The changing of the seasons is often one of the best ways to time basic automobile maintenance. According to Edmunds.com, the dawn of spring is the perfect reminder for you to verify that your windshield wipers are still in good shape, your tires are holding air and your air filter is still clean enough to do its job properly. Spring is also a great time to rotate your tires, particularly if you live in a region where you don’t need to swap on a set of summer rubber once the winter is over.
Warmer weather makes it easier to take care of all the cleaning you may have put off during the winter months. It is often far too cold to regularly wipe down the interior or hose off the exterior of your automobile during the December to March period, which means that the dirt, dust and grime associated with regular use can really build up.
Of course, winter brings with it several additional cleaning concerns that should be taken care of once spring rolls around. First and foremost, for those who live in a region where road salt is a fact of life, it’s important to make sure all traces of this corrosive substance are removed from your vehicle, inside and out. Road salt is tenacious; it clings to every nook and cranny of your vehicle’s undercarriage. Be sure your carwash, whether you do it yourself by hand or visit a self-serve or automatic carwash, includes your automobile’s wheel wells and underside, which means that it is very important to make sure that whatever carwash you choose, offers the ability to liberally blast your chassis with strong jets of water. Since salt accumulation is one of the biggest contributors to rust, keeping it off your vehicle goes a long way toward protecting your investment.
Salt, snow and ice are also very easy to track into your vehicle over the course of the winter where they melt together on carpets and floor mats. It can be frustrating to try to remove salt and mud stains from carpeting using traditional shampoos; fortunately, there are special enzyme cleaning products that are specifically designed to handle road salt, breaking it down so it can be removed from fabric. Simply spray on, wait and then wipe to take care of even the most frustrating lumps of road salt in your vehicle’s interior.
Spring cleaning isn’t just for houses and garages – your car can also seriously benefit from some extra care and attention. Taking the time in the spring to handle the little things can make a big difference in your car’s appearance and performance, and lengthen its lifespan.
Of course, if you don’t have the time or the inclination for this kind of labor, your car dealer offers state-of-the art cleaning and detailing services specifically tailored to your make and model. Specialized cleaning products, tools and techniques can make short work of even the most neglected vehicles, rewarding you with what might look like a brand-new car. For the do-it-yourselfer, your dealer is a great resource for advice, and for the products your vehicle’s manufacturer recommends for use on its cars and trucks.
