Five key mistakes to avoid when spring cleaning your car

It’s important to give your car a spring cleaning to get rid of all that nasty dirt that accumulates over time – but there are specific ways to do it.

And there are things to avoid when you go about good old-fashioned scrubbing your engine—even though you should NEVER wash your car.

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Now MotorEasy car service experts have shared five key mistakes to avoid when cleaning your car – mistakes that can end up costing you hundreds of dollars in damage.

WASH OUT

If you don’t have car shampoo on hand, many people find it ok to replace it with washing-up liquid from the kitchen.

However, this can be a costly mistake as washing your car with dish soap can cause the paint to fade.

Dish soap can remove the wax and oils that protect the paint itself.

It can cost you hundreds to get a repaint, and faded paint will depreciate the value of your car – stick to safer car shampoo that protects the paint.

BAD PAINTWORK

How to remove dried dirt from the outside of the car with something hard like a brilliant Pad can be tempting, but it can damage the paintwork.

Even drying the car with a towel can cause small scratches.

Instead, use a dry microfiber cloth to wipe up any residual water on your engine and avoid scratching your car’s beautiful finish.

CANNOT HANDLE THE HEAT

Never wash your car on a hot day or with the engine running – this can affect the result of the final washed look.

Heat dries the applied soap and water quickly, causing annoying water stains that make washing your car difficult.

Prevent this by washing your car after the engine has cooled and if possible in the shade.

SIT COMFORTABLY

Cleaning your upholstery is important because Dirt and grime can accumulate on both cloth and leather seats – that’s not nice to sit on and it can look awful.

Never use household disinfectants such as bleach when cleaning your upholstery as this will ruin the finish of most materials.

Instead, follow these rules:

cloth seats: Vacuum up dirt and spray a solution of hot water, white vinegar and a squirt of dish soap to refresh upholstery with a soft brush.

leather seats: The white vinegar solution above can also be used to clean leather seats, but avoid soaking the seats completely and allow them to dry naturally. Finish it off with a special leather care product.

WHEELIE GOOD ADVICE

When washing your car, start with the wheels and tires, which are the dirtiest parts of the vehicle.

Use a pressure washer to blow off most of the dirt before treating with a damp sponge to clean.

Duncan McClure-Fisher, CEO of MotorEasy, says: “Regular maintenance of the interior and exterior of your vehicle will help prevent paint issues such as rust and seat stains that may require expert attention.”

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