When I purchased my new car, my daughter and I made a pact that we would never, ever eat in the car. That lasted about two weeks and now you can find petrified french fries wedged between the seats, covered in white West Highland Terrier fur and sprinkled in shame. The appearance of your car speaks volumes about you. It always feels good to have something new. They call it pride in ownership. As long as you keep your car looking clean, fresh and new, you can maintain a degree of pride and less self loathing. Depending upon how much you care about appearances, here are a few tips on detailing your car and keeping that ride looking new.
I have found that parking your car in a garage will help keep the paint job looking like it just came off the showroom floor for many years to come. If you must park outdoors, park in a shady area and walk the extra distance. It’ll keep both you and your car looking new. Wash your car at least twice a month. Bird, bug and tree sap mess can permanently stain if left on the surface for an extended period of time. And, a shiny tire dressing renews the appearance of dull old tires.
Keep a small plastic trash bag in the car. A plastic grocery bag works just fine or you can get a free litter bag at www.DontMessWithTexas.org. And a plastic milk crate works great to store loose things in your trunk or back of your SUV. Clean out that glove box periodically. I am grateful that now, in Texas, the police will accept auto insurance information on your phone, rather than requiring a paper insurance card. This was liberating for me since I had a stack of expired insurance cards in my glove compartment dating back from when I purchased the car. I would always throw the current card in there and never throw out the old ones. I finally had to clean it out because there was so much junk in there, the door wouldn’t close. Plus, I could no longer fit my open container in there.
Other pertinent areas in detailing your car include keeping not only the outside, but also the inside of the windshield clean for safety sake. Use a mild soap and an old toothbrush (or your roommate’s toothbrush if they’re late with rent) to clean around the console area where small things get wedged and grime gets built up. You can wash your car mats in the bathtub with a mild laundry soap. Let them soak for a few hours while you’re detailing your car. Let them drip-dry outside overnight or until dry. Or, buy new mats when yours start looking dingy. New mats will also save the backs and the heels of your good shoes, another good reason for the investment.
Just a little attention to details here and there will keep your sweet ride looking shiny and clean.
Until next week…
Daun T
Writer/Comedienne/Artist/Airhead Savant
Detailing Your Car – Comedy Defensive Driving