Do It Yourself Hints on How To Save Money On Your Car
One way to save money on your car is to do as much cleaning and maintenance on your own as possible.
Even though the convenience of going to the car wash is very attractive, doing it on your own can save hundreds of dollars in just one year. In what a person spends in one visit to a car wash, they can buy everything they need in car washing supplies that will last a year.
You will need basic supplies. A good car wash soap, a large sponge, towels, paper towels, a good chammy, window cleaner, vinyl/dash board conditioner, and aerosol tire conditioner. It may seem like a long list and seem expensive at first, but while pay for itself in a short time. And in the long run, save a lot of money.
Make sure you give yourself enough time, at least an hour to do a good job. And try to find a nice spot in a shaded area.
Rinse first, start at the top and work your way down. Be sure to rinse very well to get any sand off, so as not to scratch the surface when washing. Next step is to follow the mixing directions on the car wash bottle. It is very important to only use soap made exclusively for washing cars. Any other soaps could leave a residue, and even possibly ruin the finish on your cars paint.
After washing your car, rinse well. And if necessary rinse again. Try to start drying while it is still wet with your towels. Then go over it with a damp chammy.
After the body is finished, it is time to do the windows inside and out. It is best to start with the outside first, because it easier to see places that you have missed while cleaning the inside.
Next, clean the interior with a good vinyl/dash cleaner. It is best to spray it on the cloth first and then apply. Otherwise you may spray on the widows and other surfaces that will require additional cleaning. For small dirty areas, use cotton swabs to get into hard to reach crevices.
Now that you are almost finished, vacuum the seats and carpet. It you like, sprinkle some carpet freshener first.
Finish up on the tires, with a quick spray of tire conditioner. Now, stand back and admire your work. And though it is a bit of work, it is work you can be proud of, while saving you money.