By Eric Leech
Denver, CO, USA | Mon Apr 13 15:30:00 GMT 2009
Spring cleaning usually refers to that one time of the year where we roll up our sleeves and get our homes and offices really clean. We go over the blinds, dust the tops of room fans, and dig the leftover nickels, dimes, and dust bunnies out from under the couch. Well, this same chore should also be extended to your vehicle if you are interested in getting the most out of it in terms of performance, economy, emissions, and longevity. It actually isn't all that hard to accomplish within one afternoon, and should take you no more than about 4 hours to complete. Let's get cleaning!
Hopefully you're not really in need of a shovel just yet, but truth be told, most vehicles could use a really thorough interior cleaning at least once a year. The first item of business we'll be removing everything that should not be in there. Extra winter coats, snowboards, camping supplies, and whatever else you can find. All these items do when they are not being put to use, is weigh the vehicle down, creating drag, low efficiency, and subsequently more emissions.
Image courtesy of Digital Vision/Getty.
Once you have those big chunks out of the way, you can focus on the little dust bunnies. Beyond dust, most vehicles have a certain amount of interior toxins which are emitted through its plastics, leather, and vinyl. These toxins often float around the vehicle and end up clinging to various points inside your vehicle, such as dashboard, windshield, seat, etc. To get rid of these toxins, you need to give your vehicle a good wipe down with a microfiber cloth and a Q-tip for the tight spots. When you are done with all the top surfaces, take a vacuum and suck up all the dust and particles that have collected in the carpet over the winter.
Image courtesy of Digital Vision/Getty.
Beyond the danger of interior toxins which can stick to the glass surfaces, a dirty window is simply a hazard because of the decreased visibility they cause. You will particularly notice an oily residue on the front windows after using your defrosters all winter long. It is that oily film which can lead to fog and glare during the right conditions. Cleaning your windows correctly will take more than just a microfiber cloth, it will take some sort of cleaning solution, but there are a number of green recipes for cleaners which are really quite effective.
Image courtesy of Ryan McVay/Getty.
By the first of Spring, most vehicles are usually in need of a pretty thorough bath. Some experts have told me that the idea of keeping your vehicle clean will aid in aerodynamics, which will also help your vehicle maintain its top efficiency. The amount of improvement between a dirty and a clean car may not be too great, so the primary reason anyone should wash their vehicle is to make it look nice and to take care of the paint. We don't recommend the DIY driveway car wash, as the soapy water runoff can be dangerous to the environment. Instead, take it to a professional who has a means to treat and/or recycle the water being used.
Image courtesy of David De Lossy/Getty.
Many people get their vehicle serviced before the winter as they know it can be a particularly hard season on a vehicle's electrical and heating system. What they don't always consider, is that the summer can be just as difficult, only straining different parts of the vehicle. Heat can be a huge enemy to any engine and the hot temperatures of summer, compounded by stop and go traffic, can cause a lot of wear and tear. To make sure your vehicle is ready for the hot weather, make sure your air filter is clean, spark plugs are functioning properly, oil is changed, and that there is no excess material blocking air from gaining access through the radiator.
Image courtesy of Stockbyte/Getty.
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