Spring Car Care Tips
The
birds are out and the sun is shining – spring is here. What better time to make
sure your Ford vehicle is looking its best? Running it through the car wash
isn’t going to cut it. You need professional cleaning and detailing tactics.
Spring cleaning tips
After
you’ve finished spring cleaning the house, it’s time to move onto your car.
Whether you’ve got a Ford Explorer
or a Ford Mustang, the following car cleaning hacks will have your ride looking
brand-new.
Wash your car
The
first step is to wash your Ford. Don’t use dish soap or other household
products, as they can harm the finish. Instead, use dedicated car wash soap and
perform the following steps:
- Rinse the vehicle with water from a hose.
- Mix car wash soap and water in a bucket. Then, use a car-cleaning sponge or mitten to apply the soapy mixture to the entire vehicle.
- Rinse the soap from the vehicle with a hose.
- Dry the car with a microfiber towel and/or chamois designed for automotive finishes.
Use a clay bar kit on the
exterior
Washing
your Ford doesn’t remove all contaminants from the paint. That’s why it’s a
good idea to detail it with a clay bar kit. Not only does this remove most
impurities, it also gives your vehicle a show-car shine. The clay bar kit will
have detailed instructions in the box you must follow. Failure to do so can
damage your car’s finish. This is a general outline of the process. Clay bar one body
panel at a time, working on sections that are about two square-feet in size.
- Spray the supplied lubricant (which is also a polish) onto one of the car’s body panels.
- Gently rub the clay bar back and fourth on the surface. Do this until you no longer feel a roughness. Once the bar slides smoothly, the majority of the paint contaminants have been removed. Spray more lubricant on the panel and make additional passes as needed.
Note: If the clay bar is dropped on the ground, it must be discarded. Reusing it could result in dirt and debris being rubbed into the car’s finish.
- Dry the area with the kit-supplied, microfiber towel. Rub your hand across the area you just finished. It should now be smooth. If not, repeat the previous step until it is.
- Before moving onto the next area, reshape the clay bar in your hand to expose a clean area.
- After you’ve clay bar’d the entire vehicle,
its time for wax. To do this, first dip a dedicated wax applicator in
clean water, then apply wax to one side of it. Apply the wax to one body
panel at a time using a circular motion. Once it has dried to a white haze
(usually a minute or so) wipe it clean with a microfiber cloth.
A
proper clay bar job takes several hours to complete, but the end-result is
worth it. You should never wax your car without using a clay bar first, as
you’ll be waxing contaminants right into the paint.
Clean the trim, glass,
wheels and tires
Paint
isn’t the only part of your vehicle’s exterior that needs cleaning. After
performing a clay bar and wax job, do the following:
- Clean the black rubber and plastic components with trim protector and a clean cloth.
- Spray automotive window cleaner onto the glass, then wipe it off with a clean cloth.
- Apply wheel cleaner onto the rims. Allow it to sit a couple of minutes, then rinse it off with a hose.
- Spay tire gloss onto the tire as a
finishing touch.
Once
again, this is a general overview. Follow the product instructions to avoid
vehicle damage.
Show off your ride