No matter what time of year it is, giving your car a thorough spring-clean can help and even improve safety - but be sure to avoid making some classic mistakes from using household cleaners to damaging your airbags.
After all, many of us drive around with unnecessary items in our cars, trash, grit or salt from the roads.
First, start by driving through the car wash. Depending on how dirty your car is, it may be worth giving it a thorough pre-wash in a car wash bay to get rid of all the winter grime.
But don't wash the engine yourself. Using a high-pressure cleaner in the engine compartment can cause serious and expensive damage to the electronics. This is a job for the professionals, says German testing body TÜV Süd.
While the brushes rotate during the exterior wash, you can get started on the interior yourself - provided you have a few tools. TÜV Süd suggests:
- Vacuum cleaner
- Glass cleaner
- Upholstery foam, possibly leather care foam
- Plastic care products
- Stain remover
- sponge, brushes, toothbrush and microfibre cloths
If you have pets, then bear in mind that you cannot tackle animal hair with water as this means the hair becomes embedded in the upholstery. What you need are lint brushes and a powerful vacuum cleaner.
If you have chewing gum stuck to upholstery or carpets, try spraying it with a cold spray and then carefully breaking it out of the fibres.
For upholstery or seat covers, TÜV Süd advises you follow the care instructions in your car's operating manual.
Although there are many products on the market for caring for plastic parts in the interior, TÜV Süd recommends brand-name products. Don't use shine sprays, as they make surfaces slippery as this can be potentially deadly especially when it comes to your steering wheel or pedals. Be sure to only clean your pedals and steering wheels in such a way that they do not become slippery. Just use clean water and a microfibre cloth.
You can also get special plastic cleaners that leave a non-slippery surface, but cockpit sprays are usually unsuitable. As a general rule, check the instructions for use and any warnings.
Also, bear in mind when cleaning the dashboard and the surfaces of the airbag modules that you don't want to use solvent-based cleaners as they attack the material and the predetermined breaking points of the airbag, making it porous and thus causing irreparable damage. As a general rule, do not use household cleaners or washing-up liquid to clean your car's interior.
Lastly, don't forget the boot, as dirt and often moisture can accumulate in the spare wheel well in particular.
This is also a good moment to remove any accessories you no longer need, to save weight, meaning fuel which ultimately also means money. – dpa
