With gloomy weather and poor driving conditions in the rear view mirror, now is the perfect time to give your vehicle a thorough spring cleaning. To help maintain that new car shine through spring and summer, Meguiar’s, the century-old leader in vehicle appearance care, presents the top five car care tips for keeping your vehicle looking its best. 1. Thoroughly Wash Vehicle: Washing removes loose surface dirt, salt, and road film and allows you to keep additional contaminants from building up on the surface. After winter, it is important to give your car a very thorough washing to remove these contaminants that have built up during winter to help prevent premature corrosion. This is done by using a premium car wash product, such as Meguiar’s Ultimate Wash & Wax, as well as a high quality wash mitt. It is also important to wash your wheel wells and undercarriage with high pressure as they tend to get the dirtiest during winter. 2. Deep Clean Interior: Your interior is subject to snow, mud and debris throughout the tough winter months and may need a proper cleaning once spring arrives. In order to revive that new look, begin by thoroughly vacuuming all cloth and carpeted areas, including mats, and then use a premium carpet and upholstery cleaner. Meguiar’s Quik Out Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner can be used to help remove any stubborn stains. Next, use Meguiar’s Gold Class Rich Leather Cleaner/Conditioner, or similar product, to clean and condition all leather surfaces and ensure they are supple and well protected. Then apply a quality protectant to your vinyl and rubber surfaces, like Meguiar’s Ultimate Protectant. Clean your windows using a streak free glass cleaner and a premium microfiber. Finally use an odor eliminator, such as Meguiar’s Odor Eliminator, to permanently remove any odors that accumulated through the winter. 3. Clay The Car: A smooth surface is key to making any polish or wax work properly. Since we recommend placing a good coat of wax on your car after winter, it is vital to “clay” your car as well. This will create a smooth surface and ensure the polish and wax will be maximized. Be sure to look for clay containing products like Meguiar’s Smooth Surface Clay Kit which will easily remove those nasty, hard-to-see bonded contaminants that have accumulated through winter, and prep your surface for polish and/or wax. 4. Apply Two Thin Coats of Wax: Maximum protection is vital for any season, but now that winter is over, it is time to replenish your wax protection. Meguiar’s recommends applying two thin coats of NXT Tech Wax 2.0 or Gold Class Carnauba Plus Premium Wax to ensure that you have maximum coverage and protection. And remember, before wiping off wax make sure it’s set and free of excess residue by swiping your finger over the waxed surface to ensure the wax is ready to remove. By removing the wax too early you will also be removing vital protection. 5. Don’t Forget the Wheels: Thoroughly cleaning and protecting your wheels after winter is also very important. Using a specially designed wheel cleaner and plenty of water with high pressure will also make it easier to remove all the salt and debris from each wheel. Before choosing a wheel cleaner, make sure you are aware of the type of surface you are working on (i.e. whether your wheels are steel, chrome, aluminum, etc.). Meguiar’s formulated their Hot Rims All Wheel, Hot Rims Aluminum and Hot Rims Chrome Wheel Cleaners to ensure you have the safest and most effective cleaner for your wheel.
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