The Ultimate Guide to Keeping Your Car Clean and Shiny

Your car is more than a mode of transport – it’s your style statement on wheels! Proper care ensures it can maintain that showroom look day in and day out.

Proper exterior maintenance begins with regular washing, waxing, and protecting of paint surfaces. Doing this will reduce oxidation rates as well as protect the interior against bird droppings and pollution.

1. Clean the Interior

Your vehicle serves as your home away from home – whether that means driving to work, running errands or carpooling for school – so keeping its interior sanitary and smelling fresh should always be top of mind. That means kicking out mystery odors such as coffee spillage and gum deposits; clearing away dropped items; as well as tidying out trunk, glove compartment and storage spots to maintain an ideal driving experience.

Start by vacuuming the interior, including floor mats. Next, use a cleaner specifically designed to clean upholstery and dashboard surfaces followed by conditioner or sealant to restore their look and protect them against UV damage. Finally, use disinfecting wipes on high touch areas like the steering wheel and door panels.

2. Wash the Exterior

Keep your car showroom-ready by regularly washing its exterior. In general, this should be done every two weeks; however, more frequent washing may be necessary if you live in an extremely windy environment or drive on roads with excessive anti-ice salt and grit that can erode paint and waxes.

Rinse first, then use a sponge or mitt to apply car soap using quality automotive soap without ingredients that could damage paintwork. For best results, avoid products containing ingredients that could compromise paintwork’s integrity.

Once your paint is clean, rinse it again before drying the surface thoroughly. Make sure you dry all areas that typically do not receive attention when washing – such as trunk, doors and fender folds – thoroughly as this prepares your car for adding protective wax or sealants later on.

3. Wax the Paint

Car wax offers effective protection for vehicle paint and clear coat, creating an impenetrable barrier against environmental contaminants like bird droppings and pollution, slowing oxidation and extending its life span; furthermore, waxing improves color and shine of paint surfaces.

When applying car wax or polish, take care in applying small sections at a time so the product dries properly between areas and avoids water spots that are difficult to remove.

Liquid polymers take longer to dry than true carnuba or carnauba waxes; make sure that you plan for that accordingly. After the wax has set to a haze, buff away with a microfiber cloth until no haze remains and repeat as necessary.

4. Don’t Wipe the Paint with a Dry Towel

Even when taking great care to rinse and wipe down your car thoroughly, debris such as lint can adhere to its paint surface as you wipe. Using paper towels to dry your car will drag this dirt along, leading to micro scratching in due time.

Use a microfiber towel that won’t scratch the finish. Your local auto parts store likely offers a selection of microfiber towels designed not to damage paintwork – opt for one with waffles or honeycombs that increase surface area for maximum absorbency and softness; another great choice would be an Uber drying microfiber towel that doesn’t leave behind lint!

5. Don’t Over-Clean

Clean car ownership can be seen as an status symbol and enhance its resale value, protect paint finishes, eliminate allergens, increase safety and boost confidence when driving. A well-maintained automobile also improves driver health and well-being.

But over-cleaning may strip away wax and leave your vehicle vulnerable to scratches and other forms of damage. Therefore, regular yet thorough maintenance should be incorporated in order to achieve maximum results.

With some time and effort, you can achieve a showroom shine for your ride that will turn heads and fill you with pride every time it hits the road. Simply follow these tips from Lord’s high-quality products to keep it looking perfect! Your stunning masterpiece on wheels will remain eye-catching from day to day.

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