Cleaning the Car

Washing your car regularly can help protect the paintwork from damage and can give you the opportunity to spot potential problems such as chips in the glass or paintwork before they have chance to develop any further. Likewise, if you pay attention to the interior of the car, you may be able to fix small problems - such as a loose panel - before they become more serious and need the attention of a professional.

Cleaning the Outside

Your first step is to wash away all the dirt and grime from the road, using a quality car shampoo. You should never use washing up liquid as it contains salt that will help to promote rust, unlike dedicated car products, which keep it at bay. Work from the top down and rinse with plenty of water to prevent paintwork damage, making sure that you pay particular attention to wheels, wheel arches and doorjambs. When finished, dry with a chamois leather.

Cleaning the Inside

Remove all your clutter and vacuum the car well, paying particular attention to seats, carpets, pockets, cup holders, crevices, ashtrays and dashboard. Once the general interior is clean, you can then deal with the more specific cleaning jobs.

Clean the dashboard with a specialised dashboard cleaner; don't use furniture spray as this will give it a cheap, shiny appearance. Use the cleaner to treat trims as well, being careful not to get spray on any of the fabric.

After you've cleaned the dashboard, give all the windows a good clean using a damp chamois leather or a glass cleaner. Make sure that you use a side-to-side motion when cleaning the rear window; this will prevent any damage to the heater elements.

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