Spring Cleaning for Your Car

Winter is the harshest season for automobiles, because of salted roads, terrible temperature shifts,

potholes, ice, and neglect. Seeing that springtime is here, Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR in

Columbia, IL is here to let you know that it is time for you to wash away the filth and make your

vehicle look like new.

Clean Out The Trash

When you're cleaning any automobile, much

less a winter-weather-beaten one, begin with

removing all the junk you've been neglecting.

Have a garbage bag and a "keep" box handy,

because you'll want to hold on to some of the

stuff. Be thorough: Get below and beside the

seats and in the trunk.

Vacuum the Interior

You'll want to work from the top down, because gravity requires that stuff stirred up works its

way floorward. Additionally, pull out the salt-caked floor mats for a quick pass with the vacuum.

Then utilize a house or shop vac and a rigid tool such as a screwdriver to work dirt out of the

creases.

Scrub Carpet and Upholstery

This step is optional but really worth the pleasing results. Grab a spray bottle of automotive-

upholstery-and-carpet cleaner and a heavy-duty scrub brush to clean the soft parts of the interior.

Spray the seats or anything cloth-covered; scrub, then wipe down. Perform at least one more

time, moving to the carpet for the same task. Being exhaustive with the carpet is essential, as it

can act like a filthy, salty, wet rag that speeds up rusting. Whenever you are done, pull the drain

plugs underneath the floor and let things air out for several days. You will be astonished at how

much better the vehicle smells.

Power-Wash the Floor Mats

The floor mats are undoubtedly the areas of the inside that take winter abuse the hardest. If you

have got all rubber floor mats, they won't take very long to clean up, but carpeted mats probably

will need a couple of passes with a power washer to get all the salt and dirt out. If you don't have

a power washer, Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR suggests that you utilize one at a self-service car

wash. Let the mats dry thoroughly before putting them back into your car or you will be begging

for mold growth in the carpet.

Tip: Old Tool, New Trick

Whenever cleaning out door and body drain

holes, we have learned that the most effective

way is to repurpose a plug-installation tool used

in tire repair. Cut up an old shop rag or sock

and put it into the slot of the tool exactly the

way you would a tire plug. The set-up makes

dragging out dirt and plant matter simple, and

the fabric scrap is quite easily replaced

whenever it gets grimy.

Ditch Winter Windshield Wipers

Wipers get beaten up quite bad in the winter months, and torn-up old wipers in a summer rain

storm will leave you blind.

Lube the Hinges

Hit each door, trunk, and hood hinge with white lithium grease to avoid squeaks and early wear.

Clean the Windows

Ever notice how your windows fog up really bad during the course of wet springtime weather

conditions? A part of that has to do with how dirty the interior of your windscreen is, but you are

able to take steps to avoid this. First, wash your windows with a good car-window cleaner; the

ammonia in household stuff will make the fogging even worse. Fog has a more difficult time

clinging to a clean surface, and you can go one step further by wiping down the inside of the

glass with an antifogging agent.

Wash the Vehicle

This sounds clear, but there are a few subtleties. Just like the interior, you should wash the car

from the top down, rinsing often. Do not start at the rocker panels and move to the roof—it drags

dirt about and scratches the clear coat. Whenever the body is clean, invest a few bucks at your

neighborhood automatic car wash and get the underbody flushed. This will dislodge the road salt

that is doing all it can to transform the underbody into Swiss cheese.

Switch out the Cabin Air Filter

This air filter keeps dirt, pollen, and plant matter from going into the ventilation system. It

becomes dirtiest during autumn, when falling leaves work their way into the cabin-intake system.

Don't Forget the Trunk

Add a bag of sand, gravel, or kitty litter to the trunk as ballast to boost traction in slippery

conditions and to have something to throw below the tires when the car or truck's stuck in the

winter. But come spring, remove the bag and other winter gear to enhance fuel economy and free

up space.

Wipe Down the Entry

Scrub door sills to help keep your pants clean, and dust off any nooks skipped in a car wash.

Wipe door seals with mineral oil or utilize silicone spray to keep them supple.

The certified technicians at Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR can offer a comprehensive “spring

cleaning” plan for any automobile in Columbia, Waterloo, Southern Illinois, Millstadt, Freeburg,

and Athens, IL, including paint touch-up, dent and scratch repair, and more, all at a reasonable

cost.