The holiday season is around the corner. So, are you ready to explore the outskirts of a city or hill stations? Definitely, yes.
You must be excited, thrilled, and impatient. Right?
But, wait, have you checked your vehicle, the main character of the story that can either make your day or put you in despair.
It is mandatory to check your car’s condition and whether it is best for road trips or not.
Among those factors, the most important thing to consider is its exterior and interior performance. Well, mostly, people pay heed to interior detailing and forget to give attention to their car’s exterior.
In this blog, we will mainly talk about your car’s exterior deep cleaning and detailing to extend its life and usage.
So, let’s dig into it.
How To Deep Clean Your Car’s Exterior?
Below, read 12 resourceful ways to wash your car exterior like a pro.
Gather The Supplies You Need
Source: pexels.com
Before moving on to the ways, we would suggest you have all gears around while cleaning the car to make it a hassle-
free and time-effective task. Have the following things:
- Scrubber brush of both (small and large) sizes for delicate rubbing
- Detergents or car washing soap
- Keep 2-3 cleaning cloths for feasible rubbing
- Two buckets
- Clay bar
- Microfiber towels
- Foam pad
And other significant pieces of equipment are wax, paint sealant, and undercarriage washer (which we have discussed in the points below with the “how to use” brief guide).
- Pro-Tip: Always wash your car in the shade or when the temperature is cooler to prevent cleaning solution evaporation.
1. Car AC Air Intake Part
Under wipers, you may find air intake vents around the windshield cowling, which are seldom cleaned. Your negligence can cause a problem with your vehicle’s air conditioner. No doubt, air conditioners must work properly in all seasons to get rid of suffocation and, of course, sweating.
First, use a small scrubber brush to eliminate stuck debris and dirt from the air intake vents. Next, using a straw spray, wash that place with splashes of water, and clean it with a cloth.
2. Clean Car Headlights With Toothpaste
Source: freepik.com
To get a clear view of the road, make sure your conveyance headlights are throwing perfect light. Rub the headlights (and backlights) with water and soap in the first place. Once done, apply a few droplets of toothpaste on the wet headlights and scrub the surface for a crystal clear sight.
- Pro-Tip: You may also mix toothpaste and baking soda, as the combination works best on the headlights.
3. Deep Clean Undercarriage Of The Vehicle
While at home, the most difficult job is to clean your under-car surface. Of course, access to the delicate mechanism fixed under the vehicle is almost impossible. Therefore, it is impulsively important to use a pressure washer to clean the undercarriage. How does it help? Click here to read more.
Cleaning undercarriage once a season is important, especially when you plan to go on a journey. By doing so, the trapped salt and dust will be removed, and it will prevent rust from appearing on the machinery items.
4. Wash Car Windows Like A Pro
Your car’s side windows need to be washed once or twice a month, as they enable a driver to view the following vehicles through side mirrors. Thereby, find the best cleaning solution to get a scratchless window back.
But, before, wash it with soap, distilled water, and wipe them. Then using a microfiber towel, rub with the cleaning solution well, and let it dry. In the meantime, lubricate windows tracks.
5. Clean Your Tire Rims & Refinish Wheels
Source: freepik.com
Tire cleaning is as important as any other car detailing task because the vehicle runs on tires. First and foremost, rinse off the dirt and contaminants with the pressure washer (start from the tire’s back to the front).
Rub the tire rims and wheels with a scrubber brush soaked in soapy water to soften the sturdy grime—next, clean multiple bolts and nuts of tires with the help of a fingertip cloth cover. Wash again, and put them aside to get dry. Finally, you can apply wax with a foam pad for a polished look, and once done, remove it using a clean cloth.
6. Lubricate Car hinges
We often overlook fixing hinges and bolts, which may further bring inconvenience. Sometimes, a small mistake can put you in great danger. To avoid such a scenario, lubricate all the hood hinges using lithium grease (or a few drops of motor oil). Allow lubrication to dissolve well, and wipe the place with a clean cloth to remove debris.
Check if your car doors make noise whenever they are opened. It might be due to the hinges bound by corrosion. Get rid of squeaky car doors by squirting them with motor oil. Operate the door several times to let the Mobil oil reach all hidden hinges.
- Pro-Tip: While deep cleaning the exterior, you might have forgotten lubricating the gas lid. It would be best to do it a day before the trip and save yourself from the trouble.
7. Clean The Hood Latch
While dealing with the hood latch, follow these simple steps: first, remove grime and dirt using a cloth. Then analyze if the surrounding areas have been rusted or covered with greasy debris, eradicate the problematic substances using a spray (you can find many options online).
Sprinkle the spray, run the cloth on the surface, and move the device several times. Wipe again and end the process with lithium grease coating.
8. Windshield & Wipers Cleaning Required
Source: freepik.com
Before you start cleaning the windshield, make sure you have scraped off flaked stickers from the front glass (which we often attach for random purposes). Then, prepare a mixture of ingredients like vinegar, glass cleaner, and baking soda to eliminate the greasy stains.
Apply this on the windshield with a rubbing cloth. Once you are satisfied with the application, allow the glass to dry for a streak-free shine. Other than this, clean wipers with a small scrubber brush and then will wet cloth or replace their blades (if needed) for better performance in the rain
9. Polish The Finish Or Go With A Wax
Polishing your car hood and roof requires a little effort as you have to stretch your hands to reach the other ends of the surface. Use polisher (or manual polishing technique) to get a shine on these places. Pour a dollop of the polishing solution and do the chore efficiently. This process would remove tiny yet light scratches in a matter of seconds.
Many people confuse polishing with wax. However, both are different things. For deeper and mirror finishing, apply synthetic wax on the foam, and wipe with a whirling motion. Furthermore, it is recommended to remove stains by rubbing the surface with sandpaper and polishing compound.
- Pro-Tip: Apply a protective film on your side mirrors and engine hood to protect them from flying road debris. Such innovations prevent paint chip damages.
10. Apply Paint Sealant To Hide Flaking Color
Repair small but deep paint chips with the help of paint sealant. If you find a deep scratch or rust on the surface, use a scratcher eraser pen or right touch-up color, which amazingly hides the marks. We suggest applying the solution yourself and evade hiring a car mechanic or detailing specialist for this small task.
11. Add Graphite To Car Locks
The rusted door locks or the ignition can cause a delay on the departure day. Avoid this situation, and don’t let your car keys stuck in these delicate areas. Use dry graphite powder for a speedy mechanism functionality.
Pump in graphite through a tube and move the lock cylinder several times using a key to promote flexibility and proper working. Do the same for the gas lid lock, so your gas (or petroleum) filling job can be done easily.
12. Don’t Miss The Backside (Trunk Lid)
Source: pexels.com
Your car is moving on the road with a lush, clean front but rusted and greasy back. What would you feel? Embarrassment, right? Therefore, clean the whole car (front and back side first) simultaneously before moving on to other vehicle parts.
- Pro-Tip: You can also get some resourceful accessories to beautify your car’s exterior.
13. In A Nutshell
From cleaning the car’s front side, the left or right sides, to the backside; everything is important to make your car shine like a brand new vehicle. Hopefully, these tricks would help to make your car ride memorable by extending its life.
