5th February 2020

Spring Cleaning with Coverzone

Hooray! From today we start to see some light at the end of the winter tunnel and we can all start looking forward to spring, improved weather and increased daylight. This can only mean one thing…

It's time to get out there and give your car the deepest clean of the year.

Winter is a difficult time for your vehicle, poor weather, road salts, increased dirt and cold weather can all wreak havoc on your vehicle. Wait for a day that is dry and bright (if possible) and get out there to make sure that the grime of winter is removed from your paintwork.

Here are some tips to get your car back to the best of conditions. Remember, if you are thorough now your vehicle condition will be better all year!

Interior: Throw out the rubbish!

The festive season and winter time can be tough on your car. Not only will it be dirty but also you will be likely to have accumulated old receipts, wrappers, bottles etc. Before you can get into a deep clean it's essential to get rid of the rubbish you have accumulated through winter.

Deep Cleaning:

The winter months are the toughest time for your carpets and floor mats. Remove the mats and shake well. Next deep vacuum and clean them as needed. You will need to check that they are reasonably dry before reinstalling them. Thoroughly clean the vehicle carpets and then refit the mats ensuring that the driver's mat is fixed in place.  Being through when vacuuming your interior will ensure no dirt remains hidden in the carpets or vents and will ensure that you are free of dirt for the coming months. If you do not have carpet mats to protect your interior we strongly recommend you invest in a set of quality fitted mats as these will protect the carpets and will ensure that your feet do not slip whilst operating the pedals possibly with catastrophic consequences!

Surface & Screen Cleaning:

Once the rubbish is cleared out there may be spills or marks that need attention. We suggest that you use a quality interior cleaning spray or automotive cleaning wipe for best results. Make sure that the dash, gearstick, seats and steering wheel are given a thorough clean. Take time to clear the inside of your windows with specialist glass cleaning products. Leather seats and trims are best treated once a year with hide food that should be allowed to soak in overnight before a final wipe over to remove any surplus.

Cleaning the Exterior:

While the interior of your car is where you spend your time it's the outside that get the most attention. In fact your family, friends and colleagues may even form an opinion of you from your choice of make and model and more importantly from its condition!  Taking time to clean and polish your car will make the entire driving experience much more pleasing and could result In you staring endlessly at your car sitting proudly on the driveway!

Exterior Washing and Achieving Perfect Results:

We think that hand washing will always bring best results. If you are cleaning the bodywork yourself, you'll find that a quality auto wash formulation liquid or power cleaner will be best for the body and exterior fittings. Always avoid any abrasive cloths or pads and initially hose off the bodywork to remove grit from the surface. Use a good sized auto sponge on the roof and glasswork & methodically work down to the dirtiest areas. Remember to regularly wring out the sponge in the bucket. If you drop any of your sponges or cloths on the ground they must be thoroughly rinsed through to prevent scratching the paintwork with dirt & grit that may have been collected from the ground. Remember to not let your car dry in the winter sun whilst still wet as this can create water spots. Thoroughly dry the vehicle with a silicone squeegee blade and non-shedding microfibre cloth or chamois leather. We would suggest avoiding automatic car washes as these can leave small marks on the paint and lacquer.

The Dirtiest Dirt:

Getting your paintwork looking great is always a good idea but removing the salt from your car’s underside is perhaps much more important – reducing the risk of serious corrosion and keeping linkages and cables in good order. If you have the ability to pressure wash the underside of the car and the wheelarches , this will pay dividends long term and you will be much less likely to suffer as a result of winter grit and salt.

Don't forget: Clean your tyres!

There are several specialist products available for cleaning your tyres and wheels. Typically wheel cleaner needs to sit for a minute or so before you scrub thoroughly and then hose off the accumulated dirt. Clean tyres mean that you can easily spot damage or bulges In the sidewalls.

Replace your wipers:

Now it's time to thoroughly check your wipers front and rear. If you’ve noticed any streaking or skipping with your wiper blades, now is the time to replace them as the rubber has most probably perished or become damaged.

Top Tips

• Get an in car bin. Rather than letting litter accumulate In the car, there are several options available for small bins designed to clip Into your car interior.
• Keep things fresh. The winter has probably left a 'less than ideal' odour in your car so be sure to get an air freshener to fit on the dash vents or hang from your mirror. Or, if that’s not your style an odour eliminator under the seat is always handy.
• Use two buckets! Bucket one is for a shampoo/hot water mix & bucket two is clean rinsing water. Wash each section and immediately rinse that section before moving on to the next.
• If you apply polish to the paintwork, make sure you use a high quality branded polish or car ceramic finish.
• For extra protection use wax that seals or a soft carnauba wax.
• Once you have brought the car back to a very high standard, be sure to repeat the procedure every season to ensure maximum protection for your car’s paint.
• When cleaning windows, use an ammonia-free glass cleaner and wipe thoroughly with a microfibre cloth.
• Consider protecting your newly polished pride and joy with a high quality fitted cover.

Now that the end of winter is in sight (we hope) car enthusiasts, detailers and proud car owners can stride from their garages, buckets in hand to clean and cherish their vehicle once more. We are here to make sure that your hard work is protected whatever the weather.

Coverzone specialise in the design and manufacture of bespoke vehicle covers. We have 100’s of fully tailored patterns & over 14,000 covers in stock for immediate despatch. Our range caters for most popular vehicles from the 1930’s to date & includes mopeds, motorbikes, sports cars, classic cars, city cars, hatchbacks, saloons, estates, limousines, suv’s 4x4’s, vans and campers.

If you would like more information visit www.cover-zone.com or call us on 01903 764 689.