Yes, it’s about that time. Salt stains and swirl marks beware – spring is on its way. It’s amazing what a cool upper 40 degree February day in Kalamazoo will have you thinking, but a clean car is just one. In preparation for the warmer months, the time has come to bust the car out of the garage, scrub her down, and get her ready to shine. Spring detailing is the perfect opportunity to rid your car of the winter blues and give it some much needed TLC before summer. To capitalize off of the nicer weather, here are some spring detailing tips and essentials for your car.
Wax / Sealant / Ceramic Coating
Detailers will preach, but it’s the truth; you need to wax your car seasonally. Waxing seasonally keeps your paint protected since 2-3 months is the typical life of a carnauba wax application. Waxing is the first and easiest step in keeping your car clean, and providing it with the proper car care techniques along the way. With about twice the endurance as a standard carnauba car wax is carnauba’s older brother, paint sealant. Using a polymer paint sealant in spring will provide you with 3-4 months of protection, which should last you through the summer. Want more protection than a paint sealant? Not to worry... Ceramic coating will last for at least a year. Not only it will protect your car from different contaminants, it will also give your car that candy-like gloss and slickness.
Shampoo
You know what winter can do to your car. It’s a shame, but salt literally tears apart your interior from the door panels to the carpets. Come spring, it’s important to get rid of this completely. The danger of salt is that it dehydrates plastic, fiber, and virtually any surface inside and out of your car… contributing the deterioration of these finishes. By shampooing floor mats, carpets, and effected leather, you’re stopping salt in its tracks and freshening the look of your entire car. There’s no better time than the turn of a season to get this done, as spring usually marks the end of snow, road salt, and slush.
Seal Your Wheels
A major piece in post winter detailing focuses on wheels. Salt contributes to the corrosion of metals and alloys that commonly make up the rims of your car, potentially etching and damaging them to the point of repair. By detailing your wheels and following it up with a wheel protectant, you not only will have spotless wheels, but they’ll have the protection to stay that way for an extended period of time. A wheel protectant will protect against brake dust etching, corrosion, and even hot tar encountered on the road.
Condition
Whether it be your car’s leather or its tires, conditioning is an important detailing step that cannot be overlooked, especially come spring. With similar reasoning to why you should shampoo, conditioning rehydrates and replenishes your car’s surfaces with the nutrients they need to stay healthy. You can usually tell by the appearance of plastic trim, rubber, leather, and more if it needs conditioning or not because it will look faded, dry, or cracked. Conditioning helps to restore the various surfaces of your car, lengthening their individual lifespans as well as your vehicle’s.
Interested in giving your car a ‘Spring Cleaning’? Contact us today for a professional auto detailing from bumper to bumper!
Comments