A Clean Start for Summer Road Trips: For Happier & Safer Travels

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It’s summertime; time for sunshine, vacations, and road trips. It’s also time to give your new or used car a clean start to make hitting the road this summer even more fun, exciting, happy and safe.

Consumer Reports dished out some tips for making your vehicle summer road trip ready, so check out these hints by reading on.

Let’s start with the interior. Don’t ruin your car ride with a messy cabin. Toss any trash that has collected in your vehicle and remove any items that won’t be necessary along the ride, such as that ice scraper. Then, organize and store the items that are left. Utilize your glove box, side compartments, seat compartments and other storage options. Keeping items stored away not only frees up space and gives your vehicle a clean feeling, but it’s also a safer option in the event of crash, where items can become deadly projectiles.

Once extra items are cleared away, Consumer Reports recommends using “a mild cleaning spray and a microfiber cloth to remove dust and grime off the dash and plastic surfaces.”

And don’t forget to vacuum your cabin in order to remove debris and dirt. Be sure to vacuum the seats, floor, floor mats, rugs and trunk. You can also use a steam cleaner to remove deep-rooted stains from the interior if a household spray-on carpet cleaner doesn’t work first. And if you have leather trim interior, use a leather cleaner.

Also make sure you clean the inside of the windows with a glass cleaner. Spray directly onto your cloth and then apply to the window to avoid streaking. This will make your visibility while driving even better, so you can safely enjoy the scenery.

Now, let’s move on to the exterior. A nice way to cool down on a hot day is to give your car a car wash, but don’t wash your car in direct sunlight. Rather, move your car into the shade before washing. When the paint is too hot to touch, the bright sun is softening the paint, which makes it easier to scratch.

You also don’t want to use dish detergent on your car. Instead, use soap dedicated to cleaning the automotive paint of your car. Consumer Reports states you should “fill a bucket with plenty of water, and apply the suds with a clean natural sponge or a lambswool mitt. Remember: Grit from a dirty sponge or rag can scratch the paint. Start from the top and work your way down, changing the water when it becomes dirty.” Consumer Reports also recommends you use a separate sponge to clean the tires and wheels, as they are the dirtiest parts of your vehicle. For best results, don’t let your vehicle air dry after washing, instead clean with a soft, dry towel.

If you want some extra shine for your vehicle, waxing can provide that and additional protection for the paint. You can find car wax in three forms; liquid, paste and spray. Consumer Reports found that while paste was easy to use and the liquid was the most effective, spray was the easiest to use and left the fewest stains on plastic sections. However, spray lasts the shortest amount of time. They also explained that all tested waxes would lose significant protection within five weeks, so waxing will only provide temporary shine.

Finally, perform maintenance checks on your vehicle. Having a clean car will only get you so far, but having a well running vehicle will get you all the way there and back.

Check the windshield wipers, as they may have been damaged in the winter months. Your tires may have also faced damage, so replace them if they have less than 4/32-inches of tread left.

Under the hood, you can clean engine parts with soap and water or with a commercial degreasing product, but be careful. You don’t want to get electrical connections wet, including the fuse box, cable junctions, and the large electrical connectors near the firewall.

The summer can actually be harder on your battery than the winter because of high temperatures. Before you hit the road, have your battery tested. You can also clean the encrusted fuzz around your battery with a damp rag soaked in water and baking soda. You’ll want to wear eye protection and gloves while doing this.

Once you’ve completed these steps, you’re ready for your summer vacation road trip. You can safely enjoy rolling the windows down and feeling the warm breeze with friends and family, while also feeling the satisfying peace of mind of having a trustworthy vehicle.

If you need any help with your maintenance stop by Marianna Toyota today and see our exceptional AL Used Toyota Dealer serving Dothan and Panama City!

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