Motoring corner : “Car Washing”

As is a known secret, your car or motor vehicle is one of your most valuable assets; this in mind, it must be jealously guarded and kept. One of the most important good keeping of a vehicle is the observance of cleanliness as well as orderliness. Many a times, people buy vehicles, they drive on and on, they only observe the carrying out of service (oil change), forgetting that, cleaning both the inside, engine as well as the body tantamount to a complete service. The mere discharge and recharge of oils does not totally leave the vehicle clean. In the normal course of operation, many vehicles traverse different terrains, these comprise of different conditions. In cases of dusty roads, these expose lots of dust (rich in iron), the accumulation of dust, together with moisture, leads the iron oxides to erode a number of metal parts in the undercarriage of the vehicles. In some circumstances, rain water may wash down some forms of acid (acid rain), this would equally have a negative effect on the vehicles’ undercarriage, and paint works as well as the engine. With the above in mind, it is advisable to always give your vehicle a regular and decent cleaning; the cleaning should be as affordable as possible. Some people resort to the use of special cleaning chemicals, but the easiest and affordable way is the use of ordinary water and sometimes washing detergents. Detergents can sometimes harm the paintworks of your cherished vehicle, in that case, use clean water and if there is a need to remove some stubborn stains like grease, use “car shampoo” or highly dilutes liquid soaps. Where detergents have been used, make an effort to thoroughly rinse the vehicle with clean water and dry off all the water droplets with a clean and lint free piece of cloth. Avoid using rough towels or floor mopping rugs as these contain some sand particles that cut lines in your vehicles expensive paintworks. When it comes to the choice of location, select a clean and shady spot, preferably away from trees that have dripping sap or dropping leaves. If possible, arrange to wash your vehicle early in the morning or late in the evening, that way, you will avoid the heat of the day. Simple chemistry indicates that, a combination of chlorine and the sun leads to bleaching, would you like to clean or bleach your paintworks? Make sure all doors and windows are closed. Put one capful of car (liquid) soap into a bucket and fill it three quarters with clean water. Set the bucket aside. Before proceeding, first wash off any excess dirt, beginning at the roof and working down to the tyres. Lather a sponge or terry cloth rag in the bucket of soapy water and sponge the roof of the car. Spray off excess soap when the entire roof has been cleaned. Repeat for all four sides of the car, washing one full side including windows, bumpers and tyres and rinsing completely before going to the next side. Once done, give the car one final rinse if possible, with the hose to get rid of any water spots when all four sides have been washed and rinsed. Take a lint free towel and dry the car thoroughly by setting the towel flat against the surface of the car and dragging it along the surface to pick up any water spots. Start at the roof and work your way down to the tyres. Wash the windows with a rag soaked in plain water and dry them with a dry rag, or use window cleaner and pieces of balled-up newspaper on both the inside and the outside of the windows. Give any metal or chrome an extra rubdown to get rid of water spots. Once the surface is dry, apply somebody polish, this helps to keep dust and water off the vehicle’s surface by creating a shinny and slippery layer. As for cleaning the interior, you may require the services of a hover (for the carpeted area), use a soft and damp towel to wipe the dashboard area and the seats. Apply a little dashboard spray to leave the interior smelling sweet and sparkling. motoringcorner@live.co.uk

Lifestyle

Motoring corner : “Car Washing”