Aside from the aesthetic appeal of a freshly-cleaned car, keeping your car clean is the best way to protect its paint from damage that can be caused by abrasives such as dirt or other particles and substances that can be found on the highway such as oil, tire residues or paving materials. Here are a few suggestions that will help you keep your car looking its very best while protecting its paint and body from damage. As always, you should consult your owner’s manual for suggestions on the proper methods for keeping your car clean.
Never Use a Laundry Detergent to Clean Your Car
Laundry detergents are made primarily to dissolve organic compounds such as body oil. Thus, by their chemical nature, laundry detergents will not be effective against substances such as mud, oil, grime, or grease. Using a detergent that is specifically formulated for automobiles will result in a more thorough cleaning of your car’s surfaces.
Always Use a Sponge or Other Soft Material for Scrubbing
Would you use a Brillo Pad to wash your face? Of course not, because you would wind up with a few hundred small cuts in your skin! By the same token, using a stiff brush on your car will result in damage to its pant and/or undercoating.
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