Cleaning Your Car

Mr E

For those of you who can't/won't use an automated carwash, how do you wash your car?

I was using a powerwasher yesterday (concentrating on a part of my car I knew was filthy), but when the car dried it was still a bit dirty.

Also, whats the best way to clean the windows on the inside?

- Dave.

Kali

I usually rinse all the hard muck off, then use a sponge and warm water (with a bit of car shampoo)... that usually drys out with slightly dirty streaks though, so then have to go at it wirh a cloth and polish and a bit of elbow grease... and glass cleaner for the windows is usually best

daveg

Dave - I wash the car at home. I use a "soft" sweeping brush. Firstly I drench the car with the hose. Get a bucket of hot water and add some car wash. Then scrub the car with the sweeping brush.

I know it sounds like you would scratch the car to sh*t but if you get a soft bristle brush it makes a great job.

To add to this thread anyone have any tips for cleaing the inside of the car (upholstery and the dash ect) ?

Chimaera

Like Kali, I would tend to rinse off the worst of the mud, and then get a sponge and a bucket of water and wash away.

A good tip, especially in summer, is to do the car in stages - say start with the roof and windows, down as far as the window sills, and rinse off that much - then do the top half of the doors down as far as the rubbing strip and rinse again - finish with the bottom of the doors, and the door sills, wheelarches, wheels, bumpers. This way you don't end up with all the dirt dried on to your car, you don't have the dirt from the wheelarches smeared over the roof, and you keep your water clean for longer.

As for cleaning windows, any car accessory shop will have a good selection of cleaners.

Powerwashers are handy if you're in a rush, but they're not as effective I reckon, and they can also drive water in past the door and window seals, as well as possibly damaging the paint.

Daveg, for interior cleaning a good hoovering out is always good. For cleaning the dash, you can get cleaners especially for cleaning the plastic surfaces inside a car - any car accessory shop will have them. Ditto upholstery cleaners. It's worth the effort of giving the car a good clean up every so often, even just so you can bask in the glow of having a shiny clean car for a little while

JohnBoy

If I want to make it super shiny I'll rinse first with a hose. then with a sponge and shampoo, and then with some turtlewax white coloured wax.

that shines up the paint all nice like.

then some back to black on the rubbing strips and tires.

then hoover the whole inside, wverywhere, door pockets and all.

STP son of a gun on the dash for that nice shine. just not on any surfaces you'll be touching.

For the inside of the glass I just use a clean soft cloth and no cleaning product. I hate things that leave any sort of glare or streaks and a good clean yellow ducter will do a fine job anyway.

Then your done.

(in reality though I generally just feed a few euros into the powerhose @ the esso in castletroy and use that)

John2002

Originally posted by TmB

Also, whats the best way to clean the windows on the inside?

- Dave.

My mother had some Windolene wipes at home in a pack that I found perfect for cleaning the inside windows.

Orlie

Lemon juice works really well on car windows... but it's tedious. I'm sure you can get a car window cleaner with leomn juice already in it at some motor shop...

Turner

A tip for tinted window people, do not use lemon juice or cleaners with vinegar in them (windolene), it will disintegrate your loverly expensive tinted windows.

Chief.