Yes, we know it sounds obvious, but there is a very good reason why you should thoroughly clean your vehicle in the spring.
After the cold, wet and muddy winter months, a good spring clean comes with a variety of benefits, not least the fact that it can maintain your vehicle’s value.
You may regularly wash and vacuum your car (or pay someone else to do it) but there are many people who only clean their vehicles once or twice a year. If you are guiltily thinking ‘that would be me’, now is the best time to get the sponge, bucket and chamois leather out (or pay someone else to do it!)
Exterior cleaning
Even though we mainly escaped the snow, many roads were gritted over the winter, which means that the underside of your car may very well be caked in salt-laden mud. If you ignore it, salt can cause corrosion to your vehicle. If left unchecked, once-small repairs can turn into a massive dent in your wallet – and a serious reduction in your vehicle’s resale value.
Instead, remove that winter grime with suitable cleaning products, starting from the top and working your way down. This means that any stubborn dirt – which tends to accumulate towards the bottom of your vehicle – will have had time to soak by the time you get to it.
Pay close attention to the undersides of doors and sills, as well as the front and rear wheel arches as this is where corrosion is most likely to occur.
If you can, use a hosepipe to get rid of any mud and salt and once dry, check to see if there is any damage such as corrosion underneath your car. If you are concerned, take your car to your local garage so that they can inspect it on your behalf.
Don’t forget that polish doesn’t just make your car look attractive – used correctly it also offers a certain level of paintwork protection. Just make sure that you avoid inferior products and apply according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Interior cleaning
We may have been lucky in terms of snow but the UK has seen its fair share of rain this winter. Think of all the times you’ve got into your car soaking wet in the last few months. Are you confident that your car has been able to dry out properly? Has there been enough heat or ventilation or does your vehicle smell a little bit like… wet dog?
Sadly, not only may you now have a rather pungent vehicle, but leaving a damp interior to its own devices can also lead to discoloured upholstery and rotting carpets, which can have a massive impact on your car’s value. Therefore, it is important that you do everything possible to help your vehicle dry out.
Choose a warm and sunny day if you can – the last thing you want to do it try to dry a car out in the pouring rain. You will find all the specialist interior cleaning products you’ll need for your upholstery, linings, trim, interior glass and dashboard at your local motoring maintenance shop. Remove any loose mats and vacuum your carpets well. If you can, shampoo your carpets but make sure you don’t use too much water and leave the doors and windows open for as long as you can to let the carpets dry.
Have you noticed that your carpets are already a little wet? This could mean that rain water is able to penetrate your car’s underbody sealing compound so it is essential that you take it to your local garage so that they can investigate the problem.
Tyres
Have you been using winter tyres? Now is the time to change them back. And don’t forget to check your tyres’ condition and tread. Your car has had to work hard over the colder months so look out for any tyre damage, such as splits or bulges.
Here at M&BM Motors, we won’t clean your car (sorry about that, but there’s only so much we can do!) But if you have any concerns about your vehicle as we head towards summer, just give us a call on 01375 379401.
We have been successfully trading for more than 30 years and we’re in the business of looking after your car so that it looks after you.
