Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Getting Your Vehicle FREAKY SQUEAKY Clean

If you are serious about keeping your car show room shiny, then there are several things you need to be aware of when it comes to getting and keeping your vehicle clean.

BUG OFF!!!

As you are driving along a country road, or even in the middle of the city, you'll undoubtedly encounter bugs innocently flying across the road, when SPLAT! They come head on into the front of your car. It is impossibe to keep bugs off your car entirely, but it is important that you not let them sit for too long on your car's finish. The result could be very damaging to your car's finish as they are baked on by the sun or as the acid in their body reacts to the clear protective coat of your vehicle.

SAY NO TO SNOW!!!

If your vehicle is caked with snow grime and salt and you know that there will be snow for days, weeks, and months ahead, getting your windshield clean enough to see through and leaving the rest for when the weather lets up a bit is a BIG MISTAKE! The salt, grese, and grime that coated your vehicle as the melting snow splashed all over is very dangerous for your vehicle's finish. Clean it off every few days to give your vehicle's finish a break from the eroding effects of the snow grime.

THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM, AND THEN HE POOPS ON YOUR CAR!!!

When your car is bombed by bird droppings, clean them off as soon as convenient. The acidic nature of the bird droppings can wear away the clear coat on your car. Avoid parking under trees of telephone lines that are frequent perching places for your fine feathered friends.

RUB YOUR EYES. RUB YOUR BELLY. BUT NEVER RUB YOUR DIRTY CAR!!!

When you start to clean your car, it's imperative that you first spray any dust, dirt, bugs, and grime off with a high pressure spray prior to rubbing the surface of your car with anything, even your hand. If you start wiping the surface of your car prematurely, you will potentially cause permanent damage to the clear protective coating of your car. If you are tempted to use a little elbow grease to remove stubborn bug splatters or grime, then instead practice patience and soak them to softness instead. To help with especially large areas of your car that may need some soaking power, spread a 100% cotton flannel sheet over the surface of your car. Then spray the sheet covered car with water, and take a twenty to thirty minute break allowing the water soaked sheet to aid in loosening stubborn stuck on grime. On especially hot days, you may want to respray the sheet after about ten to fifteen minutes.

After removing the sheet, respray the car and, using water pressure only, remove the now loosened bugs and things.

ONLY BRUSH THE PAINTED PARTS OF YOUR CAR THAT ARE COVERED WITH HAIR

Very few brushes that you will use have soft enough bristles to avoid damaging your car's finish. If you happen to have one of those brushes, be sure to thoroughly clean all dirt that is in the bristles off before using it on your car's surface.

THE BUGS AND TAR ARE HERE TO STAY ... NOT.

When soaking alone just won't do the trick, apply a bug and tar remover to the residual spots. It is imperative that you get a remover that is formulated especially to work on a car's delicate surface. After letting it soak for a few minutes, gently rub the area with a soft cloth, sponge, or car washing mitt that is made of a material deisgned to not scratch the car's surface.

WASH, RINSE, AND REPEAT.

After you have performed the steps necessary to leave your car sparkling clean, rinse the car thoroughly. Then carefully enspect the vehicles surface for any spots that you may haev missed. As you find them, repeat the steps above for bug and tar removal.

GO, SPOT! GO!

Adding a rinsing agent to your final rinse water can help your car rinse spot free. You can also buff your car with a super soft water absobant chamois cloth. Avoid the temptation to let your car dry in the hot sunlight, and the direct sunlight can actaully burn the paint as it is magnified through water droplets on a hot day.

WAX ON. WAX OFF!

Several times throughout the year, you will want to protect your car's finish by a high quality wax deisgned specifically for the protection of the clear coat on many cars today.

BE COOL!

As you roll down the road in your high polished show-room perfect vehicle, smile, and BE COOL!

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