possibly wax if you want to preserve the paint finish. You can buy all these car wash supplies at any auto parts store for quite cheap.
If you don’t want to deal with all this ‘hassle’, you can choose to get your car cleaned professionally, which will definitely cost you more money. Although it’s hard to estimate how much car detailing costs, for even one wash and polish, you’ll pay more than a few month’s worth of detailing supplies.
Take Care of the Interior
Many times, car owners will take immaculate care of their car’s exterior but forget that the interior is just as important, if not more important. Let’s face it: you’ll be sitting inside the car and not on the hood, so why not make it an inviting place to be?
Leaving clutter inside your car is bad for not only your physical health but also your mental health because it can seem a bit chaotic in there. Instead of throwing everything in the back of your car, make a concerted effort to put everything in a recyclable shopping bag and take it out at the end of every ride or every day.
If you find the act of throwing junk in the back a lot more convenient, then do yourself a favor and clean it out several times a week.
Clean the Floor Mats
Without a doubt, your car’s floor mats are the filthiest parts of the car. That’s because they get covered in food particles, mud, crud, and other stuff you bring along with your shoes into the car.
Ignoring the floor mats for long periods of time means you’re just accumulating more filth underneath your feet, which is definitely bad for your health. An easy way to clean your floor mats is to give them a firm shake and then simply pop them into the dishwasher for a thorough cleaning.
Clean Your Car’s Headlights
Most modern cars come with headlights made out of plastic, which means they’ll definitely fade over time. If you see that your car’s headlights aren’t illuminating as much as they did when they were new, it might be time to restore them to their original condition.
The good news is that you don’t have to go to the auto parts store to get any sort of expensive restoration kit. Nope, all you need is a gentle cleaning cloth and some toothpaste. The abrasive qualities of your toothpaste are great for scrubbing off that fade-causing layer on your headlights’ plastics. Simply put some toothpaste on a gentle cleaning cloth and rub it on the headlight in a circular pattern until it looks fresh and minty!
Give Your Car’s Interior a Polish
Over time, your car’s interior will begin to look a bit faded and worse for the wear. This includes all the interior plastics, pleather seats, and even the armrests. Worry not; there’s a handy tip to restore all these plastic parts to their former glory.
Simply get a coffee filter and pour a few drops of olive oil on it. Then use it to wipe your car’s interior, and you’ll see all that built-up dust, grime, and smudges go away. Seriously, all of it will look almost brand-new.
Don’t Vacuum The Interior of Your Vehicle
Vacuuming your car’s interior might seem an easy solution to pick away all the crumbs and other filth that’s sitting in there but be warned, this requires an actual vacuum cleaner and not those 12V-socket ones you see in spammy ads.
Of course, carrying a vacuum cleaner all the way to your car isn’t practical. What you can do instead is actually sweep the interior of your to clean it. Simply take a traditional broom and remove its long handle.
You can then use the brush part to easily clean the interior of your vehicle, and you don’t have to lug around a heavy vacuum cleaner to do this!
Got a Coffee Stain? Apply Some Glass Cleaner
Coffee stains on the car’s upholstery are a common occurrence, but did you know that some persistence with glass cleaner solution can make them disappear? Simply saturate the stain with the glass cleaner and gently scrub at it with a white cleaning towel.
Switch to a clean and dry area of the towel every 15 seconds to make sure that you’re not putting any of the stain particles back into the upholstery.
Repeat the process until the stains go away, and then let the area dry.