Sometimes, you just want your car to look its best. It’s nice getting into a clean car that feels great on the inside and looks stunning on the outside.
Unfortunately, many people make mistakes with simple decisions that keep their car from being as great as it can be.
Here’s a few:
Using the wrong towel. There are towels made specifically for cleaning your windows, and using something else may leave a streak – no matter what window cleaner you have. Microfiber or specialty window towels won’t steer you wrong, as long as you keep them for your windows only.
Use a tire brush on wheel wells when washing it. When you use that rag or sponge used elsewhere on the car, it can pick up some rough substances from the tires (such as brake dust). This has the potential to scratch the car next time you’re working on it, because those substances can stay on your rag and scratch your paint down the line. Use a different car washing tool for the tires!
Failing to keep fluids topped off/preventative maintenance. If you go to a good mechanic and keep your oil changed regularly, chances are your other fluids are checked while your car’s in the shop. But it never hurts to make sure and ask them to give your car a good once-over to check for any additional problems – low transmission fluid or a rod that’s loose can cause big damage (and cost!) later. Having your mechanic check it out is usually fast, cheap, and smart.
No wax. Waxing the car correctly after a thorough wash serves many purposes aside from giving it a nice shine. Car manufacturers started adding clear coat in the 1980s as a protective measure against scratches, but a good wax can help protect that last line of defense. You only need to do it a couple of times a year, too!
Failing to treat upholstery correctly. If it’s leather, then you can’t simply wipe a cleaning pad over it – there are special directions to keeping your leather seats in pristine condition! Similarly, with standard fabric, there are recommended directions. It doesn’t have keep the stain from that one time your morning coffee run didn’t end so well!
