7 Essential Items to Keep Your Car Clean

The majority of car owners are in and out of their vehicles at least a couple of times every day. With all that driving around, their cars can take a beating in terms of accumulated trash inside and road dirt outside. Fortunately, there are car-care essentials to help keep one’s vehicle looking good, clean, and shiny at all times.

It’s important to remember that keeping one’s car clean is every car owner’s responsibility. With the appropriate cleaning products and materials, getting a speckless car is not so impossible. Below are essential cleaning items that every vehicle owner should have:

1. Bucket and Sponge

Let’s start with the basics here. It may sound obvious, but a classic pair of bucket and sponge is vitally important for cleaning your car. A decent-sized bucket makes a nice container kit for all your cleaning products in between washes.

It’s recommended to have two buckets. You can use the other one for a continuous supply of soapy water to wash even the hard-to-reach areas of your car. The other one should be filled with fresh, clean water to rinse the soapy solution off your car.

Use a good sponge to remove any dirt and debris and load it back up with suds. You want to use the best quality sponge or wash mitt to reduce scratches to your car’s paintwork. There are many high-quality wash pads commercially available today; they’re usually made from lamb’s wool to protect the fragile surface of the paintwork while removing all those deep-seated dirt.

Use two wash pads or sponges—one is for washing the top half of your car, and another for cleaning the bottom (and generally dirtier) part. This will reduce the risk of dragging dirt and particles from the dirty bottom part of the vehicle onto the rest of the paintwork.

2. Grit Guard

This is a small plastic screen that sits in the bottom of your buckets. As its name suggests, it stops the dirt and grit from swirling around and getting caught up in the wash pad or sponge. To use a grit guard, simply rub the wash pad or sponge on it after running them over the car to remove and trap the dirt and grime.

This little device will leave you with a clean pad to continue washing. There are some buckets with a built-in grit guard, but you can buy this plastic screen and add it to your bucket.

3. Car Wash Liquid

Soap may be soap, but when it comes to car care, soap is so much more than that. There’s a huge variety of soaps on the market today, but car washing liquids and soaps are specifically designed to clean and shine your car. So, do away with using only dish soap or other products.

Purchase a car wash soap as it’s designed specifically for your car. But of the many car washing liquids out there, how do you know which one to choose? It’s best to go for a liquid that is close to pH neutral; this will eliminate hard water spots left on the paintwork as a result of minerals in the cleaning water.

To help remove the grit and grime on your car’s paintwork, choose a liquid that bubbles up. Also, think twice about using products that offer car wash and wax in one bottle. They may help save time, but not all of them will provide as much shine and protection as a separate polish and wax from a trusted car valet.

4. Wheel Cleaner and Brush

Your car cleaning kit should also include a wheel cleaner and brush. Bear in mind that the wheels on your car are subject to dust, road grime, and tar—all of which are difficult to clean. With this tool, you can effectively remove stubborn grit and grime.

Spray the cleaner on the surface of the wheels and use a wheel brush to get rid of all those dirt. Then, rinse the wheels to wash off the suds. This should give your wheels a spotless clean look.

5. Tyre Shine

Another must-have in every car owner’s cleaning kit is tyre shine. A little tyre shine should be enough to provide your car with protection from the elements and make your tyres look brand new. Just make sure to wipe away any excess shine to prevent the appearance of small black dots on your freshly washed car.

6. Hose Nozzle

Rinsing your car with a plain garden hose is a less than ideal method. You want to give your hose some rinsing power with a power wand or a fire hose nozzle. To get your car rinsed and cleaned properly, a jet spray can be of great help.

Bring out your power washes if you already happen to have one. This will really help when you’re trying to have a quick car wash. It will save you time and energy from having to carry a bucket of water.

7. Washing Mitt

If you want to go for a more professional level of car cleaning, toss out your old towels and cleaning rags and exchange them for a nice soft mitt. A good washing mitt will preserve the paint. It can hold plenty of soap and will go easy on your car’s paintwork and exterior.

Bring Your Car Back to Its Showroom Condition

Be sure to add the items we’ve listed above to your cleaning kit. With the right items, you can give your car the transformation it deserves. For a professional level of cleaning, consider getting detailing and car wash services at Andy’s Car Valeting. From car polish and wash wax to detail spray, our experienced car valets use only high-quality car care products to clean your prized possession.

If you’re ready to make a booking, simply call us 01728 572990. You may also email info@ipswichcarvaleting.co.uk for further enquiries.