Nothing keeps your car, truck or SUV looking like new as you drive the streets of Northern Virginia like regular washing and waxing. But keeping your car clean takes more than running it through an automatic carwash once in a while, use these tips to keep it looking like new and then stop in at Wiygul Automotive Clinic to keep it running like new too.
- Use a nonabrasive cloth to remove tough substances and rinse it well regularly. A bug-and-tar remover may be used to clean these areas, and that too should not be spread around the car unnecessarily.
- Use a different sponge to clean the body of your car than the one you use to wash your wheels and around the wheel-wells. Grease, rubber and road tar picked up from the road typically accumulate in these areas, as well as along the lower edge of the body, and you can unintentionally spread these materials around your vehicle.
- Never wash your car when the body is hot, such as is the case after driving it for long periods or after it has been sitting in the sun. The hot surface will make the soap dry faster, which will only require more water and more elbow-grease to remove the soap and the dirt. Washing it in the sun also is likely to add to additional water spots and soap deposits.
- Rather than using a circular motion to wash the vehicle, use long lengthwise movements across the hood and other body panels. The circular motion can lead to light scratches known as swirl marks in the finish.
- Always rinse your cleaning sponge or cloth thoroughly after dropping it on the pavement or the driveway as you wash the vehicle. The sponge can easily pick-up the dirt and dust particles and are likely to scratch the paint as you wash it.
For more tips on keeping your car running and looking like new, consult with the trained professionals at Wiygul Automotive Clinic today.
