...

Category: Vehicle Cleaning Tips

Auto Exterior Cleaning tips,Auto Interior Cleaning tips ,Vehicle Engines cleaning tips etc

Posted on

Cleaning oil from a boat

How to clean anything is a collection of cleaning tips compiled by professionals who have worked for years in the custodial industry.  We have answered questions about almost everything but recently we started to get questions about cleaning oil from boat hulls.  These questions, obviously, as a result of the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Doing a bit of research we discovered a news article about the decontamination tugboat Resolute, which helps cleans vessels everyday using a 2,000 psi water cannon.  This process usually removes just the thickest deposits so the boats won’t deposit any oil as they return to port.  Evidently the remaining deposits still stuck to the hull need to be cleaned later with higher-pressure hoses and dry ice equipment. All this just to clean the boats that are cleaning up the oil spill!

We have learned that lighter deposits or the brownish ring around the boat at the waterline can usually be removed using regular dish detergent.Use gloves, wear protective eye wear, and apply a liberal solution using a sponge or spray bottle, then wipe the area with a paper towels and collect them into a separate plastic bag which can be taken to a clean up collection centre. We would caution that crude oil can contain very dangerous compounds, and even adding dish detergents into coastal waters might be viewed as introducing pollution!

Ask your marina, or local authorities for the contact information for the clean up efforts in your area for specific details, assistance and where to deposit the collected oil.

Posted on

Attic Checklist

Check for excessive moisture, most evident as dampness of insulation
Check for musty smell which will indicate excessive moisture
Check for pest infestation (rodent droppings, bird nests, bats)
Check for water damage around plumbing vents, fire places, in roof valleys, eves
Check that roof vents are free of obstruction, and that air flows freely through attic Install screens on vents to prevent birds from nesting in attic
Lubricate exhaust fans, check electrical cable for deterioration
Check seal on attic access hatch to prevent heat loss from house into attic
Check for excessive sagging in roof joists
Basement Checklist

Check for excessive moisture on exterior walls and floor
Check for musty smell which will indicate excessive moisture even if not visible
Check for pest infestation such as rodent droppings or termite infestation on sill plate and sill
Use moth balls or steel wool to stop rodents from entering small openings
Replace any burnt out lights, be certain light above stairs is bright enough for safety
Check condition of stairs, consider high visibility paint for increased safety
Check hazardous and poisonous chemical storage
Sweep or vacuum floor, damp mop if possible, put mat at stairs to stop dust tracking
Check area around furnace or water heater for flammable materials
Label water lines and gas lines where they enter home, be familiar with shut off procedure
Check for damage to water pipes which lead outside. Turn water back on for spring.
Check windows for weatherproofing seal, and consider adding security bars or gates
Clear drains on below grade entrances to prevent flooding
Defrost and vacuum coils on 2nd fridge or freezer. Use old food to avoid freezer burn.
Change batteries in smoke and CO2 detectors
Check fire extinguishers pressure gauge or ‘test’ button, and expiry date
Garage Checklist

Check for moisture in detached garage attic, most evident as dampness of insulation
Check for musty smell which will indicate excessive moisture even if not visible
Check for pest infestation such as rodent droppings or termite infestation on sill plate and sill
Use moth balls or steel wool to stop rodents from entering small openings
Replace any burnt out lights, consider using photo cells on exterior lights for energy savings
Check windows for weatherproofing seal, and consider adding security bars or gates

Check hazardous and poisonous chemical storage
Sweep or vacuum floor, damp mop if possible, consider coating floor for easy maintenance
Clean stains from salt, ice melt, antifreeze, oil, steering fluid, etc. from garage floor
Check area around furnace, shut down for spring. Turn off pilot light for energy savings.
Lubricate drive train on garage door openers. Check safety stop with a 2 X 4.
Check floor drain to ensure proper drainage
Remove metal grates and clean out the drain trough, if applicable, in front of garage door
Check condition of paint and shingles, clean out eaves troughing, and check downspout
Check fire extinguishers pressure gauge or ‘test’ button, and expiry date
Utility Room Checklist

Replace filter on furnace, vacuum dust from inside, lubricate motor, check belts, turn off and
Empty humidifier reservoir, if in a temperate climate, consider shutting off gas for summer to

save energy (the pilot light otherwise will always use gas) check with your local utility
Using a garden hose, drain 4 gallons of water from hot water tank to remove foreign material
Check exhaust vents from furnace and gas hot water heater for corrosion or damage
Label water lines and gas lines where they enter home, be familiar with shut off procedure
Post a list of contact numbers for furnace, plumbing, local utility, etc in utility room
Sweep or vacuum floor, damp mop if possible.
Check area around furnace or water heater for flammable materials
Open built in canister vacuum, change bag, vacuum inside with a second vacuum or even
a dust buster to remove dirt from inside the canister. Check wiring on hose for damage.
Check floor drain, if any, to ensure proper drainage
Change batteries in smoke and CO2 detectors
Check fire extinguishers pressure gauge or ‘test’ button, and expiry date

Posted on

Deck and Patio Care

Decks
Remove everything from your deck, or if this isn’t possible move everything to one side.
Remove, or cover items below the deck you do not want to get wet or covered in grime.  Hose down the deck, mix a large pail of a mild detergent and warm water, or use a specialized cleaner, found in the paint department of your local home center
Start at the high point and scrub with a nylon brush, rinse before the soap dries.  Rinse deck from underneath, then re-rinse the top one final time. Do the stairs last, and always start at the top and work down.
Patios

Clear patio as much as possible (ie chairs, BBQ, bikes, etc)

Sweep to remove large debris to prevent the creation of a big mud puddle.
Mix TSP  (trisodium phosphate) with water in a bucket, or use a special formulated chemical safe for the environment.  Apply cleaner, and agitate with a stiff bristled brush
Hose off, beginning at the high point. A pressure washer will provide a much more dramatic difference in cleanliness. Use a high pressure 2,000 psi and up for best results.
Check that you have adequate drainage for the water you will be applying.
On brick pavers, and exposed aggregate do not apply pressure in one spot for too long.
Note: Consider sealing pavers and exposed aggregate to prevent damage and to ease cleaning

Outdoor Furniture

Clean twice per year, in spring and in the fall before storage.
Use a mild detergent, or a specialty chemical safe for the environment
Apply, and scrub with a scotch brite pad or nylon brush, and rinse.
Wash umbrellas with a mild detergent, dry thoroughly before storing.
Avoid using a pressure washer on painted wood.
Protect unpainted wood with sealer, oil, or polyurethane to lengthen life.
Use an automotive paste wax to protect plastic, metal, and painted metal.

Barbeques

Clean exterior with a mild soap, and hose off thoroughly. Re-paint if needed.
Remove grill and clean with oven cleaner as detailed in article.
Remove gunk from the bottom of the BBQ, use a pin to open all holes on burner element.
Check for spiders in venturi tubes, and test all gas connections with soapy water.
Replace Lava rocks with grease drips facing down.
Run BBQ for 45 minutes on HIGH to sanitize, and burn off any cleaning residue.
Only open propane tank half a turn for safety. This makes shutting off quick and easy.

Posted on

Auto Wheel Care

History didn’t record his name. He may have been a warrior designing a battle chariot. Perhaps he was a stone mason struggling to complete a building, or a mourner providing a smoother ride for a departed loved one. But on that special day, sometime in the fourth millennium BC, in the delta between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, this unknown Sumerian changed the history of the world and all mankind. He invented the wheel.

Wheel Care Challenge
Your car’s wheels can dramatically enhance the appearance and performance of your automobile. Modern wheels can also present a substantial cleaning challenge as heated dust particles from brake pads bombard the wheel and bake into the finish. If left on the wheel, a phenomenon known as galvanic corrosion sets in, which will eventually destroy the wheel’s appearance.

Most modern wheels, in particular aluminum wheels (or “Mags” as they were once called), are painted with the same paint and clear-coat used on the body of your car. While durable, the wheels clear-coat finish is subject to damage from acid compounds (including acid rain, hydrocarbons, and acidic cleaners). Likewise, polished and anodized aluminum wheels (not protected by a clear-coat) will react to both alkaline and acidic conditions.

Unfortunately, typical car wash soaps and household cleaners are not strong enough to break the bond between brake dust, road tar, road grime and the wheel. To properly clean wheels, the car care industry has developed two groups of wheel cleaners:

Acid-based Cleaners — These are widely used by detailers, car dealers and car washes who need to clean wheels in the shortest possible time or with the least amount of effort. Acid-based cleaners are typically 2% solutions of oxalic, phosphoric, and hydrochloric acid. Eagle One All Finish Wheel Cleaner is an example of an acid-based cleaner. While acid-based cleaners pack the greatest cleaning punch they can easily etch the surface of your wheel if allowed to dry. Care must be taken not to use acid cleaners on wheels with pitted or chipped surfaces. The acid will migrate into any fissures and accentuate flaking and peeling of surface coatings.

Acid-free Cleaners — These are mild solutions of alkaline solvent, usually ethylene glycol, with a wetting agent. These solutions creep under the dirt and brake dust, loosening and lifting surface grime. Non-acidic cleaners usually require some surface agitation (brush or sponge) but are safer to use and will not etch the wheel’s finish. P21S is the best known 100% acid-free wheel cleaner. Acid-free wheel cleaners range in strength from mild (P21S), to moderate (P21S Gel), to professional strength (Eimann Fabrik Hi-Intensity).
Tire Care Challenge
Your tires have several formidable enemies: water, formaldehyde, petroleum distillates, ultraviolet light, and ozone. Water washes away the natural oils in rubber that keep it elastic. Formaldehyde and petroleum distillates act as a solvent, eating rubber on contact. When ozone, an odorless gas which is part of the air we breathe, is combined with ultraviolet (UV) light, a reaction occurs that attacks the tire and its polymers (the agents that bind the rubber).

To protect against ozone and UV damage, a stabilizer molecule called a competitive absorber is blended with the tire polymer. Competitive absorbers work by capturing and absorbing UV radiation and converting it to heat which is dissipated harmlessly. All tire manufacturers use the same competitive absorber, called carbon black. This is why all tires are black.

These absorbers are sacrificial; they expend themselves in performing their function of converting UV light to heat. However, as carbon black loses its ability to perform, it turns gray. This is one reason why black tires discolor as they age.

To protect from further ozone damage, tire manufacturers add a wax compound to their formulas. Tires flex when they are in motion, causing the wax molecules to migrate to the surface. This forms as a protective barrier between the air (ozone and oxygen), water and the tire polymer. In the tire trade this is called blooming. When tires are parked for extended periods, blooming does not occur and ozone quickly attacks the tire polymer. With UV light and ozone working in concert, the degradation is accelerated, resulting in drying, discoloration and cracking.

To combat the negative effects of water, solvents and UV light on tires, the car care industry has created tire dressings. These dressings condition the tire, restoring essential moisture. Tire dressings fall into two groups:

Liquid Silicone Dressings  These penetrating-type silicones form a flexible protective shield on rubber. Liquid silicone seals small openings with a film to prevent penetration of moisture and dirt. Most silicone dressings leave a never-dry gloss film. There are many myths regarding silicone, specifically the negative long-term effects of silicone on rubber and vinyl. The fact is, silicone is an inert material. The benefit of silicone is its ability to easily penetrate the tires surface and not evaporate. Some silicone-based dressings contain petroleum distillates as a cleaning agent. Petroleum distillates are harmful to rubber and vinyl, and will cause rubber and vinyl to crack. If you decide to use a silicone tire dressing, make sure it does not contain a cleaner. The only true negative property of silicone is the difficulty of adding UV protection.
Water-Based Dressings  The water-based dressings do not contain silicone oils, petroleum distillates, waxes, or other dangerous solvents that can harm and dull the surface of rubber and vinyl over time. Most water-based dressings use a combination of natural oils (such as shea butter or cocoa butter) to offer a non-greasy, satin finish. Likewise, most of these products contain UV blocking agents to help keep tires from cracking, fading and hardening. Additionally, most water-based dressings are biodegradable, whereas silicone is not.
Proper Tire and Wheel Cleaning
To properly clean your tires and wheels, you will need a 3-5 gallon bucket, a soft tire and wheel scrub brush, a sponge or wash cloth, a water hose and nozzle, car shampoo, and a spray wheel cleaner. Here are some step-by-step tips to make cleaning easier:

Clean one wheel at a time.
Clean your tires and wheels first before washing the rest of the car. This prevents splattering cleaners, dirt and brake dust on already cleaned panels. Your car is also less prone to getting water spots from drying while you wash your wheels.
Do not clean your wheels if they are still hot from driving. Let them cool, or thoroughly hose them down.
Mix a bucket of soapy water with your favorite car shampoo. Mix double the recommended strength.  I recommend Eimann Fabrik Power Wash+ for tires and wheels. It’s much stronger than most automotive shampoos, but it will not strip wax.
Thoroughly rinse the tire and wheel with water using a hose and spray nozzle. If exposed, rinse the brake caliper to flush away loose brake dust. Finally, rinse up into the wheel well to wash away road grunge, road kill, mud and other debris.
If your tires and wheels have a heavy coating of brake dust or road grime, spray them down with your wheel cleaner. Allow the cleaner to soak for 30 seconds (minimum) to 3 minutes (maximum). I like P21S, P21S Gel, and Eimann Fabrik Hi-Intensity for most applications.
Use your tire and wheel scrub brush and your soapy water to agitate the tire and wheel surface. Use plenty of soapy water. The soap acts as a lubricant to gently lift dirt and grit away from your wheels. Follow-up with your sponge or washcloth to wash the remaining dirt from the tire and wheel. If your wheels have large open areas, use the sponge to get behind these areas. Make sure the tires are scrubbed. Many people put layer upon layer of dressings on their tires but never clean them. The result is a brown or yellow discoloration.
Use your wheel brush and soapy water to scrub the accessible areas of the wheel well, too. This small detail keeps your car looking fresh and new.
Thoroughly rinse the tire, wheel and wheel well. Use plenty of water. You need to ensure that all traces of the wheel cleaner (and your neighbors cat) are gone.
After washing your car, remember to dry your tires and wheels using a 100% cotton terrycloth towel.

Caution: I do not recommend using tire cleaners containing bleach. Bleaches are used in many tire cleaners to brighten white wall tires, but they can turn tires a dull gray and will stain your alloy wheels.

Proper Tire & Wheel Conditioning
After you clean your tires and wheels, you need to protect them. Tire dressings accent the appearance of your tires and protect against cracking and fading. Likewise, waxing your wheels protects their finish from brake dust, and makes them easier to keep clean.

Your wheels should be waxed, at a minimum, each time you wax your car. You can significantly reduce your wheel cleaning and waxing efforts by coating your wheels with a high quality acrylic. I really like Klasse All-In-One for this purpose, as it’s heat resistant and will not yellow. Klasse All-In-One also has the added benefit of being both a cleaner and a protectant. Another excellent wheel protection product is Plexus.  Plexus works well on wheels with many small openings, as these wheels are difficult to wax.

To apply tire dressing:

Use a small foam sponge, foam wax applicator, or Eagle One Tire Swipes to apply tire dressing (foam provides even distribution and wastes far less product than a cloth). To avoid getting tire dressing on your car, apply the dressing to the foam applicator, not directly to the tire. I prefer 303 Aerospace Protectant (matte finish) and Lexol Vinylex (gloss finish). These products are all water-based dressings containing strong UV inhibitors.
Allow dressings to penetrate into the tire before wiping off the excess dressing. Five to ten minutes is okay, but 30 minutes is even better.
If your wheel wells have a black plastic liner, wipe the wheel well liner with dressing, too. This simple detailing step makes a big difference.
If you like your tires to be shiny, do a final wipe down with your foam applicator. If you prefer a satin finish, buff the tires down with a terrycloth towel.
Concours Tires & Wheels
Have you ever noticed how show cars look so fresh and clean? Beyond just shiny, they are bright. This effect comes from the smallest details. A great place to start is with your tires and wheels.

Concourse winning show cars are clean enough to pass a white glove test. This includes the tires and wheels (front and back) and the wheel wells. Removing your wheels to detail them might seem a little fanatical, but it has several benefits, including:

Inspecting your tires for proper wear and damage.
Inspecting your brakes.
Inspecting your suspension.
In the course of completing this guide, I used my 1995 BMW M3 for before and after pictures. The car has been on the road full-time for the past year, so I’ve hardly had time to do any serious maintenance. While the wheels were off, I found two maintenance problems. The first was a big hole in my front wheel well liner. Obviously something hard got tossed up in there by the wheel. The second was a bad bushing on the sway bar. So, beyond just cleaning and maintaining, this was a valuable maintenance exercise.

To properly concourse detail your tires and wheels, you will need a jack, jack stands, bucket, tire and wheel brush, sponge, water hose and nozzle, car shampoo, spray wheel cleaner, tar remover (mineral spirits), wax, tire dressing, foam wax applicators and plenty of terrycloth towels. If you are not familiar with the procedure for jacking your car and removing the wheels, see your car owners guide.

Here is the step-by-step procedure to clean your tires, wheels and wheel wells:

Remove and clean one wheel at a time. Slightly loosen the lug nuts on one wheel and jack one end of your car off the ground (preferably the end with the wheel you want to remove). Before fully loosening the lug nuts and removing the wheel, place a jack stand under an appropriate point of the chassis or suspension.
Mix a bucket of soapy water with your favorite car shampoo. Mix double the recommended strength.
Clean the backside of the wheel first. Spray the backside of the wheel and tire with a generous coat of wheel cleaner. Allow it to soak for 3-5 minutes.
Using your tire and wheel brush, scrub the backside of the tire and wheel with soapy water. The resulting grunge will be very gritty, so use plenty of soapy water and keep your brush rinsed.
Rinse thoroughly and repeat. If your wheels have small crevices, you may need to use an old toothbrush. A soft parts cleaning brush also works well on the backside of the wheel.
When the wheels backside is as clean as you can get it, repeat on the front. Make sure you rinse both sides really well when you’re done.
While the wheel is dripping dry, spray the wheel well, brake caliper and suspension components with cleaner. Allow it to soak for five minutes. Take this time to dry your wheel with a cotton terrycloth towel.
Use the remaining soapy water and your wheel brush to scrub the wheel well, brake caliper and suspension parts. You don’t need to make it perfect unless you really do plan to show your car. Make it clean enough to inspect. Let these parts air dry.
Once everything is clean, you can turn your attention to protection and beautification:

Spray the underside of your wheel well and any plastic parts with a generous coat of silicon tire and rubber dressing. Allow it to soak in. If you live in an area where it snows, this will prevent the snow from accumulating in your wheel wells (no more snow bunnies!). It also makes future cleanings much easier. I recommend Eimann Fabrik Black Opal Gloss Dressing for this purpose. Wipe off the excess dressing with a towel, and buff to a nice luster. Be careful not to get over spray on the body of your car.
Wipe your tire down with a generous coat of tire dressing and allow it to penetrate. While the dressing penetrates, inspect the wheel for tar spots. Quite often, large tar spots will accumulate on the backside of the wheel. Use tar remover and a rag to remove the tar. If your wheel has a lot of spots, wipe down the whole wheel.
Inspect your wheel for surface scratches. If you find any, now is the time to buff them out with a light polishing compound. If you don’t have a polishing compound, use a little dab of toothpaste.
Wax your wheel front and back. An acrylic sealant will last the longest and provide the best protection, but good old paste wax works fine. Buff to a high luster.
Finally, buff down the tire and apply a second coat of tire dressing. When satisfied with the finish, put the wheel back on the car.

By David W. Bynon Copyright (c), 2000, Autopia Car Care — All Rights Reserved

Posted on

Car Interiors

By David W. Bynon Copyright (c), 2000, Autopia Car Care — All Rights Reserved

With our active lifestyles and the amount of time we spend in our cars, the average car interior is easy prey for a myriad of stains and odors.  Stain and odor removal is almost a science into itself.  Upholstery fabrics and carpets widely vary, as do the composition of stains.  However, in my experience, there is a correct method and a suitable cleaner for most car interior problems.

Protection is Worth a Pound of Cure
Common upholstery fabrics are more likely to stain than vinyl or leather.  To best prevent stains altogether, it is necessary to properly treat upholstery, carpet, vinyl and leather.  The best treatment for carpet and fabric is a spray on fabric guard product.  The Scotch Guardâ„¢ brand products are the best know, and most widely available.  Other products, like 303 Hi Tech Fabric Guard, offer newer fabric protection formulas. To protect vinyl and leather, simply use your favorite cleaner and protectant on a regular basis.  Some leather protectant products, like Eagle One Leather Conditioner, contain mink oil, which is excellent for protecting against stains.

When the inevitable happens, and your three-year-old drops (or barfs!) his mustard-loaded hotdog on your brand new velour upholstery, stay calm, and remove as much of the spill as possible (by blotting, not wiping, with paper napkins, paper towels, etc).  Then, don’t let the stain sit too long before you get to work on it.  Within a day or two, most spills will set and permanently stain your upholstery or become very difficult to remove.  It will only take one such incident for you to realize that a  $15 investment in fabric and carpet protection is worth every penny.

Stain Removal Basics
Even without protection, you would be amazed at how easy it is to clean up most

stains with nothing more than a neutral detergent and water  A neutral detergent has a pH of 7 (on a scale of 0 to 14).
A detergent with a pH less than 7 means it is acidic, whereas a pH higher than 7 is alkaline.

Neutral detergents will not bleach fabric or remove fabric protection.

When cleaning a stain, try detergent and water first.  If this does not remove the stain, then go for a cleaner with a little more oomph!

Common cleaning agents for interior stains include:

Neutral detergent (Ivory Liquid) & water (1:20)
Mild ammonia & water solution (1:5)
Distilled white vinegar & water (1:1)
Dry-cleaning fluid (Carbona, Renuzit, Perk)
Tools you’ll need to remove interior stains include:

Spatula or putty knife
Clean, white terry cloth towels
Soft bristle scrub brush
Wet-dry vacuum
Some stains, no matter what you try, will be permanent.  If an indelible stain has penetrated the fibers of a material, they will not come out.  You might be able to make the stain less noticeable, but no cleaner or method will remove all of the stain.  You will have to live with it or have the section of carpet or upholstery replaced.  In some cases, leather and vinyl stains can be fixed by color matching the area with a leather or vinyl repair system (a job for a professional).

Removing Odors
I get a lot of questions about removing smells.  The most common questions are How do I remove the smell of cigarette smoke? and My child vomited, how do I get rid of the smell?  Most bad smells in cars are organic (i.e., food, urine, vomit, tobacco, grass, mold, mildew, etc.).  I recently had a professional detailer tell me a client had spilled fish in his car, which I know from experience is not pleasant.  As a teen I hid an open can of sardines under the seat of a neighbors car.  They had to sell the car to get rid of the smell!

Smell problems are pretty easy to take care of with some of the new cleaners on the market.  My favorite is called Kids & Pets Brand Stain & Odor Remover,by Paramount Chemical Specialties (www.kidsnpetsbrand.com).  This cleaner, and others like it, use enzymes, a surfactant, and denatured alcohol to remove stains and kill odors.  The enzymes kill odors in their tracks by stopping the organic material from decomposing.  So, spray this stuff where your girlfriend just heaved her guts all over the front seat, and the mess and stain are gone.  Don’t use it, and you’™ll be smelling that night for a long time. Other products that also work okay for dealing with organic smells and stains include Febreze (Proter & Gamble) and FreshCare (Clorox).

Tobacco smoke is one of the most difficult smells to remove from a car.  The smoke permeates everything, including the foam rubber used in seat cushions. You can successfully remove most of the tobacco smell by shampooing the carpets and upholstery with Kids & Pets Brand Stain & Odor Remover, and wiping down all other surfaces with a sponge and Kids & Pets Brand Stain & Odor Remover.  After the carpet has dried for 24 hours, sprinkle baking soda on the carpet, rub it in with your hands, and leave it for a week.  After a week, vacuum your carpets.  The baking soda will absorb the remaining odor in the carpet.  Don’t forget to scrub the headliner, as this is the source of a lot of the smell.

Posted on

Washing your car? Don’t forget the windows….

by David W. Bynon Copyright (c), 2000, Autopia Car Care — All Rights Reserved

how to clean car windows

Have you ever noticed how much better your car looks when the windows are perfectly clean? Yet, many of us ignore the windows when we wash because it adds a few precious minutes. Forget the time involved in keeping your glass clean for a moment, have you ever thought about how hazy, dirty windows can be a safety hazard? Driving your car with dirty, hazy windows on a rainy night or in heavy traffic, straining to see, is a driving impairment. You should consider this a true danger. In addition to being a hazard, the effects of dirty glass can quickly ruin the appearance of your perfectly polished and waxed automobile. Cleaning your windows is one of the most tedious tasks you will face. After you have completed all other detailing tasks, put the perfect touch on your car by detailing you cars glass.

Glass Cleaners

Just as in selecting car shampoo and wax, no two car enthusiasts can agree on the ultimate glass cleaner. Some people like ammonia cleaners, others swear by TSP, while the purists will use nothing but clear water.

Whatever you use, the principles are the same: clean, dry and polish. I highly discourage the use of ammonia-based glass cleaners on your car. While ammonia is a great glass cleaner for the home, ammonia is harmful to many car surfaces including vinyl, rubber, and leather. More importantly, the use of ammonia inside your car is harmful to your health. As a substitute to ammonia, I prefer citric acid, alcohol, or mechanical cleaners.

Glass cleaners in a spray bottle work fine. The only problem is over spray on the dash and upholstery. As it is difficult to direct the spray of glass cleaners, you will have the best luck spraying one side of a clean towel, wiping the glass, and they drying with the other side of the towel. Many professional detailers use plain water for wiping and cleaning the windows and dry the glass with newspaper. Unlike paper towels and most cotton towels, newspaper does not leave behind lint and the ink acts as a glass polish. The only draw back to this method is the newsprint ink on your hands when you’re done. Be sure to wash your hands before touching your upholstery.

Steps For Cleaning Windows

Start your window cleaning with the drives door and front passenger door. If your door has a window frame, lower the window approximately one inch to allow access to the top part of the glass. This part should be cleaned and dried first. Spray with glass cleaner and buff dry. Now roll the window back up and clean the remainder of the window. Pay attention to the corner of the windows, as this is where you will get most smears and streaks. Dont forget your drivers side and passenger side mirrors.

While you’re sitting down in the passengers seat, clean the inside of the windshield. The inside of the windshield is easier to clean from the passengers side as your access is not obstructed by the steering wheel. Take your time around the rearview mirror as it is only glued to your windshield. If you bump into the rearview mirror hard enough or at the right angle, you can break it loose from the glass.

The inside of the rear window is the most difficult to reach and should be done last. The best technique for cleaning your rear window is to use the backside of your hand to guide your towel down into the corners. Trying to use the palm of your hand will force you to be a contortionist and draw strange looks from your neighbors.

Cleaning Spotted Glass

Some parts of the country are burdened with extremely hard water. Hard water is water that contains excessive trace elements including calcium, iron, lime, and other minerals found in streams and rivers. These trace elements remain on your glass when water from sprinklers or washing air dries. These hard water spots attach themselves to glass like white on rice. If left on your glass for very long, hard water spots will not wash off with shampooing or regular glass cleaners. In my experience, there are only two ways to remove hard water spots. The first is to use distilled white vinegar. If your water spots are mild, you can dilute the vinegar 2:1 with water. Heavy spots may require pure vinegar. Either way, the vinegar will not harm you or your car. Vinegar is a very mild acid, which dissolves the alkaline-based mineral water deposits with ease. If hard water spots are allowed to remain for more than a week or two, they may etch the glass. So, even though you have removed the minerals causing the water spots, the spots remain as damage to your glass. In these cases, it is necessary to polish the glass. Until recently, there were a number of glass polishes on the market. The two best products were Eagle One Glass Polish & RainX Glass Polish. However, both of these products have been discontinued due to little demand. In my experience, any light (low abrasive) car polish that does not contain paint feeding oils will work as a good glass polish. Eagle One Scratch Remover is a good example of a polish that does not contain oils and works well on glass, as does P21S Multi-Surface Finish Restorer. There are two ways to use these polishes. The most gentle is to use an old t-shirt to polish the spotted area and buff to full luster. The second is to use the polish with #00 or finer synthetic steel wool to remove the spots then buff with an old t-shirt. If your glass is heavily pitted, or mildly scratched, you can also use polish to restore the finish. In this case, it may be necessary to use a buffer in order to achieve the desired results. In some cases, the glass may be so deeply pitted, etched, or scratched that the inevitable must occur, you must replace the glass.

Cleaning Window Tint Film

Window tint film is often applied to the inside windows to shade passengers or provide privacy. Window tint film is a thin sheet of Mylar plastic. Mylar easily scratches and will be destroyed by ammonia. To clean tinted windows, use mild cleaners and water only. Tint film that has been scratched can be polished with cleaners designed for the vinyl windows often found on convertible tops. The product I recommend for polishing and regular maintenance of window tint film is Plexus. Plexus comes in spray and is safe for use on plastic, Plexiglas, and window tint film. In addition to polishing your window tint film, Plexus works great on your tail light and headlight covers.

Windshield Wipers

Windshield wipers are necessary to clean your windshield and rear window when it rains, snows, becomes bug ridden, or dirty from long road trips. Wipers perform best when the rubber is in good shape and the glass is fairly clean. You should make it a habit to clean your front and rear wiper blades at the same time you clean your glass. After cleaning your glass, use a damp cloth to wipe the rubber blades, removing bug residue, wax, and other dirt build-up. Although rubber dressing helps preserve, protect, and beautify the rubber and vinyl parts on your car, you should not use dressings on your wiper blades. Rubber dressing on your blades will cause streaking and smearing, impairing your vision. The best overall maintenance of your blades is keeping them clean. No amount of cleaning will keep your blades in perfect condition. Wiper blades wear with each use. Most wiper blades will last about one year. When your blades become worn, dried, or faulty replace them with a new set. Most manufacturers recommend replacing wiper blades at the beginning of fall.

Final Touches

If your car is a year or more old, a close inspection may reveal dirt build-up in the corners of your windshield and rear window around the trim. To remove this caked on gunk, use an old toothbrush or detailing brush with your spray cleaner. Before cleaning, lay a towel at the base of the window to catch drips. Spray your brush with window cleaner and shake off the excess cleaner. Use your brush to scrub along the trim, breaking loose the dirt. Use the tip of a cotton swab to reach underneath trim and remove trapped dirt. If your brush wont remove the build-up of dirt use a sharp single edged razor blade to gently remove the dirt from your glass. Take care not to push your razor blade too far under rubber seals as this may cause leaks. Stay clear of defroster strips on rear windows that are not embedded in the glass. Cutting the defroster strips will render them useless. Follow up after the razor blade with your brush and glass cleaner.

Microfiber Cloth

Recently, the car detailing industry was introduced to a new cleaning cloth originally designed to clean semi-conductor manufacturing plants (often called œclean rooms). The revolutionary new cloth is a polyester/polyamide woven fabric that is non-abrasive and hypoallergenic. Soft like silk, yet tough as a bulldog, the cloth attracts dust, grime, oily films and salt residues just like a magnet. The cloth’s patented surface structure contains 90,000 micro fibers per square inch. These “micro-hooks” grab, lift, and hold dust and grime without the need for cleaning solutions. When used damp on glass, the cleaning cloth, which we call the Miracle Towel, cleans windows by pulling dirt and oils into the cloth. The ultra fine structure of the Miracle Towel leaves exceptionally small water beads, which dry without spotting. For perfect glass, follow the damp Miracle Towel with a dry Miracle Towel. Your Miracle Towel can be used damp or dry. When used dry, it works like a chamois. The super absorbent weave holds up to seven times its weight in water. To date, I have not found a cleaning product that can match the ease of use or result of the Miracle Towel. If you regularly maintain your windows, the Miracle Towel is the best overall substitution to chemicals and terry cloth drying towels. Unlike terry cloth or other cotton towels, the Miracle Towel will not leave lint or cause streaking. The Miracle Towel will not, however, remove sap, tar or hard water spots from your windows. These problems will still require the use of chemicals.

Other Tips & Hints

For long road trips and unexpected problems, keep a cleaning cloth in your glove box. I have found the simplest solution to window cleaning away from home, comes from P21S. P21S makes a product called Windshield Wipes, which are a sealed pouch containing a cleaning cloth and a drying cloth. The cleaning cloth has a strong cleaning solution that cuts through most glass problems. Also, from P21S, I have found that P21S Windshield Wash Booster improves my wipers ability to clean my windshield without streaking. The power of P21S Booster easily cuts through bugs and road grime.

Product Recommendations The glass products I recommend include: 1. Miracle Towel 2. Eimann Fabrik Clear Vision 3. Porsche Glass Cleaner 4. Stoner Invisible Glass 5. Plexus (window tint film) 6. P21S Windshield Wipes 7. P21S Windshield Wash Booster

Posted on

Leather Care for your Car Interior

Leather Care for your Car Interior by David Bynon Copyright (c), 2000, Autopia Car Care — All Rights Reserved

There are two important parts to caring for your leather interior: cleaning and conditioning. Since your leather interior is the most delicate surface of your car, it is necessary to clean and condition regularly in order to preserve it, protect it, and keep it smelling new. Whether you’re cleaning or conditioning, we recommend that you take one section at a time. This means, when you have applied your cleaner or conditioner to one area, fully wipe down that area then proceed to the next, and so on. This process ensures that you cover all areas thoroughly. Work on an area no larger than 2-3 square feet at a time.

HOW DO I CLEAN MY LEATHER?

Apply the leather cleaner of your choice one section at a time and work the solution into a nice lather. If your leather is heavily soiled, use an upholstery (interior detailing) brush. When finished be sure to remove all soap from the surface with a damp towel. Rinse and wipe several times, then dry the leather with a fresh, dry towel. By the way, water will not hurt your leather. Most leather is actually made (tanned) in water.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I CLEAN MY LEATHER?

If you have a dark colored leather interior, we recommend 2-3 times a year. Light colored leather will need cleaning more often, even as much as every other month, depending on how easily the dirt is revealed. In between cleaning your leather (every other time you wash your car), use a clean damp towel to wipe down the surface completely. This removes the dust and light dirt so it won’t have a chance to work into your leather. There are two cleaning factors that cause leather to wear. The first is dirt and the second is oil from your skin. The oil from your skin is actually the most damaging to your leather. This is particularly true if you wear shorts or a tank top, and have recently applied lotion or sun screen to your skin. Take this into consideration, also, in determining your cleaning schedule.

HOW DO I CONDITION MY LEATHER?

Apply the leather conditioner of your choice on one section at a time using a soft a foam wax applicator. Work the conditioner in thoroughly. Allow the conditioner to sit (soak in) for a few minutes, then buff off the excess with a dry terry cloth towel. It’s important to buff off the excess. If you allow the excess to stay, your seats will be slippery. After a few minutes of soak time, your leather has taken in all the moisture it can. The remainder will simply evaporate, leaving that milky cloud on the inside of your windows.

WHY IS CONDITIONING MY LEATHER SO IMPORTANT?

Leather requires replacement of natural oils or it will dry out and crack. Conditioning helps to restore these natural oils and keeps the leather soft and supple. You will also find, particularly with the Zymol and Pinnacle leather conditioners, that the smell of the leather will be enhanced. Remember how your car smelled when it was new?

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I CONDITION MY LEATHER?

We recommend once every 30-45 days depending on the climate condition in which you live. If you live in a climate that is humid, you won’t have to condition as often as someone who lives in a dryer climate. A cold, dry winter in the East can deplete your leather of it’s moisture causing it to dry and crack just like a hot dry summer in the West.

WHAT PRODUCTS SHOULD I USE TO CLEAN MY LEATHER?

We recommend Lexol Spray Leather Cleaner and Pinnacle Leather & Vinyl Cleaner. Both work very well. Both are easy to use, and easy to rinse.

WHAT PRODUCTS SHOULD I USE TO CONDITION MY LEATHER?

We recommend Lexol Spray Leather Conditioner, Pinnacle Leather Conditioner, Eagle One, and Hyde Food.

David Bynon is a Howtocleananything.com forum expert. This and other car care information can be found at Autopia Car Care

Posted on

90 MPH Interstate funhouse mirrors

This article is in response to a question from one of our visitors. She wrote:

I have an Airstream camper and I would like to know what is the best for cleaning and polishing exterior Aluminum.

Aluminum is great. It oxidizes which actually protects the metal beneath, unlike iron based metals which will rust all the way through until there is nothing left. I had no idea how dramatic the before and after photographs where, until I look at one website.

Here is one of the antique (1964) trailers that they restored:
Before Polishing

64before
Buffed and ready to go!

64after

There are companies that actually refinish these trailers, but I almost wanted to switch professions when I found out what they charge! It costs $100 per foot!! (Including the bumper in the measurement)

So your 25 foot trailer will cost $2500 to restore! Yikes! No wonder you asked us! You can probably do it yourself, but expect to spend the first two weeks (80 hours) of your vacation, and a couple hundred dollars in supplies to get similar results.

The first thing you need to determine, is if your trailer has a clear coating on the aluminum. This would have been applied after, as it was not included in the factory finish. The clear coating is good and bad. It is good because it protects the aluminum, to keep the “new” look for three or four years, until the clear coat itself begins to haze and dull. Then it becomes bad, because there is no way to polish the aluminum that is covered with this clear coat of paint, and there is no easy way to remove the paint, either. If you find your trailer is clear coated, you will need to source out a professional company to help you.

How do you know if it is coated? Buy a metal polish (I like Maguire’s) from your local automotive detailer. It is usually sold in small tins for refinishing aluminum wheels. Using a clean, dry rag, rub a little onto the surface of your trailer in an inconspicuous spot. Continue rubbing, and if there is no clear coat, the rag will begin to turn black. Continuing buffing with a fresh clean dry area of the cloth, this surface will polish to a brilliant shine. If it is clear coated, the clear coat may look cleaner, however the rag will not turn black.

So now you have a six inch circle polished on your trailer. Look at how big your trailer is. Do you have the gumption to attack this your self?

You can make it a bit easier on yourself, buy buying a good quality orbital auto polisher. Not one that goes in your 12 Volt automotive outlet, but a powerful 120 Volt unit. A more aggressive polishing wheel for a drill or angle grinder will speed up work, but these can also cause damage to the metal if you are not careful.

The first step is to wash the trailer thoroughly, and rinse it off very well. With the polisher you will need several different application and buffing bonnets. You can probably easily attack a 3 foot square section at a time, applying the polish with the first bonnet, and continuing to change the bonnet when they become soiled. I expect it would take at least half a dozen bonnets for each section, and likely an hour or so to complete one 3 X 3 (9 square foot) section. The bonnets can be laundered, however the heavily soiled ones may not clean very well.

Once you have polished the whole trailer, I would apply at least 2 coats of quality automotive paste wax, buffing after each coat, to minimize the damage from the elements. If your trailer is not as badly oxidized as the one in the photo, you might be able to get away with a less abrasive liquid metal polish (which is often marketed as a stainless steel polish). Check with a janitorial supplier. The liquid will be creamy or blue, and in a spray bottle (NOT an aerosol can). DO NOT use a greasy clear petroleum liquid found in aerosol spray cans (and marketed as stainless steel cleaner) it WILL NOT WORK!!!

If you do undertake this big job, I hope you will also find time to go camping this summer!

Good luck!

Posted on

Airstream Polished Aluminum Trailer

This article is in response to a question from one of our visitors. She asked:
I have an Airstream camper and I would like to know what is the best for cleaning and polishing exterior Aluminium.

Aluminum is great. It oxidizes which actually protects the metal beneath, unlike iron based metals which will rust all the way through until there is nothing left.
There are companies that actually refinish these trailers, but it can cost over $100 per foot!! (Including the bumper in the measurement)
So your 25 foot trailer will cost $2500 to restore! Yikes! No wonder you asked us! You can probably do it yourself, but expect to spend the first few weeks of your vacation, and a couple hundred dollars in supplies to get similar results.
The first thing you need to determine, is if your trailer has a clear coating on the aluminum. This would have been applied after, as it was not included in the factory finish. The clear coating is good and bad. It is good because it protects the aluminum, to keep the “new” look for three or four years, until the clear coat itself begins to haze and dull. Then it becomes bad, because there is no way to polish the aluminum that is covered with this clear coat of paint, and there is no easy way to remove the paint, either. If you find your trailer is clear coated, you will need to source out a professional company to help you.
How do you know if it is coated? Buy a metal polish from your local automotive detailer. It is usually sold in small tins for refinishing aluminum wheels. Using a clean, dry rag, rub a little onto the surface of your trailer in an inconspicuous spot. Continue rubbing, and if there is no clear coat, the rag will begin to turn black. Continuing buffing with a fresh clean dry area of the cloth, this surface will polish to a brilliant shine. If it is clear coated, the clear coat may look cleaner, however the rag will not turn black.
So now you have a six inch circle polished on your trailer. Look at how big your trailer is. Do you have the gumption to attack this your self?
You can make it a bit easier on yourself, buy buying a good quality orbital auto polisher. Not one that goes in your 12 Volt automotive outlet, but a powerful 120 Volt unit. A more aggresive polishing wheel for a drill or angle grinder will speed up work, but these can also cause damage to the metal if you are not careful.
The first step is to wash the trailer thoroughly, and rinse it off very well. With the polisher you will need several different application and buffing bonnets. You can probably easily attack a 3 foot square section at a time, applying the polish with the first bonnet, and continuing to change the bonnet when they become soiled. I expect it would take at least half a dozen bonnets for each section, and likely an hour or so to complete one 3 X 3 (9 square foot) section. The bonnets can be laundered, however the heavily soiled ones may not clean very well.
Once you have polished the whole trailer, I would apply at least 2 coats of quality automotive paste wax, buffing after each coat, to minimize the damage from the elements. If your trailer is not as badly oxidized as the one in the photo, you might be able to get away with a less abrasive liquid metal polish (which is often marketed as a stainless steel polish). Check with a janitorial supplier. The liquid will be creamy or blue, and in a spray bottle (NOT an aerosol can). DO NOT use a greasy clear petroleum liquid found in aerosol spray cans (and marketed as stainless steel cleaner) it WILL NOT WORK!!!
If you do undertake this big job, we hope you will also find time to go camping this summer!
Good luck!

Posted on

Car Leather

General Information:
Automotive leather can be treated like other fine leather furniture. There are a number of excellent leather cleaners and protectants commercially available. Remember that leather is a skin. Any extremes can contribute to deterioration. Avoid extreme heat and cold, excessive water and dryness.

Tools & Technique:
To clean interior automotive leather wipe spills with a damp cloth. Apply protectant regularly to keep leather moist and supple. An occasional wipe with a damp rag will help in removing surface residue, which over time can leave a soiled appearance.

There is also more cleaners on the market, they are colon cleansers.

error

Enjoy this website? Please spread the word :)

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Follow by Email
RSS