10 Ways To Clean Your Car

Americans spend more time in the car then any other place. It's a home away from home and needs the same care we show our house. Proper washing and maintenance should be priority. These ten steps will provide you with a basic knowledge to produce a sparkling and smelling good car!

1. Wash the car in a cool place. Heat is not productive to washing. It dries the soap onto the surface on the car creating streaks and spots. Wash your car in the garage if it has proper drainage. If you can't wash in a garage, then try a patch of shade.

2. Dry the car. Drying should be done with a chamois. Chamois is a type of leather that has a very good water absorbency. Being somewhat spongy, it easily retains oil, making it good for wiping fingerprints from polished metallic surfaces.

3. Wash the wheel wells. There are specific sprays at the local car wash that are used to clean the wheel wells. If you live in an area that gets a lot of snow or has a lot of mud, then a more aggressive approach needs to be taken. A car washing business can take of the salt and mud trapped in the wheel wells.

4. Clean the entrance of the car. All of the plastic, metal, and gadgets accumulate dust, so wash everything with soap and water. Treat the plastic with a preservative. Washing your car with a preservative will enhance it's features and keep it in tiptop shape. Clear products are best because milky ones create a white tint.

5. Clean the hood and trunk. Trucks are the junk drawer of the car. They need to be cleaned so odd smells don't start forming. Remember to wash around the openings of the hood and trunk as this is especially important in light colored cars.

6. Polish the windows of the car. Factory-installed tinted glass is able to with stand any product. Tint done after the purchase of the car is a coating on top of the glass and Ammonia needs to be avoided. Ammonia will cause the tint coating to turn purple.

7. Wax the car. There are a large variety of waxing products and the choice is you to you. Some are liquids that are convenient and can be taken off with an old toothbrush. Some waxing products contain carnauba and should be taken off with a towel or T-shirt. Carnauba comes from the leaves of a Brazilizan plant. It's known for it's ability to make cars shine.

8. Shampoo the carpet of the car. Cleaning the carpet of the car can seem like a difficult task, but it's worth the time spent. The easy way is to shampoo the carpet while it's still in the car. Trying to navigate around seats and other obstacles makes it hard to clean those hard to reach places. The better option is to remove the car seats, then remove the entire carpet of the car. Hang the carpet over a fence or swing set and spray with a water hose. Removing the seats seems like a hassle, but it gives you a better chance to clean those as well.

9. Wash the seats of the car. Remove the seat covers and toss them in the washer. Remember to check the foam for spots and wipe those down with soap and water. If you have leather car seats use a product designed for that purpose. Take a few drips of dish liquid and mix it with warm water. Apply the leather seat cleaner, dip a tooth brush in the soapy water, then scrub gently.

10. Clean the rubber around the doors and windows. To clean the rubber of the car apply tire conditioner and wipe. Tire conditioner will prevent the door from sticking when the weather changes.

These ten steps are designed to leave you with a car that will turn heads. Cleanliness is next to Godliness so they say. A car is a reflection of your personality. What does your car say about you?