​When it comes to keeping your car not only looking presentable, but also being safe and functional, it’s important to pay close attention to parts which you might previously have overlooked.
 
The windows and mirrors for example, are amongst the most important safety features of your car, yet how many of us can honestly say that we do all that we can to preserve them and keep them in tip top condition?
 
Keeping your car windows and mirrors in the best condition possible will not only improve the aesthetics of your car, it’ll also make it a great deal safer and more functional as well.
 
From preventing condensation to ensuring your mirrors don’t fog up during the winter, here’s a look at how to preserve your windows and mirrors.
 
Rub soap on your mirrors
 
During the winter months, it is not uncommon to find that you mirrors have fogged up.
 
You see, ordinarily, the percentage of water vapor found in the air can be as high as 4% or as low as 0.2%. As temperatures drop, the vapor becomes a liquid state when it hits the glass mirrors and sticks to it.
 
The water molecules then clump together which cause the mirrors to fog up. If it gets cold enough, the water will freeze.
 
A great way to prevent this from happening is to take a simple bar of soap once the mirrors are clean and dry, and gently apply a thin layer over the surface.
 
The soap repels the water, so water doesn’t stick to the mirrors. Just be sure to apply a thin amount and rub it in well to ensure the mirrors are clean and easy to use.
 
Use an automotive glass cleaner
 
When washing your car, although it can be tempting to use dish soap, more often than not if you do so it will leave them smeared, smudged, and hazy.
 
Instead, what you should do is use an automotive glass cleaning solution that has been specially designed to be used on car windows.
 
Don’t use household window cleaners either, as they contain ammonia and will weaken the windows and the seals overtime, causing the windows to fade and discolour.
 
Use baking soda for bug stains
 
Okay, as gross as this sounds, one of the biggest issues you’ll face when washing your windows and mirrors is splattered bug guts.
 
If you encounter splattered bugs that you can’t seem to shift with your window cleaning solution, experts recommend a very small layer of baking soda on top of the troubled areas.
 
Leave the soda to work its magic for a few minutes, and then rinse off and wipe away with a soft microfibre cloth.
 
Wax the windows
 
Believe it or not, but you can actually wax the windows of your car just as you would the body, and the end results not only look great, but they also help to protect the windows and preserve them.
 
Simply wash and dry the windows as you would ordinarily, and make sure to wipe them using a soft microfibre cloth.
 
Next, take a clean microfiber cloth, apply a small amount of wax, and gently apply it to the windows by hand as this will reduce the risk of damage to the glass.
 
Once the entire window is coated, leave for a few minutes and then buff the wax off with yet another clean and dry microfibre cloth. Now, this will require some elbow grease and patience, but the end results are so worth it.
 
Finish off by applying a water repellent solution to your clean and sparkling windows and you’re all set.

​If you take pride in your car, you’ll know that keeping it clean and presentable is about so much more than simply giving it a quick rinse down with the hosepipe and soaking the exterior with warm soapy water.
 
To really make your vehicle shine and sparkle, you need to focus on the smaller jobs as these small things are what can make the biggest difference.
 
When detailing a vehicle, if you neglect the wheels, it would be the equivalent of baking a cake and forgetting to ice it.
 
As far as detailing the tires and rims goes, though, it pays to know how to make your wheels sparkle, which is why we’ve compiled this list of several top tires and rims detailing tips today. This way, you can have professional looking rims by doing it yourself.  
 
Remove and clean each wheel
 
When you’re at home looking to give your car a quick wash, you’ll almost certainly not bother unscrewing each wheel to give it a clean.
 
Today, though, we’re talking about doing a thorough and professional job and as mentioned, so it’s these small steps that make the biggest difference.
 
Assuming that you have the tools and the expertise to remove a wheel safely, doing so will make your tire and rim detailing task run a whole lot smoother and it will yield far more impressive results as well.
 
Clean the inner rim
 
Once the wheels are off, you now have access to the alloys, and you can begin cleaning.
 
Start off by cleaning the inner rim and behind the spokes of the alloy.
 
You can use a strong hot water and soap combination, though we recommend a suitable alloy wheel cleaning solution that cuts through dirt and grease.
 
Rinse thoroughly and repeat again if necessary.
 
Clean the outer face
 
Once you are satisfied that the inner rim is as clean as you’ll get it, you can then flip the wheel and clean the outer face.
 
Again, a wheel cleaning solution is best, although a strong hot soapy water will also work if not.
 
To get into the lug holes and hard-to-reach areas, you can use a detailing brush.
 
Polish and protect
 
Once you’ve removed the dirt, grease, and grime from the exterior of the wheel, you can then polish and protect it.
 
Using an alloy wheel polish and a microfibre towel give the wheels a good polish until they sparkle and shine.
 
To protect them, add a layer of quality sealant as this will improve the finish, and also help to protect the wheels in the future.
 
Finish with a tire dressing
 
To finish your wheels, you can focus on the tires and use a tire-cleaning solution before rinsing away and finishing them with a tire dressing.
 
A tire dressing will really help to bring out the blackness of the rubber and will provide a fantastic contrast between the tires and sparkling alloys.
 
Water-based dressings tend not to last as long but help to protect the tires, and silicone-based ones offer a better glossy finish but don’t offer as much protection for the rubber.

​For the piston heads amongst you, you’ll no doubt want to keep your car in the best condition possible.
 
Whereas for a lot of people, a car is simply a necessity to get them from A to B, for some people a car is a prized possession of which they take great pride in. As far as keeping your car in great condition is concerned, you’ll need to ensure that your headlights are in pristine condition.
 
Your headlights are of course essential and could be the difference between life and death on the road, which is why you need to ensure that they’re functioning correctly, that they’re clean, and that they are safe.
 
As you know, new headlights and lenses do not come cheap, which is why today, we’re looking at headlight restoration tips that you can do at home with very little money. Check these headlight restoration tips out and see what you think.
 
Check for condensation
 
Your headlights are the equivalent of eyes for your car, in that if they’re dull and hazy it can be dangerous driving at night or in poor visibility.
 
If your headlights are dull and hazy, it could be due to damage on the inside.
 
A very simple but effective way of identifying damage on the inside of your car’s headlights is to inspect them and look for condensation caused by moisture.
 
If you identify any signs of condensation, there’s moisture on the inside which will need to be drained away and dried for safety reasons.
 
Never use household glass cleaners
 
One of the most common mistakes people make when trying to detail their own cars is to use household glass cleaners on the headlights.
 
Sure, these cleaners work on glass at home but headlights aren’t found in the home and they aren’t made from glass. Instead, they’re made from plastic and if you use household glass cleaning solutions on them it can discolour them.
 
Wash and dry them
 
Before you start using any specialist cleaning solutions on the headlights, simply go ahead and wash them with hot soapy water, and be sure to dry them thoroughly.
 
This is because the cleaners contain ammonia which can make clear plastic turn a dull yellow colour.
 
Use a headlight deoxidizer
 
Because plastic is now used in most car headlights as opposed to glass, debris, UV rays from the sun, pollutants and other contaminants can cause the plastic to oxidize which can cause it to become foggy and hazy.
 
To rectify this and leave the headlights clear and transparent, use a headlight deoxidizer and they’ll be looking their best in no time at all.
 
Sanding and buffing
 
Finally, to really get the headlights back to their best, sand them down with sandpaper soaked in water to help soften it, making sure to sand in straight lines rather than circles.
 
Next, apply a 3M rubbing compound directly onto them, leave them to haze over and then use a buffing pad and really buff them until they become clear.

​For many people, a car or truck isn’t just a possession, it is their life and something they’ll want to keep looking as clean and presentable as possible.
 
There’s no better way to spend a sunny afternoon than cleaning and detailing your pride and joy, rinsing away days, or even weeks’ worth of dirt and grime.
 
Cleaning a car is a relatively straightforward process, but what about larger vehicles like SUVs, 4x4s, trucks, and pickups? These vehicles are considerably larger than regular cars, and so you can’t wash them as quickly or as easily yourself as you would a car.
 
If you own a large vehicle and want some help getting it clean and presentable, here are some awesome exterior cleaning tips for large vehicles.
 
Make sure the vehicle is out of direct sunlight
 
Unless you want streaks and wet spots all over your vehicle where the water has dried before you’ve had time to rinse it properly, it is recommended that you park the vehicle out of direct sunlight when washing.
 
Use step ladders
 
If you’re fairly tall, or if you own a low car, cleaning the roof of a regular sized vehicle by hand won’t be a problem.
 
If, however, you own a larger vehicle, you’ll struggle to clean the roof by hand as it will simply be too high, which is where a simple set of step ladders will prove to be so useful.
 
Simply set the ladders up on a stable surface, climb up, soak the roof, and then soap it up, wipe, and rinse.
 
You’ll likely have to move the ladders around the vehicle, but that’s okay, just take your time and you’ll have a gleaming roof before you know it.
 
Invest in a pressure washer
 
For simply cleaning a car at home, a hosepipe should be sufficient, but for larger vehicles, unless you want to be spending hours upon hours rinsing away, it is best to invest in a pressure washer.
 
Pressure washers are ideal because they supply so much water pressure that the water itself helps to lift and wash away the dirt and grime, so you don’t even have to wipe.
 
For best results, you should ideally use a cleaning foam, which brings us to.
 
Use a cleaning foam solution
 
If you own a pressure washer, it is strongly recommended that you invest in a cleaning foam attachment and solution for the washer.
 
This is a simple attachment that fits onto your pressure washer, allowing you to spray your vehicle with a specially designed cleaning foam solution that helps to break down dirt and grime and clean the paintwork without you needing to lay a single finger on your vehicle.
 
Simply soak the vehicle in the foam until it is coated well, leave for a few minutes for the foam to work its magic, remove the attachment, and use the pressure washer to rinse away the foam.
 
The end result should be a clean and sparkly vehicle.
 
Use an alloy wheel cleaning solution
 
If your vehicle has alloy wheels, you can invest in an alloy wheel cleaning solution.
 
Simply spray each vehicle generously with the solution, and leave for a few minutes to allow it to cut through the dirt and grime.
 
Next, rinse away, ideally with a pressure washer and you’ll be left with gleaming sparkly alloys.

​For those that take pride in their vehicles, cleaning the interior of the vehicle is just as important as cleaning the exterior. Interior detailing, however, goes way above and beyond simply running the vacuum cleaner around the inside and giving the dash a quick wipe with a damp cloth or sponge. There is a real art to interior detailing which is why interior car detailing companies and services are in such high demand at the moment.
 
For times when you don’t want to call a professional, or for times when you simply want to detail your car in the comfort of your own home, here are some interior detailing tips that many pros like to use themselves.
 
Use a detailing brush
 
As mentioned, there is a real art to interior detailing and the amount of work that goes into it is something that you can’t help but admire. With interior detailing, it is the small details that make the biggest difference which is why you should invest in a detailing brush. A detailing bush is very similar to a makeup brush and is used to clean things like air vents and hard-to-reach areas inside your vehicle that are too small and fiddly to reach by hand. The bristles are incredibly soft, so you don’t need to worry about scratching the interior and damaging it. You can even purchase different lengths and sizes of brush, depending on which parts of your car’s inside you’re looking to clean.
 
Different vacuum hose attachments
 
When you vacuum the interior of your vehicle, be sure to use different vacuum attachments, depending on which parts of the inside you’re vacuuming. Brush attachments will agitate dirt and dust embedded in the carpet, whereas crevice tools will help you get into corners and hard-to-reach areas to suck away the dirt and dust.
 
Compressed air
 
Sometimes, brushes just aren’t enough when it comes to removing dirt and debris. If you find that there is dirt, dust, and debris that is compacted and hard to remove, an air compressor could be the solution. This device will use a blow gun to blow compressed air at the area you’re cleaning, which will help to break down dust and dirt particles so you can then vacuum them up afterwards.
 
You may also want to use a diluted degreaser for stained carpets. If you find that your vehicle has stubborn carpet stains on the carpet or mats, using a diluted degreaser could help to lift the stain. Dilute the degreaser with 1-part degreaser to 5 parts distilled water and you’re all set.
 
Use a carpet cleaner shampoo
 
When cleaning the carpets, experts recommend that, after vacuuming them, you go ahead and spray them with a non-foaming carpet cleaner and use alongside a hot water extractor after giving them a good scrub. Scrubbing beforehand will really make the extractor work even more effectively.
 
Silly putty or sticky tape for sand
 
Going to the beach is a great way to spend a sunny summer’s day. Unfortunately, it’s also a great way to bring sand into your car and as you know, sand tends to get everywhere and is difficult to vacuum up. If you’re struggling to get sand up from your carpet, then use silly putty or sticky tape to remove the grains of sand instead.
 
Follow these tips and you are on your way to cleaning the inside of your car like a pro!

Taking care of your car and protecting your car paint is necessary to keep your vehicle in top shape. Maintaining the original car paint is important for an owner as the look of the car depends on it. The car paint is one of the major factors that attract people towards the car. A shining and glossy paint will leave the people looking on your car in complete awe. There are many ways to protect your car paint and to keep your car shining like a brand new model.  Here are a few of the common ways:

Paint Sealant:
Apply sealant once or twice a year to protect your car paint by creating a layer on it. This extra layer safeguards the pain against dirt and dust particles to make it look new after every wash. To apply a sealant you have to mix one tablespoon bonding agent with the sealant. The amount of mixture may vary according to your vehicle size but it’s important to keep the ratio around 4:1 so the sealant isn’t more or less and protects your car paint efficiently against any damage.

Car Wax:
After applying sealant, car wax can be done the next day. You can wax your car on weekly or monthly bases if you are using spray or liquid wax. By applying car wax, you’ll protect your car paint from things like bird droppings and toxic dust particles that may ruin the color and shine. Car wax can work like magic to protect your car paint from these kinds of damages.

Wash Your Car Regularly:
Some car experts have said that you should wash your car frequently to protect your paint from any dust. Avoid using soap and dish detergents but trying to use special car wash detergent and a sponge to wash your car so it doesn’t damage the car paint. Also make sure the detergent is cleaned off with water before drying off that may leave stains.

Ceramic Coating:
The two compounds in ceramic coating, titanium dioxide and silica form a shield to prevent the car paint from any harm. It protects the car paint from dust, snow, bird dropping and other toxic chemicals in the air that may take away your vehicle’s shine. Car paints that have ceramic coating take less time to clean as well.

Car Covers:
Car covers are really important to protect your car from sunlight, rain, bird dropping and scratches. Sunlight is one of the major reasons that take the glow away from your car but if you are using a good quality cover then your car paint will have the least effect from sunlight or rain.
​
Car paint is essential to keep your vehicle looking like brand new and there are many things that can harm that glimmer but if you keep your car clean and follow these tips, then your vehicle will shine and glow all year long.

There’s nothing better than seeing your car shining without any dust or dirt. Washing your own car at home may be tiring but it can be a fun activity. Drive-thru car washes, sometimes, may use the materials that can damage your car so hand washing it yourself at home may keep your vehicle in good condition and shape while also saving you money.

Tools Needed To Hand Wash Your Car:
You can easily wash your car at home if you have the following tools:

• Sponge
• Hose
• Brush
• Bucket
• Detergent
• Towels

Steps To Hand Wash Your Car:
1. Park Your Vehicle: Do not park your vehicle in direct sunlight as this will cause the water to dry fast during the cleaning process making it more difficult to wash. Park the car out of direct sunlight to clean it easily and avoid messing up the space with foamy water wastage. Check all the windows and doors are closed after parking to prevent the water from getting inside.

2. Wash The Car With Hose: You can use a hose connected to a tap with a pipe to clean the extra dirt and dust. Hose off car from slow speed of water to get debris and dirt away starting from the roof and ending at the bottom. Keep the speed of the hose slow because high pressure can damage the paint and may leave scratches on it. Wash your car wheels first with a long brush as these spaces are hard to reach with smaller ones. It will take the dirt off from the wheels as well.

3. Apply Car Wash Detergent To Every Part: Next step is to fill two buckets with detergent water and clean water in separately. Apply detergent to the body of your vehicle from the detergent bucket with a sponge. Do not use brush on the body as it may damage your car with scratches. Start applying it from the upper part which may cause the soap to drip down to the lower parts avoiding the hassle of cleaning twice. Rinse the sponge with clean water frequently to get the dirt away from the cleaning tool. Rinse each section with clean water before moving to another section. If you don’t want the soap to leave any stains, remember to keep the whole car wet before finishing the soap and cleaning with clean water before the detergent dries off.

4. Rinse With Clean Water: Once you’ve finished cleaning it with soap, rinse every part of your car once again with clean water. Start from the top till the bottom and make sure not to leave any soap behind as this may leave some stains.

5. Dry Your Car: After washing your car with clean water, the final step is to dry it with fresh and clean towels. Make sure to dry each and every part you’ve washed to avoid any rust build up. Do not leave any water on the vehicle as this can damage your paint once it dries off.

If you follow these simple steps you’ll be able to have a sparkling car that’s clean and shining! Try to clean your car frequently to keep it in tip-top shape.