CAR CARE ADVICE
Washing your Car
Wash
your car regularly - at least once a month. Items like bugs, bird's dropping,
or limestone dripping damage the paint leaving permanent stains if not washed
off in time. When the car is clean, all the moisture dries up quickly, but when
it's dirty, the moisture accumulates in dirty areas causing corrosion.
Wash your car
in the shade so that the car itself is cool and you won’t have the sun
drying it faster than you can work, leaving spots. Start with the wheels,
one at a time. Hose down one wheel and then spray on a wheel cleaner on the
wheel AND rim. Using a brush scrub down all the dirt and mud. Rinse, and then
move on to the next wheel.
Hose down
the car, from top to bottom. Using a sponge, scrub the roof, in straight lines,
from the innermost part out to the edges. Rinse the bonnet. Next, do the sides
in the same manner, using straight strokes from top to bottom. Remember to
rinse the sponge or mitt frequently. After rinsing the sides, do the bonnet and
the boot.
Be sure to
pay special attention to the bumpers, especially in the front where bugs tend
to accumulate. After these surface areas are finished, spray down the
undercarriage to remove the dirt and mud buildup. Once the
car is completely rinsed, use a clean, soft cloth to dry it. You’ll want to run
it lightly over the surface of the car to smooth out the water droplets. You
might need to use more than one cloth, depending on its size and the size of
your vehicle.
Car Waxing
Wax
helps to protect the paint, minimising harm of chemicals and protecting the
paint from fading; plus the car looks shiny. It takes only about 30 minutes to
wax a whole car and high quality car wax stays on the car for three - four
months. In order to maintain a protective coat any product needs to be
reapplied periodically.
To wax your car you
will need some good quality wax, small soft sponge and clean soft cloth towel.
Your car must be very clean and dry. Park your car somewhere in the shadow -
usually it works better when the car surface is cool to the touch. Work one
section at the time, for example, a door. If you use liquid wax, shake the
bottle well before use. Apply small amount of wax on the sponge and, spread it
evenly to one section of the car. It's good idea to start from the top, and do
the bottom panels last because there is always some dirt left at the bottom.
Make a thin even
layer of wax. Try not to touch the surfaces like black window trim, rubber door
seals and black matte plastic - the wax will leave white stains on them. Work one
section at a time. Allow the wax to haze (takes about a minute or two). Then
buff it to a perfect shine with clean soft towel rotating it frequently - clean
part of the towel works best. After the whole car is done, clean the wax from
matte unpainted surfaces (e.g plastic mouldings, unpainted bumper, rubber door
seals). Window cleaner spray will work well for this purpose.
Glass Care
There's
nothing more dangerous, than looking out of a dirty windshield. Dirty glass
deflects the light and can make visibility dangerous at best, impossible at
wors
A
good washer fluid for your car will improve windscreen cleaning performance and
the wiper blade life. You can also get windscreen sprays which removes street
grime, silicone, grease, and oil from windscreens. It's always advisable to
wipe the product off with a paper towel that doesn't leave streaks.
Windscreen Wipers
The
windshield wipers and washers are obviously very important parts of your car,
and they need periodic maintenance. Windshield wiper blades should be replaced
once a year to maintain a perfect seal against the glass. (Hardened rubber can
scratch the glass surface and will not remove water effectively.) When
replacing wiper blades, make sure that the refills are the exact same length as
the OE ones. This will prevent metal-to-glass contact and the serious
scratching that usually results.
The
windshield washer reservoir should also be checked and filled with a cleaning
product, not just water. Periodically use the washers to make sure they're
functioning properly. Driving in slushy snow or muddy rain can impair vision
and require frequent use of the washers. Don't neglect this safety item.
Wheel Care
These
days, almost all new vehicles are factory-equipped with alloy wheels. Some of
these wheels have a natural finish, some have a natural finish with a clear
coating and some are powdercoated. Regardless, all eventually get caked with disc-brake
dust and road grime. It’s important to select a cleaner that's designed for
your wheel type. For example, clear-coated wheels should be cleaned with a
different cleaner than natural-finish alloys or steel wheels.
Tyre Care
There
are good tyre care products which will clean and condition tyres as well as
improving the natural appearance of your tyres. We supply a very good Tyre Foam
product which is formulated with UV and Ozone protectants and does not contain
harmful petroleum which causes deterioration of rubber. Make sure your tyre
protector has water-resistant components which will help maintain results for
weeks. You can generally apply a tyre foam product directly after you wash your
car.
Lingering Odours
Some
motorists can find that there is an odour (cigarette smoke, mustiness etc) in
the car which cannot be removed by cleaning or shampooing the car interior.
This is often down to bacteria in the air conditioning system.
Air
Conditioning Cleaner is an effective means for removing odours from the air
conditioning unit by treating the source of the odour. While other products
eliminate the odour by neutralizing or masking the source of the odour, they
don't clean the evaporator core surface - the heart of the air conditioner
system where water condensation accumulates and where the odour originates. Our
own Einszett foam air conditioning cleaner works by 'scrubbing' the evaporator
core reducing the opportunity for odours to reappear.
Metal Care / Rust
To prevent rust it is
best to protect your paint. Proper car care will not only protect, but
strengthen the paint. A good cleaning and waxing regimen once every two months
has been proven to greatly reduce the occurrence of rust. Regular cleaning will
remove contaminates that will weaken or even etch into the paint. Car wax or
car polish will create a stronger, slippery surface that will be more impervious
to the elements and help seal out moisture which can start the rusting process.
Rust is like cancer
for a car. Once it starts it will only get worse and grow. Keep an eye out for
any possible areas where rust could start. Look for nicks, scratches, dings,
anything that breaks through the paint. It is important to notice these areas
as early as possible so you can prevent rust from ever starting. To treat a
deep nick or scratch, it is important to cover the spot and seal it from
moisture. There are products available which will remove rust and oxidation
from chrome, aluminum and other metals and restore the original luster.
Leather Care
Leather care is very
important for your car. Dirt can get into the pores and fibres of your
leather and there it acts like tiny razor blades to cut those fibres and then
you get cracks, and once that happens, there isn't anything you can do. Today,
many leather producers treat leather in a variety of colours and textures with
a clear protectant to prevent cracking and drying. This process results in
finished leather. While finished leather requires less care, it still requires
attention.
A good Leather care product will utilize natural waxes and conditioners which
moisturize to prevent cracking, replenish natural oils and maintain leather
luster. Use on interior car fittings or motorcycle cladding and will remove
dirt, grease, and body oil from the finish without leaving a greasy film.
High-quality care components protect the leather surface from becoming brittle
and restore the leather to its original softness.