7 tips to clean your car yourself!

A practical guide full of tips to clean your car easily

Can't recall the last time you had your car thoroughly cleaned? Can't count the number of scented trees in your rearview mirror to hide the smell of your car? Have you been waiting for a sign from life to do your spring cleaning? 

This is it! This article is your sign to take a little time out of your day and clean your car like a pro without breaking your back. 

With these 7 easy tips, you'll get your car back to the way it was on the first day and it probably won't cost you a thing!

1. Clean mags and wheels

We start with the dirtiest part to get the hardest part done first! For wheels, a hose down, mop or brush and rinse is all that's needed to remove the dirt and make sure you don't damage the rims with debris.

For your rims(mags), we saw a lot of tips on the web: white vinegar and water, baking soda, oven cleaner, and even Coke! 

We found that the vinegar trick worked well by following these steps:

1. Clean with soapy water
2. Dry with a cloth
3. Apply white vinegar and rub
4. Rinse
5. Wipe with a clean cloth

It is always safer to use a product intended for rims. You can choose your product according to your rims (steel, aluminum or alloy) and apply it on your dry rims. Let it work, rinse, dry and that's it! 

To avoid marks, it is important to ensure that the product does not dry on the rims. That's why it's important to follow the time indicated on the packaging and why it's preferable to work in a garage or on a cloudy day to avoid the sun drying the product.

2. Don't wash your car in direct sunlight

Even if it looks nice to wash your car in the sun and all the car wash scenes in the movies let us believe the opposite, it is always better to wash the body of the car on a cloudy day or in a garage. The reason is simple, with the sun, the products can dry too quickly and leave marks or damage the paint.

The product you use is also important, we recommend a car shampoo with wax to protect the paint. 

Important detail: Don't use the same gloves and water as those used for the wheels! As mentioned above, the wheels are the dirtiest part of a car, imagine the damage it would do to your car! Change your rag and water first!

Rinse once to remove the largest debris, then wash from top to bottom using straight strokes and not pressing too hard on the mitt. Rinse one last time and dry well with a microfiber towel. 

For windows, use an ammonia-free window cleaner to protect your tinted windows. And that's it for the outside!

3. Get rid of the dust inside with a vacuum cleaner and a foam brush

Before you tackle the dust, remove everything in the car. This is a good time to clean up and throw out your old gum wrappers and empty water bottles. 

Vacuum everywhere and then remove dust from vents and hard-to-reach places with a foam brush or soft bristle brush with your vacuum cleaner nearby to suck up all the dust that comes out of the cracks.

A simple trick, but one that makes all the difference! 

4. Clean your carpets and dry them before putting them back inside

Remove the carpets to wash them outside so you can access all the little corners of your car. If you have fabric mats, vacuum and wash with a fabric cleaner and brush. If you have rubber or PVC mats, simply use a multi-purpose cleaner.

In both cases, rinse well afterwards and dry the carpets completely before putting them back in. The last thing you want is to have wet carpets that develop mildew and be caught with a bad smell in your freshly cleaned car.

5. The microfiber cloth is your best friend for cleaning your car

In order to wash your car without scratching it, to dry it well and remove all the moisture, to dust and trap the dirt, microfibers are by far the most practical and effective textiles for washing your car. 

It's amazing how much dust gets into our car in such a short period of time and it's also what makes our car look dirty, but removing the dust from our cars is really easy. Take a microfiber cloth and dampen it lightly with water. Wipe the inside of the car with your cloth and, you'll see, the result is instantaneous!

You can really do anything with microfiber! The only exception: for the infotainment system screen, it's always better to use wipes like the ones for smartphones to avoid scratches.

6. Dry clean the inside roof of your car

There is one rule to follow when cleaning your inside roof, if possible, do not use liquid! If there are stains, try to remove them dry first. If that doesn't work, use a little multi-purpose cleaner on a brush to gently remove the stain. 

It is important to be gentle and not use too much liquid to avoid damaging the adhesive that holds the roof in place. You don't want to end up with a roof that warps or doesn't stay in place.

7. Clean doors frequently to prevent rust

With our Quebec winters, salt, calcium and debris often accumulate on doors and door sills. It's really important to clean them well to prevent rust. With a rag and a multi-purpose cleaner, clean properly and don't forget to dry well with a microfiber cloth. It is this kind of detail that makes all the difference in delaying the appearance of rust!

Thanks to these 7 tips, you can now remove your trees from the mirror and start carpooling again with a clean car that looks and smells great!

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