Extend your car’s life with a thorough spring clean

Extend your car’s life with a thorough spring clean

Have you given your car a spring clean yet – after one of the most prolonged bouts of severe winter weather in Britain for 20 years?  A comprehensive spring clean is essential to remove contaminants, replenish protection and revive your car’s appearance in time for summer.

 

“Road salt, ice and constantly damp conditions make the winter months a very tough time for cars,” explains Paul Caller, the boss of car care products manufacturer Autoglym.  He suggests that an intensive clean at this time of year can be thoroughly worthwhile, as a well-prepared car will be far easier to keep clean throughout the summer.

 

If you’re going to do it yourself rather than use a professional valeting service, Autoglym recommends the following:

 

1.          Clean-out the winter build-up of leaves from under the bonnet and air inlets

2.          Rinse the car thoroughly from top to bottom to remove contaminants

3.          Clean the insides of wheel arches and under the body to remove any build-up of dirt and salt

4.          Use a wheel cleaner to remove brake dust and road salt from wheels

5.          Use a good quality bodywork shampoo to lift deposits, and clean/condition the car’s exterior

6.          Clean the doors and boot shuts/sills as winter dirt collects in these areas too

7.          Use interior shampoo on fabric seats and car mats.  For leather use a specialised cleaner

8.          Polish the car to revive and protect paintwork

9.          For the ultimate protection, apply a coat of wax to last all Summer

10.     Top up the screen wash.

 

EurotaxGlass’s, the publisher of Glass’s Guide to used car values, recently claimed that a comprehensive clean inside and out can add up to £600 to the value of a used car put up for private sale.

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