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Spring Cleaning

Wash away winter and prepare to shine

Any time is a good time of year for proper care and cleaning of your vehicle. But when spring finally rolls around, the nice weather makes getting your ride looking good that much more pleasurable. Once the temperatures rise and the rain and snow subside, it's time to open the doors, trunk and windows and get ready for some good, clean fun.

Junk in the Trunk

Taking an additional trip from your toasty warm house to get that extraneous gizmo or package out of your car when the thermometer is below zero is more than easy to talk yourself out of. After a long cold winter there may be more junk than there should be riding along with you. Besides the obvious olfactory dangers of letting debris collect, there is another good reason to remove all that jumble—better mileage! All that extra weight causes your engine to work harder and your wallet to get thinner.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Once the cabin is clear of flotsam and jetsam, prepare the interior for the hot rays of the coming summer sun. The UV light and heat that pummel your interior all the way from the very center of the universe wrecks havoc on the oils and polymers that make up the plastic or leather materials inside your cabin. After a good scrubbing, brushing or vacuuming, use a quality protectant to seal in the moisture that keeps materials from cracking, peeling, flexing or buckling. Make sure to use the right stuff for the plastic, leather, vinyl or fabric at hand.

Hose It Up and Off

Now that you've got a handle on the inside of the situation, it's time to get outside. The very first step is a thorough washing. Park in the shade and give the underside and fenderwells a good hosing to flush any road salt or grime that may have lodged its way into the dark reaches of your vehicle. Next, get on top of the situation and hose off any loose dirt or grime. The last thing you want to do is create scratches in your paint by running chuncks of dirt or debris across the surface. Don't forget to hose off the tires as well.

Retire Early

Use the hose and a scrub brush to dislodge those stubborn deposits from the wheels and tires. Modern science presents a good number of spray-on cleaners that get the job done, but be careful to take note of compatibility with wheels and wheel finishes. Some cleaners are made specifically to help remove brake dust as well. Later, after cleaning the rest of the car, you'll want to come back and dress up that tire to shine a little or a lot. Be careful not to get too much shine on the tire tread itself, as that stuff is slippery! Always drive slowly for the first few blocks after dressing tires. No sense trying to show off from the ditch.

Hit the Suds

Mix some cool clean water and good quality car washing soap in a clean bucket. Get some fresh sponges, wash mitts, towels and thoroughly soap-down the vehicle starting from the top. Make like Mr. Bubble until every surface is free of those dreary winter doldrums. Don't let the soap suds dry up in the sun on your way down! Grab the hose again to remove any bubbles, and dry off the surfaces with a squeegee, towel or chamois to prevent water spots.

Wax On, Wax Off

All that winter rain, snow, road salt and extremes in temperature punish your paint. Winter literally wicks the life and shine from your vehicle's finish. Paint needs wax to keep from drying out, like your lips need balm to keep from getting chapped. A good coat of wax keeps paint shiny and flexible and protects against the forces of nature. Starting with a clean, dry surface and with the vehicle cool and in the shade, apply wax one section at a time. Let the wax dry to a haze and remove using a clean soft cloth. Never, ever try to wax a hot car in the sun. The wax bakes onto the paint and becomes extremely difficult to remove.