Can The Wrong Car Cleaning Products Damage Your Car?

If you pay a visit to your local auto parts store you will discover a wall full of car care and detailing products. It’s no different on the web. Most retailers of car detailing supplies have so many cleaners, polishes and waxes that it’s nearly impossible to tell the difference between even the most basic items. So how do you know what works and what doesn’t? More importantly, can the wrong products damage your car? In short, automotive paint protection Adelaide preserves the quality of your car’s paint by reducing the risk of multiple kinds of damage.

Practically speaking, there are only a few categories of detailing products. For ease of discussion you can break it down into cleaners, polishes and protectants. A few products have more than one purpose. Chemicals that clean and protect in a single step are a good example.

Car Wash

A car wash is a gentle soap that’s designed to clean the exterior of your car without removing wax protection. A soap is not the same as a detergent. A detergent will remove wax protection with a single use. That’s why you should not use a household cleaner like Dawn dish washing liquid, unless you’re planning to wax your car.

I recommend selecting a car wash soap based on what works best for you. You may need to try a few because they all react a bit differently to water quality conditions. That said, all of the major brand names are pretty close in quality. I like Meguiar’s Gold Class. Mothers California Gold is another popular brand.

Tire and Wheel Cleaners

A tire cleaner is a detergent that has enough cleaning power to cut through old tire dressing and the road grunge film that builds up on tires and turns them brown. Be careful. If you find a product that contains petrochemicals or bleach, stay clear. These chemicals will really do a number on fine alloy wheels and they cause tires to age prematurely.

To properly clean your wheels, look for an all-purpose cleaner or an all-purpose wheel cleaner. Don’t use an acid based cleaner unless you have chrome wheels. If you don’t use a cleaner containing acid correctly it will permanently damage your wheels.

Engine and Undercarriage Cleaners

Most people don’t clean their engines, but it’s a great habit to get into because it helps reduce corrosion. Once a year of so is perfect. It takes strong chemicals to remove dirt, grease, oils and grime. The best cleaner for this job was d-limonene, but it is an environmental hazard, so it’s banned in many areas. I suggest a detergent cleaner, not petroleum, such as Meguiar’s new engine cleaner. They really did a good job formulating it for new engines with plastic covers and other composite components.

Leather and Vinyl Cleaner

Leather and vinyl are common throughout car interiors. Both materials are very durable, but the sun, dirt and oils from our bodies can cause rapid deterioration. Skin oils cause vinyl and leather to age and discolor, so frequent light cleaning is necessary to avoid issues. It’s difficult to tell where real leather ends and plastic or vinyl begins theses days, so I recommend using a product designed for both. Lexol is the recognized leader.

Upholstery and Carpet Cleaners

For your carpet and fabric finishes, including carpeted floor mats, you can choose sprays or foams. There’s no easy answer here because there are advantages and disadvantages to each. Foams have the ability to push dirt to the surface where it can be vacuumed away. They also put less liquid into the fibers so the carpet or fabric dries faster. Conversely, liquid cleaners thoroughly wetting the fabric and carpet fibers for deep cleaning. I prefer liquid cleaners.

Glass and Plastic Cleaners

Ammonia-based glass cleaners should not be used on your vehicle. It’s harsh on interior car surfaces and it’s a health risk when used in confined spaces. A better solution is a damp microfiber towel. They clean glass without using chemical cleaners. You can clean clear plastic surfaces, including window tint film, with a glass cleaner as long as it does not contain ammonia or alcohol. These chemicals will ruin clear plastic. A better solution is to use a plastic cleaner, such as Plexus.

Paint Polish

Paint polish, not car wax, is what gives paint its high gloss shine. Choose a car polish that matches the needs of your car’s paint finish. New cars need a fine polish that cleans more than polishes. This type of polish is typically called a pre-wax cleaner. If you have swirl marks, fine scratches or water spots, choose a polish that specifically addresses these problems, but don’t use heavy rubbing compounds.

Clay Bar

About ten years ago a new product came onto the market for general use that cleans better than car polish. It’s called detailing clay, and it works like an erasure. Using a spray lubricant to prevent sticking, you simply rub the clay bar over the paint finish to make it clean and slick again. All of the bonded contamination transfers directly to the clay.

Car Wax

The final step is waxing. These days, “car wax” refers to any coating you apply to protect the paint. Synthetic waxes are also called paint sealants. Be leery of false claims on paint sealants. Too many products claim to last a year or more, and it’s simply not true. Regardless of any claim, your vehicle needs regular cleaning and waxing to prevent surface oxidation. Waxing three to four times a year is optimal.

To learn more about car cleaning products visit David Bynon’s Guide To Detailing blog, a leading source of information about detailing products and DIY car care. In our website we have a car products that is working you may click here to visit us.

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Top Car Repair Questions Answered Here

Dual action polisher, like the Zentool ZEN-21E2, produce a jiggling motion because the distance between the center spindle and the eccentric spindle is short. Having to get your vehicle repaired can be quite frustrating. It may be hard to find a good auto repair service that you can trust. This article will tell you find a reliable automotive service in your car repaired right. Always take note of the car cleaning products that you use because you might want it also to recommend with your friends.

Get a good battery charger and be sure it is always in your vehicle. Learn to locate the points where the battery charger on your car.

Ask any questions about your car when you have. Preventing vehicle issues can save you a lot of money.

Ask mechanics if they have done work on your particular make and model of car before contracting with them. If they have experience with your type of car, they will know which areas to check first on your car.

Referrals can be helpful for a trustworthy mechanic. Ask around for their recommendations. You can gain information about price and value that way. People can tell you know what type of experience they had and whether the person was honest or not.

Go over your automobile’s manual and make sure to mark important pages. You can even find the answer to a problem in your car manual can help you fix the issue.

Be aware of auto technicians who makes unneeded repairs to your car. A good mechanic will never perform work without getting your approval. Never give your car to someone who doesn’t do the right kinds of repairs.

Make sure that you are receiving OEM parts. These means they are directly from the manufacturer. While generics are much cheaper, you don’t know how they will perform in the future. It can appear like a deal right now and cost twice the end to use generic parts even though you save money now.

Watch out for obvious warning signs that don’t know what they’re doing. If they beat around the bush and act shifty, they are probably not the mechanic for you. You want to be able to trust the person doing your repairs, so don’t fear seeing someone else.

Always think of how to fix your car before you bring it in for repairs. You may already know that some mechanics sometime engage in dishonesty if they think they can make a larger profit.

Try looking for someone who fixes cars on their own garage. If they possess sufficient experience, you can get the same work done at a much cheaper price. You can save a lot of money and provide an independent worker by going down this route.

Speak with friends and family about auto shop recommendations before you pick a shop. They can fill you in the right direction if so. You should still always do your research however. At least look for reviews on the shops that they recommend.

The weight of a big key chain. If your key begins to stick, you need the tumblers replaced.

Be sure that you know how often the oil needs changing. You have to change it regularly to keep your vehicle runs smoothly. If you don’t change it, your car may not last as long as it could.

Even if your car only seems to have a small issue going on, it pays to get it looked at just the same. A seemingly small problem may grow into a big one if it is left unchecked.

Some auto shops may replace your tires with older ones. They do this so that they’re able to make a quick buck from you being ignorant. Mark your tires with some chalks before you drop your car off.If the chalk is not present when you go pick up the car, you have probably been swindled.

It may be a recall you didn’t know about. The manufacturer may even fix the problem at no cost to you.

Don’t fix your car right away.Call other mechanics to see how much repairs would be before getting work from the first mechanic. If another place can fix it cheaper, pay the shop for the labor and get your car fixed elsewhere.

Always ask plenty of questions when speaking with a mechanic. How long is the job take? What kind of work is being performed? How much will the auto parts cost? Ask them anything that concerns you about the work being done.

Ask for your old parts given back to you. This will help ensure the repairs have indeed been performed. This is not important if you get your exhaust system replacement. It’s simple to tell if they have installed a new system.

This was a popular old rule to follow for older cars. Modern cars usually do not need the oil changed less than every 5,000 miles, and some can last until around 10,000 miles. Follow what the manufacturer’s recommendations.

The need for repairs is an inevitable part of owning a car. The information that has been provided to you here will come in useful the next time vehicle repairs are required. Having a reputable auto repair shop on your side helps take away the stress. Click here for your choice of car products.

Marketing on Autopilot While Driving Your Kids to School

You spend a majority of your day driving around town, showing houses, going on listing appointments, meeting with clients, checking out comps and going to open houses and broker’s opens. Prospects are going to see your vehicle everywhere you go so why not leverage that to your advantage and turn it into a marketing machine? Create a moving vehicle signage Sydney for your company when you choose to turn your car into a professional marketing campaign using vehicle wraps from Absolutesignsolutions.com.au.

Vehicle wraps for Realtors are becoming more and more popular. There are a few similar products so let’s go over the main 3. First and cheapest aren’t exactly vehicle wraps for Realtors but they get lumped in the same category. They’re car magnets. Companies will design a huge magnet for you, maybe 1 ½ ft. by 1 ½ ft. in size. You can put your ad or website or whatever you want on it and slap it on the side of your car. In my opinion, I think they’re a bit cheesy and unprofessional, especially compared to vehicle wraps for Realtors. They don’t quite give of the vibe you want to prospective clients. The benefits are that they’re cheap and you can take them on and off when you want. I’m not saying don’t use them. Just know the image you’re conveying.

Second is a window decal. With car windows, you’ll see people use their name, company, website, image, etc. as the decal. They are similar to magnets in that you can customize the piece as well as remove it but still not as professional and slick as true vehicle wraps for Realtors. Some decals permanently adhere to the window and others are a removable film. You can pick the style you like best. The decal is on the inside of your window rather than the outside of your vehicle, as with the magnets. You can get creative and customize the font style, color and size of the text.

That brings us to real, true vehicle wraps for Realtors to use. You essentially “wrap” your vehicle with the advertisement and design you choose. It could be a small wrap or design that only goes down the side of your car horizontally or it could literally wrap your entire vehicle all the way around. It all depends on your budget, style and what your spouse thinks about revamping the family vehicle. Vehicle wraps are the most expensive of the options but definitely the most unique, professional and eye catching.

With all 3 options, the point is to catch people’s attention and direct them to your site or phone. That’s the goal. Not to have them see another Benz or Ford Focus drive by. Grab their interest, reel them in and tell them what to do. This should go without saying but make sure you have your logo or name on whichever product you choose. Keep it consistent on all your marketing. Make sure you make everything big enough for people to read and give them either a phone number to call (make it easy to remember) or better yet, a short website for them to visit.

And please, do me a favor and make the size of the text you use big enough to read if I’m further than 1 foot away from it. The worst thing in the world is spending money on some advertising that nobody can even read. Some people don’t like this marketing weapon because it draws too much attention. That’s how I am. I just don’t like so much attention. But the name of the game as an agent is to stand out, draw attention and use that attention to your benefit.

Sure, plenty of people will stare at you in the grocery store parking lot. But guess what? They’re going to know who you are, that’s for sure! And that’s what we want to have happen. The goal is for people to know who you are and remember you. If you’d like to try out a car magnet, I’d recommend VistaPrint.com. They’re inexpensive, professional and you control the design process.

If you want to go with a car decal, try JavaSigns.com. You can order online and don’t need an installer to come out to your car. Makes it a bit easier and less expensive. As for car wraps, I’d go with CarWraps.com and check out their portfolio. They have dealers/installers all over the country. Again, car wraps are the most expensive but it’s for a reason…They get better results! Don’t forget, if you’re going the car wrap route; be sure to check with your spouse beforehand. You don’t want to be sleeping on the couch because you didn’t get the “ok”.

Josh F. Sanders is a Real Estate Broker and the Founder of Shiloh Street University in Seattle, WA, an online marketing school designed specifically for Realtors and agents. Click here for any business advertisement signs inquiry.

SSU’s purpose is to “Create Wealthy Agents through World-Class Marketing” by providing step-by-step video marketing tutorials, lead-generation lessons, tips, articles, recommended marketing vendors and much more.

Get your FREE 5-DAY SNEAK PEEK of SSU’s “The Marketing Toolbox” at [http://www.shilohstreetuniversity.com]

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