Get Winter Off Your Car

With the temperatures rising and the snow melting, now is the best time to get all of that winter grime off of your car. Road salt is very harsh to your car and can have a direct impact on how long your car will stay looking good. Here is my spring car cleaning todo list:

• Go to the automatic car wash - the first thing I do is go to the automatic car wash and purchase the wash with the undercarriage wash. You can do this yourself but it is a lot of work to get under the car and spray it down from every angle.
• Clean out all the trash and vacuum the inside - Get out the shop vac and take the mats out before vacuumming. Be sure to get into every crack and crevice. You can use cotton swabs or an old toothbrush to get into those hard to reach places.
  
• Shampoo the the carpet - The slushy salty water probably has left nice white stains on your carpets. You can use our homemade carpet shampoo.
• Wash your car by hand - Give your car a nice hand wash. First, use the right soap, never use dish soap on a car. Also, don't wash in direct sunlight as the soap can dry and mar your cars finish. Work from the top down rinsing often. Save the bumpers, fenders and wheels for last as they tend to attract the most dirt. Lastly rinse the car well with water and dry with a chamois or microfiber cloth.
• Wash and clean the windows and mirrors - You can use our homemade window cleaner. Be sure to do inside and out.
  
• Touch up any blemishes - find all chips and scratches and fix with touch-up paint. Use long strokes to keep the paint smooth. You can blow on the wet paint to help even it out.
• Wax on, wax off - waxing will do wonders at keeping your car looking good for years to come. Depending on the type of wax you use, you should wax your car at least twice a year. I'm working a more in depth post at reviewing the different types of waxes and their benefits.
  

Non-Stick Cooking Spray On My Car!

I love finding new uses for products I already have. Here is a truly thinking-outside-the-box tip for a new use for non-stick cooking spray. You know how a long trip in the car will fill your grill with thousands of dead bugs? It’s unavoidable and requires a very deep cleaning to get them all out. Before you leave, spray your grill down with non-stick cooking spray. When you return the bugs will hose right off. This seems to work even better than just car wax, but it does require reapplication more often. Use it over your wax for the easiest cleanup ever!

Get The Bugs Off Your Car

I do a lot of country driving and I swear that the bugs are attracted to my car like some strange suicide pack. My hood and bumper are always covered. A simple way to remove them without hurting your paint is to soak a clean rag with WD-40 and scrub the bugs off. Removing them before they get burned on by the sun will make your job easier. Also, make sure that you wash and wax your car after you remove them, this will make them come off even easier next time you clean them.

Remove Fine Scratches From Wood Floors

Sanding gently with fine steel wool and paste wax will remove most fine scratches on wood floors. Be very careful not to work too hard and go with the grain of the wood. If in doubt, work with a local installer if the scratches are too deep or have damaged the wood.

Cleaning Chrome

I am the proud owner of a late-style GMC truck. The giant chrome bumpers required me to look up and test this lttile cleaning tip. To remove minor discolorations and to improve the appearance of all of your chromed surfaces you can use club soda or seltzer water. Apply liberally and rub with a clean cloth. Apply a light layer of automotive car wax and buff to a shine in order to keep the chrome looking great!

Sticky door got you in a jam

It's starting to get warm around here, and with the warmth comes a sticky front door. When the sun heats up our front door it can be pretty hard to open because the paint on the door and jam like to stick together. I take a small amount of car wax and put it on the jam and on the edge of the door. This keeps the door from sticking to the jam and it opens much easier. The wax needs to be reapplied about every 30 days depending on how much we use the door.