Helpful Ideas!

Helpful ideas for starting to clean your vehicle!


Are you getting your car ready for a detail? Some may plan to start the process at home before they think of going in for a full detail. If the idea of a thorough car cleaning is on you list, consider the options. What tools have you used that work well to begin the cleaning? What common household products work the best? Do you have a shop vac - with extensions? You can use a wand to get between seats and in those difficult cracks. If you have found that your vehicle is full of loose paper and dirt, start by gathering it all up and disposing of it. As you think of helpful tools consider the amount of preparation that can take place at home and what equipment you may have lying around.

Things helpful to the vehicle cleaning process include an assortment of tools for care and quality, a soft microfiber cloth and some soap and water. A stiff brush for dog hair can collect those hard to gather pieces fairly well while those smaller soft or medium, bristle toothbrushes, are a great tool to get into the tighter places, where dirt will reside. A few soft paint brushes can be a great option as well. Do you have a problem with residue from standing water after a little spill? It can be helpful to use preventive mats to keep the carpets from getting wet. You may want to look into the WeatherTech line that we offer and read about them on our blog. In the treatment of extra water/ dirt on the vehicle carpets using extra pieces of thick towels and cloth can be instrumental for speeding up the drying process. A soft sponge can help with the soaking up of excess water, and is also helpful on the working with the vehicles exterior. It can complicate things if you have fairly useful pieces on hand, yet do not know how to use them. It is helpful to know what you are using and the effects each has on a vehicle. Start by reading the labels on common household cleaners, as some should be used separately from others. It seems that so often people get in the spirit of do it yourself projects yet arbitrarily combine the wrong chemicals to do the work. When there are labels that say don’t use  this product under certain conditions, follow the instructions. One example of this, is bleach. It should not be used on carpets. It may be fairly obvious, but it is worth taking the extra time to avoid calamity.

Some cautions:  It is better to stay away from the use of S.O.S. scouring pads for cleaning off any bugs from the exterior as they may damage the paint and can bring undesirable consequences to the vehicle, however a soft S.O.S. pad is a good choice for chrome shine. If you are unsure about a product and the directions for its use are not too specific, you may be able to look it up or call us if you have questions and we will try to help as best we can. It is generally best to use fresher products rather than anything that has expired.

Cleaning the worst areas can be cause for a headache when attempting to use small household tools,  so it may be worth your time to bring it into the shop in 4 corners for a FULL or a partial detail. Remember that a vehicle is an investment and requires extra effort to keep up. It can be quite helpful to start with what you have and then add the extra time and money in order to meet its proper care needs.

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Posted by Bryon: Bryon is the promotional marketing man for SHINES AUTOS METICULOUSLY. He is an avid graphic design artist who enjoys working to bring creative ideas, through writing and visuals, to the detailing business.

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