Kiwis in NZ learn from an early age about car grooming, we were all roped in by our dads on those Saturday afternoons, after running around the sports fields all morning, to help clean our parent’s cars. This is where the basic skills of car grooming came in to play. Dad would always use good quality products that clean the paint as well as protect the paint from the harsh elements. The exterior of the car gets the most wear on our vehicles, and is constantly hit with different elements like, dirt, dust, stones, leaves, branches, wind, water, sand, smoke etc. Even when a car is parked inside a garage, it still has dust and particles that land on the outside of the car. When washing the outside of your car, use a product that has a built in wax. This will help protect the paint. If you use a hose and bucket technique to wash the outside, make sure you dry the car with a towel or chamois to help prevent water spot damage. With the use of a proper hand applied wax every 3-4 months, you can ensure the paint is fully protected. If you are going to use a Waterless washing technique, most of the premixed products have a built in waxing agent which will help the paint shine.

Using a Waterless wash does not replace a hand applied wax; this should still be carried out in order to keep the paint in tip top condition. A complete outside clean would include wheels and tyres as well. Protecting your tyres is also a must, making sure tyre pressures are correct will not only help with fuel economy but also keep the tyre looking good as low tyre pressure can lead to cracking. Protecting the tyre with a good quality water based dressing helps prevent cracking and keeps them looking like new. Using a silicone dressing makes the tyres look great but it can sometimes lead to extra cleaning if the silicone flicks up off the tyre when you start driving your car and landing on the body panels.

What about car grooming on the inside of your car? Correct grooming on the inside of your car is also essential, it helps protect your seats and carpets from wear and tear, and also keeps away those bad smells. Can you see out your windscreen? Clean glass not only helps you see, but it helps prevent fogging up, sun glare, and it looks great. Quite often the inside of the car is neglected, but with a regular vacuum, a shampoo to remove any stains or dirt, clean glass and some deodorise, your car can be like new again. Grooming your dash board is also a must; it keeps that new shine in the dash and stops it from cracking. Most dashboards will show signs of wear and tear from an early age if not groomed properly. The dashboard is the one place inside the car that is always hot as the windscreen magnifies the sun.

Discolouring, cracking and warping are just some of the downsides to neglecting your dashboard. Using the correct products on the dashboard are essential, try and stay away from silicones, as the car gets hot, the products will start to steam slightly, if you have silicone it can transfer from the dashboard onto your windscreen which can then be very hard to remove and can impair your vision. Use water based dressings for the dashboard and remember to clean it thoroughly before applying to get the best results. If you get stains on your seats or carpets, it always helps to get them removed as soon as possible before they leave a mark on the fabric. Using a shampoo method, car grooming companies can remove most stains easily and quickly.

It’s amazing the difference after having your seats and carpets shampooed, you don’t realise how dirty they are until you have them cleaned! If you have leather seats in your car, having them regularly cleaned and rejuvenated is an absolute must. Leather seats are similar to skin; if they are left untreated they can crack and discolour. Using a Leather Crème is the best method for protecting them, it’s almost like a moisturiser, it helps keep the leather looking great and keeping it protected. It is always recommended to get a professional to carry out any car grooming work as they have on hand all the necessary products for cleaning your car. So go and get your car geared up for what ever season it is and keep it in show room condition!