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Spring cleaning is an opportunity to clear the figurative (and literal) cobwebs and start anew. One of the “easier” spring cleaning chores is your car. I say easier only because it is contained in a relatively small space compared to an entire house or garage. When we spring clean our garage, it can takes days because of the density of what we’ve managed to cram into the space over the past year (or longer!)
When we spring clean our vehicles, it’s finite. Here are the basics: clean outside; put away all things that actually belong somewhere else; deep clean interior; spring clean under the hood.
Clean outside: thoroughly and lovingly wash the exterior using the 2-bucket method (one bucket with clean soapy water and the second is the dirty rinse water). Make sure to not let it dry before rinsing it all off. Chamois it dry.
Now you are ready for waxing. Use your favorite wax that will deliver lovely sparkly results. Now you are shining and ready to move indoors.
If you don’t belong, get out: All the old wrappers and receipts and empty bottles of various beverages to the trash or recycle. All the scarves and sweatshirts and hair clips and chapsticks… and everything else that has accumulated in your car over the winter months that need to be put back where they belong. Wow. Look at all that space you now have for passengers!
Digging deep: Pull out the vacuum and get into the cracks and crevices. Oh. Was that a cheerio? Wipe down the upholstery and if you need to rid the cabin of nasty smells or stains, mix baking soda and vinegar into a paste, liberally apply, scrub. Vacuum what’s left. Deep breath, and ahhhhh. Smells lovely. Coconut or olive oil work magic on dashboards, steering wheels, consoles to get up a deeper level of grime as well help keep the sun-dried cracking down to way unlikely. Make sure to wipe off the excess or you might miss your next turn.
Hoodie love: Well, actually UNDER the hoodie love. Spring is the perfect time to check all of your fluids and see what might need to be replaced or topped off. Take a peek at your air filters too. The one for the cabin can help keep out dust and pollen. The one for the engine helps keep debris away for essential engine components.
All-in-all this will take you a good many hours, but at least it can be contained to one sunny spring day as opposed to an entire weekend. Don’t skimp on the under-the-hood spring cleaning. This is also an excellent time to check all of your tires for air pressure, tread depth and wear, and don’t forget to look at the wear and tear on the sidewalls. If you would like some help with any of the non-cleaning related items on this list, the auto technicians at GIC Car Clinic have got your back. Our auto repair shop is located at 375 Bird Avenue, San Jose, CA 95126. Make an appointment online. We look forward to seeing you soon!