It may be snowing again today, but my thoughts are with warmer weather. Spring break is upon many of us and getting that nasty salt of our cars is on everyone's mind. Whether you wash it yourself, head to the nearest touch-less automatic, or just spray it down in a self-wash, here are a few important tips to remember for that first car wash of the year.
-- Car Wash Tips --
-- Car Wash Tips --Firstly, salt is very dangerous and extra care must be taken when removing a hard layer caked on your cars paint. It is almost guaranteed you will scratch your paint when trying to remove it unless you take some precautions. Use a pressure washer to get the largest debris off the paint. If you don't have your own, you can head to a self-wash bay and plop a few quarters in there to hose it down. DO NOT TRY TO HAND-DRY. Like most touchless automatic car wash bays, spraying your car with just water will leave a fine layer of dirt and debris that can only be removed by proper hand washing. Trying to towel-dry after just spraying the car down will result in terrible swirl marks and micro-marring of the paint finish.
Secondly, make sure you use a car soap with lots of lubrication and follow the mix ratio on the bottle. Meguiar's Gold Class is a wonderful over-the-counter retail car wash with lots of suds and lubrication. This keeps any solid dirt particles from grinding into your paint. When washing, use the lightest amount of friction possible. Don't scrub. If you find a stubborn spot it is best to let the soap soak for a few minutes or use a stronger chemical (or just a few washes).
Remember your interior! Salt buildup on your floor mats can be very difficult to remove. The longer it sits there the hard it gets to clean. The best thing you can do to keep your interior clean is simply to vacuum it once a month and keep it free to trash. PROTIP: To remove salt from carpets it needs to be rehydrated. It is so hard to remove because it chemically attaches to the carpet. Salty mud and water from your shoes brings it into the car and as it dries the salt attaches to the carpet fibers. Just soak it in water and wipe up the salt-water to remove it. This will probably take a few attempts.
Finally, the best time to get your car professionally detailed is first thing in the Spring and once again just before Winter. Even the best care when removing salt will cause some sort of paint damage and a final polish to shine up the surface is highly recommended. Not only than, but it is also a great time to get a good protective sealant/wax layer on the paint in preparation for the harsh UV rays of the Summer. The picture to the right is an example of clearcoat failure caused by an unprotected paint surface.
Finally, the best time to get your car professionally detailed is first thing in the Spring and once again just before Winter. Even the best care when removing salt will cause some sort of paint damage and a final polish to shine up the surface is highly recommended. Not only than, but it is also a great time to get a good protective sealant/wax layer on the paint in preparation for the harsh UV rays of the Summer. The picture to the right is an example of clearcoat failure caused by an unprotected paint surface.SPRING SALE!!
To award all those that care to read my blog (and make it to the end) -- I am having a special Spring Sale for new customers on Interior-only details. When paired with a regular Exterior package an interior detail is normally $50-off. However, this is a special limited opportunity for those only looking to freshen up the inside, be it from winter slush, kid messes, or food spills. Set up an appointment for anytime within the month of April for your Interior detail and automatically get $50 off. First come, first serve!
To award all those that care to read my blog (and make it to the end) -- I am having a special Spring Sale for new customers on Interior-only details. When paired with a regular Exterior package an interior detail is normally $50-off. However, this is a special limited opportunity for those only looking to freshen up the inside, be it from winter slush, kid messes, or food spills. Set up an appointment for anytime within the month of April for your Interior detail and automatically get $50 off. First come, first serve!
Third row seating still an additional $25 while extremely soiled interiors may also be charged extra. Final price decided before all work is started. Some restrictions apply. Sales tax not included.
