5 Tips to Help Maintain the Condition (and Value!) of Your Vehicle

1. Stay on top of it - inside and out.

The title of this article should cover this point, next time you get into your car have a look around. "How did it get to this?" you might ask. Well it probably started with an empty water bottle you left on the back seat, then your friends left their rubbish from that trip to McDonald's, then the family got their hands on it, or maybe you have kids (in which case I do not envy the challenge you face regarding this point!).
Most of the rubbish we find in cars could be prevented with a little due diligence, make it habit when you leave your car to have a look around and take any rubbish with you. Write a post-it note and put it on your dash-board and you will be amazed how quickly you see the difference!

• Remove all cantonments asap, this includes bird droppings, tree sap, tar. Get all off these off before they get a chance to bond with the paint, over time they only become harder to remove and will actually cause lasting damage.
• Remove your rubbish!



Turn this into a habit and you will be amazed how quickly your car will improve. No need to get the detailers in yet!


2. Research your car cleaning products.

There is a wealth of information on the internet, and also an abundance of overrated products and advice. This is not to scare you, just to suggest that it is good habit to do further research rather than take one internet forum user's opinion as gospel.

Here is one point of view from Barry Meguiar ( Owner of ' Meguiars ' one of the world's largest car care brands) on the most common pieces of internet advice,

• Do NOT use household dish soap on your car! - "Dishwashing detergent is meant to remove everything from the surface. That includes stripping the polymers off the paint surface... The effect is similar to what dishwashing soap does to your hands. Too much will dry the skin. On the surface of a car, the same thing occurs; dishwashing soap actually accelerates the oxidation process when used regularly."

You generally just need a good soap, window cleaner, bug & tar remover, wax and carpet/upholstery cleaner. Once you have these, you should be all set to keep your car clean to a good standard. Don't be afraid to try new products and you'll soon develop your very own car detailing armoury!

3. Use clean cloths.

Throw that old mangy cloth away right now!
As important as your products are when cleaning your car, your equipment plays just as important (if not more important) a role. You MUST be vigilant with your equipment, if you drop a microfiber towel or cloth on the floor do NOT use it, it will have picked up all sorts of tiny stones etc which will scratch your paint should you use it. You wouldn't take a rock and rub it along your paint would you? So don't use a dirty cloth. If you choose to use a car detailing company, make sure they use fresh microfibers.

With cloths being so cheap nowadays (Target has 6 microfibers for $3.50), there is no excuse for not retiring those dirty ones.

• Use clean, 100% cotton terry towels to apply the majority of your products.
• Use clean microfiber towels for polishing and buffing.
• Use separate cloths for the dirtiest areas of your car (e.g. rim, mudflaps etc).


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