Tips for your car
I love to share tips for your car because I started this business 20 years ago due to my passion for cars and my obsessive need to keep them clean. I was fed up going through automatic car washes only to have to finish the job myself after. I also tried hand car wash and detailing shops and was frustrated that I needed to book an appointment and spent hours waiting at the shop. So I decided to open my own business with three simple principles: provide quality, provide convenience and provide it fast.
After serving tens of thousands of customers over the years, I wanted to share some tips and advice for your car.
Don’t go through an automated car wash. Even though automated car washes have come a long way in terms of technology, the brushes still slap the side of your car and can cause damage. Remember, these brushes have also washed all the cars before you and so the grit from the previous washes are being transferred to your and can cause damage. Even touchless car washes are risky. These car washes use very powerful pressure washers, and when combined with dirt particles from previous cars, it is like using a wet sandblaster on your car!
Wash your car often. Living in Toronto, washing your car regularly is needed. We face pollutants from living in large city and extremely long commutes which causes wear and tear. We also experience the elements from all four seasons resulting in our cars battling through rain, heat, winters with heavy salt (which can corrode the metal and cause rust), tree sap, bird droppings and splattered bugs. A well maintained car protects one of your largest investments. It also helps the resale value of your car!
Consider a Clay Bar. Over time, salt and grime will accumulate on your car. This will sit on your paint, chrome and plastic giving it a dullness. A thorough wash will remove most of the grime, however only at the surface level. To really get in and remove what is trapped, you need a clay bar. It is like Velcro for your car and grabs unwanted particles from your paint.
Why you should wax your car. One of the most important things you need to do for your car is applying a thin coat of wax. This creates a thing protective coat which has many benefits. It protects your car from the discoloring effects of the sun (exactly like sunscreen!). It helps protect your car from water spots because water will just bead off your car. It protects your car from tree sap and bird droppings which is very damaging to your paint (see below). And finally it gives your car the most beautiful shine and gloss! You can go longer between washes when you have a nice coat of wax.
Remove tree sap immediately. Summer time is beautiful and often we park our cars under a tree to get some shade. But one of the hardest things to remove from your car is tree sap. It is sticky, it can etch your paint and it can lead to discoloration. As soon as you see tree sap on your car, remove it with warm soap and water. A thorough wash and wax should be done as soon as possible.
Remove bird poop immediately. Bird droppings contain uric acid which is corrosive enough to eat through a coating of wax or paint sealant and will begin to etch your car’s paint. Remove the bird dropping immediately—within minutes if you can. Follow up with a thorough wash and wax.
Cleaning the inside is just as important as the outside. You spend countless hours a day in your car—whether it be commuting to work, driving to hockey practice, running errands or going to school. This results in debris accumulating in your car. Not only will this cause wear and tear in your car, it also produces bad air quality which can lead to allergies. A clean car interior can also promote mental health by reducing stress.
I hope you learned something from these tips for your car!