How to care for your Car in Spring
No weather’s perfect for your car, same with humans, however, you need to always get your car in the good form from one season to another.
During winter, even when the snow has not rained much, there are changes it will bring to your car which may not disappear after a regular wash.
Road salt, dirt, and moisture during the winter put a lot of pressure on both the interior and exterior of your car and thus, there is a need for special treatment in spring.
Car care in spring is not just about making the car look good or clean, a well-maintained car is also more likely to retain its value.
What are now the steps to take?
Wash the car thoroughly
There are hidden areas of the car like the underbody or the wheel arches that can be encrusted with halite, and this affects the vehicle negatively.
You should also pay attention to the light alloy rims. Even before washing, they should be sprayed with an acid-free rim cleaner so that residues of salt and brake dust can loosen.
A subsequent heat-resistant rim seal facilitates the next cleaning.
Clean the interior of your car
Spring car cleaning is not limited to the exterior of the car, you should also clean your car interior, especially in the floor area.
Dirt and moisture often accumulate in the floor area during winter and lead to fogged windows and musty smells if you do not cleaning this area.
The footwell must first be vacuumed thoroughly to remove grit and other solid dirt.
Any other soiling on the dashboard or panels should be removed with a not too damp sponge and mild detergents.
A subsequent complete drying with the windows or doors open is important.
Clean the upholstery in your car
When cleaning the seats, make sure that as little moisture as possible penetrates the upholstery.
Special upholstery cleaners can be used here, but a normal household cleaner is also good enough.
For leather seats and other surfaces in the vehicle you should use a microfiber cloth instead of a brush to prevent ugly scratches.
Dry the floor mats in your car
Rubber mats can easily be treated with a high-pressure cleaner, while fabric or velor mats should only be treated with a brush and possibly a cleaning agent.
You should definitely let the damp mats dry completely outside the car because floor mats can quickly get moisture back into the car, which not only creates a bad smell, but also means that the windows can mist up from the inside while driving.
Wipe the windows
The windows of the car also deserve a special wash cycle after the fan and heater swirled a veil of dirt onto the glass surfaces in winter.
Especially when the sun is low in spring, visibility can suddenly deteriorate if the windows are dirty.
Glass cleaner and a lint-free cloth ensure a full view inside again. Also think of the inside mirror.
On the outside, you should check the windows for stone chips and have them repaired by a professional.
Once the spring starts, you should also check your windscreen wipers because ice and snow might have also clogged the wiper blades.
If the windscreen wipers leave a greasy film, it is advised you clean them with a damp cloth.
If the rubbers are damaged, you should replace the wiper blades.
Clear out the car trunk
In all your spring car cleaning, you should not forget the car trunk.
When wiping and drying the spare wheel, it makes sense to check the air pressure of the spare wheel and throw off winter ballast.
Snow chains, ski racks and other winter accessories such as ice scrapers or brooms are now in the basement and can easily add up to a double-digit kilogram load, which unnecessarily increases fuel consumption.
