Clean Car Tip #1
At most gas stations you can walk away from the pump while your car is filling with gas. Take advantage of that time. While the tank is filling, walk around the car, open each door and grab the gunk. Look in the door panel storage compartments, under the seat and in the trunk - grab the trash there. The gas station garbage can is a few feet away – drop in your collections. By the time your tank is full of gas, your car will be empty of trash. If you have kids in the car, recruit their help, after all, they know where the trash is hidden back there.
Clean is good.
Clean Car Tip #2
Bottled cleaning wipes are a great invention. They are handy. They clean well. They sanitize, stay moist, and, they fit into an average size dash compartment. For $4-5 you can buy some of these handy scrubbers and put them in your car. The next time your kids are doing back flips in the back seat, give them a way to channel all of that energy. Pass around a cleaning wipe to each one of them and have them wipe down their seating area. They can scrub the plastic sidewalls, cup holders, the seat-back in front of them (where their personal footprints are) and the seat under their tushy. Clorox, Lysol and others make these in easy dispensing bottles. You’ll spend about $5 for 75 wipes. That’s $.06 per wipe. Hand them around to 5 people in a vehicle and for $.40 you have a car that looks better, smells better and feels better. The kiddos learn a thing-or-two about contributing to keeping their space clean too.
Clean is good. Get there.
Clean car Tip #3
When you create trash in your car, where do you put it? At home, you know exactly where garbage goes. Is it the same for you and your passengers in your car? It’s amazing what can be found in the seat-back pockets in front of the kiddos seats. It isn’t there because they are just being trashy – they are looking for a place to put that garbage. Provide them a wastebasket. Next time you are waiting for your gas tank to fill, you know just where the trash is - empty it while the tank is filling. Clean is good. Get there.
Clean Car Tip #4
Wax Facts
Wax on, wax off. Four reasons why you should wax your vehicle three times a year:
Protection - A high quality wax protects your vehicle paint from sun, weather and chloride damage. UV rays deteriorate paint luster and quality over time – especially if your vehicle is stored outside. Chlorides used to keep winter roads safe will not harm you vehicle paint if a good wax is applied periodically. With a consistent, quality wax application, your paint is protected from those elements.
Stain resistant – Wax helps protect your vehicle paint from staining should an accident happen. Like when that bird drops that inevitable ptojectile onto the paint of your flaming hot car on a hot summer day. A good wax resists the burning of that stain into the hood of your sportster. Water spots, road tar, road paint, etc. all come off easier if your car is protected with wax.
Water resistant –You will be able to tell if your car is waxed well by observing what happens when water hits it. If the water beads up well and runs/slides off easily, your wax is holding up. The faster your vehicle sheds water, the longer your paint will hold up strong and maintain it’s luster.
Shine – Nothing brings out the shine in your car like a good wash, polish and wax. Carnauba and new synthetic polymer wax combinations bring out the luster and extend the protection of your vehicle to 3-4 months. You’ll notice that your vehicle cleans up much better after a quick car wash if a good wax is applied a few times a year. You’ll even find yourself doing a double-take when your significant other pulls out of the driveway.
Your car is expensive and protects you from the elements – when you wax it, you return the favor. You service it regularly. You clean it regularly. We should wax it periodically.