Okay, you are tired of the inch of dust of your dashboard and the petrified French fries in between your seats. You could just take it to a local car cleaning service and get the job done but it will cost you. Or if you are really ambitious you can detail your car so it looks practically new yourself with a few tools and a lot of elbow grease.
Tools of the Trade
Before you drag out the bucket and hose, you need some more specialized tools to get into all of those hidden cracks. Here are some things you will need:
o Vacuum cleaner – should be for wet and dry surfaces and should have multiple attachments.
o Rags – include terry cloth towels and thin cotton rags for finer surfaces.
o Various sizes of small brushes – try toothbrushes or paintbrushes.
o Q-tips and cotton swabs.
o Plastic spray bottles.
o Canned air for getting dirt out of the cracks.
o Upholstery cleaner.
o Carpet stain cleaner.
o All-purpose cleaner.
o Surface protector (for vinyl and leather surfaces).
Detailing the Interior of Your Car
Start with the interior, so you won’t mess up the just-cleaned exterior while you’re vacuuming and wiping out the inside of the car. Here are some areas you should clean:
o Carpets: Vacuum them thoroughly first, then remove any stains with stain remover and a brush. Let the carpets dry completely. Clean floor mats with a stiff brush and lay them outside to dry thoroughly.
o Upholstery: Vacuum seats and remove stains. Let the seats dry completely with the car doors open.
o Door jambs: Open the car door and wipe the metal and plastic parts with a soapy solution. Dry them thoroughly with a rag and then use your smaller tools (Q-tips or brushes) to remove any tougher stains and spots in the area.
o Door interiors: Clean the non-cloth portions of your door interiors with a soapy solution. Concentrate on all the little cracks and crevices that collect dirt and grime. Dry the entire area with a thick cloth.
o Windows: Use glass cleaner or soapy solution to really make the inside of your windows shine. Dry thoroughly, taking care to erase any streaks.
o Steering wheel column: Use a soapy solution to remove dust and stains. Dry thoroughly, then apply a surface protectant to the entire surface.
o Dashboard: Don’t spray water or cleaning solution on your dashboard; instead, use your small-area tools and apply the cleaning solution to the tool itself, then carefully clean around knobs and buttons. Dry everything thoroughly.
o Center console: Use detailing tools to make sure every seam and indentation in the console is thoroughly cleaned and free of dirt. Dry with a thick cloth.
Detailing the Exterior of Your Car
o Start with your wheels. You can use soap made especially for tires or use the same type as you use on your car body. Use a pressure hose to knock off stubborn mud and dirt, and use a stiff brush to get the metal parts of your tire clean.
o Change the water and grab a few clean rags to wash the rest of your car’s body. Give your car a basic, thorough wash with plenty of water and the soapy solution.
o Take special care to change your dirty rag for a new one when it accumulates too much dirt or sand. You don’t want to scratch the finish of your car with the grime on the rag.
o Use smaller brushes and tools for areas that need more attention, like the rims around your headlights and taillights, the indentations in door handles, and side mirrors.
o Once the entire body is clean, dry it off with a clean chamois or a cotton cloth. Use your tools to dry water lying in cracks or in window wells.
o The last thing you want to do is make the outside of the windshield and each window free from streaks and drips.
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