Whether you’re a pro or just a do-it-yourselfer, one thing’s for sure: no one likes being that guy with the dirty car.
Don’t be that guy.
How to Make Your Car Shine Like Glass
You can clean your car yourself and have it come out looking like you took it to the shop. Here are several easy tricks to make your car shine look brand new.
Revitalize Your Vacuum
First, take the time to clean out your vacuum. If you haven’t cleaned your vacuum for a while, you might be surprised at what comes out of it. Next, take apart the vacuum and wash away all of the hidden dirt and grime. Cleaning the vacuum is essential if you want to have a car that smells great. Next vacuum the inside of your car. By giving a quick once over to the area between the seats and other places in your car, you can remove some of the gunk, dust and dirt that will develop over time. Make sure to use a vacuum attachment for the inside of your car rather than the suction end, as you can scratch the leather or plastic.
Get in the habit of washing your car regularly
This helps to reduce the buildup of chemicals and contaminants that can damage the paint. Second, be sure that all of your headlamps, taillights and turn signals are properly functioning. This helps ensure that drivers around you can see you. Finally, be sure that your tires are well-maintained. Underinflated tires have been shown to lead to a subpar driving experience in addition to increasing your risk of accidents.
Use Soft Chamois Chamois
Soft Chamois Chamois are great for buffing off elemental dust and dirt from your car, but they can also scratch the paint if used too roughly. The best way to use chamois? Keep it soft. The softer the chamois, the better it will clean. This means you’ll need to regularly wash it with mild soap and water and let it dry thoroughly before using it again. Spray a bit of glass cleaner on the chamois for extra stubborn dirt.
Use a Dashboard Cleaner
To clean up that grimy dashboard, you’ll need a dash cleaner. This is available at your local auto shop and will remove any stains and prevent new ones from forming. The best part is, it only takes about 5 minutes to dry.
It’s important to remember that these dashboard cleaners aren’t designed to be used on the rest of your car, only your dashboard. So if your rest of your car looks like my interior, you’re better off using a cleaner specifically made for cars.
Super tip! Use a newspaper or a towel to protect your dashboard as you polish and shine it up.
Wash Your Car
Wash your car immediately after a storm or a weekend of sitting in the driveway. When the weather is nice, more people are going for a drive. And that means more crumbs, dirt and debris on your car’s body. That’s why you should wash your car immediately after a storm or a weekend of sitting in the driveway. Those dirt spots are like magnets and attract more dust as the days go by.
Super Tip: Don’t forget those hard-to-reach places like around your license plate and door handles. These little details can make a big difference
Polish Your Car
Take a look at those dull surfaces in your house. Typically, you would grab a buffing pad and buff up those surfaces until they shine. The same can be done with your vehicle’s paint job! A simple wool pad (we recommend using one from Griot’s Garage) can buff out years of oxidation from your paint, making it look like it just rolled off the lot.
Clean Your Windows from the Inside Out
The first step to making everything inside your car shine is to make sure your windows are clean. You can make sure they are clear by cleaning them from the inside out. The best way to do this is by removing your windshield wipers and washing your windows from behind them instead of using towels or squeegees.
Steer Clear of Chemicals
Many people choose to wash their cars with chemicals to get them even cleaner. While it seems like a good idea, these chemicals can be damaging to your vehicle. To keep these chemicals from affecting the paint on your vehicle, wash it at least once every week or more if it’s heavily soiled. Water is usually all you need since it has detergent qualities.
If you’re looking for a thorough car wash that will keep your vehicle safe and clean for years, avoid using chemical solutions and stick with water instead.
Examine your paint job
Are there any swirls or stains? If you have time and money, the easiest way to make your car look shiny again is to bring it to a detailing shop. They have all the tools and chemicals to remove even the toughest stains.
If you don’t have time or money, the next best thing is to get yourself a bottle of polish and a polish mitt. Purchase a fine grit polish, such as 3M Finesse-It II, Meguiar’s M105 Ultra-Cut Compound, or Menzerna FG400 Super Finish.
Applying a polishing compound with a clean, damp microfiber polishing pad if you want the best results. Apply compound in a small area to avoid overworking the paint. Apply moderate pressure across the pad’s surface, and use overlapping strokes when moving from one section to another. Before moving on, be sure to work out any dust particles by wiping the surface lightly with a microfiber towel.
Give your car a DPF clean
The easiest way to give your car a dpf clean is to take it straight to a professional car wash especially if you don’t have a dpf cleaning machine. But if you can’t bring yourself to do that, there are some steps you can take to make your car sparkle.
- Get an air compressor to blow-off all the salt and debris before it has a chance to scratch your paint job.
- Remove any bird droppings, tree sap, and other grime using soap and water before attempting to wax your car.
- If your car is already covered in bugs, simply pop the hood, spray it down with a hose, and then pull the trigger on your bug blaster. Bugs are easiest to pick off when they’re still wet.
- A good car wash should cost you between $10 and $15 – the more you pay, the less you get. Don’t forget to tip your washer!
Wrapping up
Seriously, your car deserves the best on-the-go cleaning there is. And you’ll be amazed at how easy to make your car shine. A clean car is a work of art. Of course, some of you might have cars that you don’t want to mess up (I mean, how many times have we heard someone say, “I love my car too much to put anything on it!”), but all the cars out there deserve a clean and shiny exterior and interior.
