Tips on washing/cleaning/waxing & maintaning the Car

If you feel it's easy, it's easy 

And believe me, it really is (easy).  Daily it takes me only 15 mins in the morning, 30 mins every 3rd day & 1 hour on Sundays.  I maintain it myself.

Pankaj you are right.

Its more or less a healthy habit than just  getting someone to clean your car.

At times it needs lot of patience,but people like us who are real enthusiasts when it comes to their cars,i think its worth time spending on some daily excercise fun.LOLz

Pankaj, Yours is excellent habit.

Spending so much money on the car - really needs the care.

Your practice is one to follow. I have Maruti Omni of 1999, many say I have kept it in excellent condition. But I have not followed the methods so systematically. Your thread has given some insights.

You can eloborate still more - if time perimts.

Thanks for kind words. I think I have discussed all that I follow.  I will update if I have missed anything. 

I would reiterate/emphasis that - though the cleaning methods/procedures may differ a little amongst us - it is very important to clean/maintain the car daily/regularly. 

The cleaner, howsoever good he may be, cannot be as concerned & possessive as we can be. 

Many amongst us have time constraints & hence cannot maintain the cars themselves.  But they should in any case oversee the maintenance regularly.

Hi Pankaj,

What should I use to clean the interior plastics? Is Amway leather and vinyl polish a good product to be used for cleaning the interiors?

On routine basis I wipe it daily with a dry cloth & at an interval of 2-3 days with a moist cloth.  Once in 3-4 weeks, whenever I wash my car with Amway Shampoo, I also wash the interior plastics with shampoo based moist cloth.  Once in 3-4 months, at the time of getting it serviced, the service station useWaxpol - Vinyl & Leather Polish. It cleans & gives a shiny look.  The procedure, as observed by me... the dash-board etc. is first cleaned & dried.  The polish is then spread over the surface uniformly in the circular motion.  After some time when the lotion dries, it is buffed with separate cloth.

useful info. thanks. Main headache is to clean car room floor, bottle rest hole, area around lidopener & rear decky lever switch & below seat area. This takes pretty much time & annoying sometime also. presently cleaning such black tiny area by brushing. Is there any easy but effective way out?

PSW:- which is the best method to clear dore glass & front glass shield? Enlighten me.

Pankaj

 Wont moist cloth/shampoo make the Dash plastic surface dull?  Even a small droplet of plain water makes an ugly water-mark! 

I use 3M Vinyl polish with sponge every fortnight.  Using Vinyl polish with sponge removes dirt from the surface and dirt gets obsorbed into the sponge. So you need 3 sponge pieces to do a car interior. Soiled sponges could be washed in normal soap water, rinsed and dried for reuse.

@Djp

Use Colin Glass cleaning liquid.  Fold to make soft cloth pad. Dab Colin and clean exterior and interior of all Glass & Mirror surfaces.  Do not spray Colin directly on the Glass surface.  Wipe dry with a clean, dry, soft cloth.

Portable, Rechargable, Compact Vacuum cleaner is avaible in the market. You may get it in Computer/Car accessories shop (Rs. 1800/- approx.).  It has a nozzle like attachment with which you could clean nooks & corners.  Use it once in a fortnight.  Its good. I am using one. Do not keep the vacuum cleaner always pluged in the power socket.  Only when it gets discharged completely - charge it.

No, I haven't experienced so until now - it hasn't turned dull or whatever.  I have never allowed water/shampoo to stay on the surface - may be, therefore.  Waxpol (Vinyl & Leather Polish), is used once in 3-4 months, as discussed before.

By the way I have dozens of 3M Plast Shield and 3M Glass Shine. These are left overs from a promotional activity that we did a while ago, If anybody wants few do let me know.