Car wash
Timely and thorough car washing is the simplest and most effective method of maintaining the car body in proper condition.
Here are some of the most common car washing tips:
- start washing immediately after the trip, especially if you find yourself in adverse weather conditions (rain, snow, dust storm);
- before washing, remove insect residues, especially from the windshield and headlights;
- for washing, use a large amount of water, a sponge or a very soft brush;
- do not allow water and steam under high pressure to enter the painted surfaces of the body;
- moisten the surface of the body, starting from the top, with plenty of water and let the dirt soak;
- wash off soaked dirt from top to bottom with plenty of running water;
- rinse the sponge or brush in running water as often as possible;
- wipe the body with technical suede or an old clean soft rag;
- for washing, it is recommended to use preparations for the care of paint and varnish coatings (car shampoos). Rinse thoroughly with clean running water;
- to protect the paintwork, you can add car body care products to the water;
- do not wash or dry the car in the sun - water drops acting as lenses leave whitish spots on the paint;
- Wipe up any spilled fuel, oil, grease, brake fluid, or antifreeze from body surface immediately.
Chemical reagents that are sprinkled on roads are especially harmful to hidden cavities, flanges and folds, as well as to door joints, trunk roof and hood.
Attention! Moisture on the brake discs reduces braking performance. Therefore, after washing the car at the beginning of the trip, it is recommended to apply the brakes several times to dry them.
Paint care
Cleanly washed and dry paintwork should be regularly treated with special products to protect the body from the effects of aggressive environmental influences with a layer of water-repellent coating based on waxes that fill the pores in the paintwork.
If the water does not roll off the painted surface of the car, but spreads over a large area, repeat the treatment process. Other means of preserving the color of the coating are detergents for the care of paintwork. However, they are only effective if they are used at every car wash, and the interval between washes does not exceed 2-3 weeks. Products containing carnauba or synthetic waxes are recommended for use.
After the use of detergents with the formation of foam, it is especially necessary to treat the surface of the body with paint care products.
Polishing
Body polishing is required only in cases where, as a result of insufficient care, the coating has lost its original luster under the influence of dust, industrial emissions, sun and rain, and treatment with paint care products does not give the desired results. Do not use abrasive or chemically aggressive polishes, although the first results may seem very satisfactory.
Before each polishing process, the car should be thoroughly washed and thoroughly dried. Follow the instructions for use of the respective car polish. Do not treat a large surface at once in order to avoid premature drying of the product. Some polishes include post-treatment with paint care products. Do not polish the car in the sun, do not use polishes when caring for matte paintwork.
Removal of tar and bitumen stains
Remove stains as quickly as possible, as they will eat into the paint, forming stains that cannot be completely removed. Fresh stains should be wiped off with a soft cloth moistened with washing gasoline. In the absence of such, you can use gasoline, kerosene or turpentine. Very effective paint care product. When using it, you should not refuse the subsequent washing.
Removal of insect residues
Clean up from insects immediately after returning from a trip. Insect residues contain substances that can damage paintwork if not removed promptly. If insects have stuck to the surface and cannot be washed off with a wet sponge, it is recommended to resort to using a warm soapy solution or detergent. On sale there are also special means for removing insect residues.
Building Material Splash Removal
Wash off splashes of building materials with a warm solution of neutral detergent. Be careful not to rub too hard to avoid scratching the paint. Finally, rinse the area with plenty of clean, running water.
Care of plastic products
Plastic products, artificial leather upholstery (seats, ceiling), glasses of headlights and lanterns, as well as elements painted in matt black, are washed with water (Can be added with shampoo). Try not to wet through the upholstery of the roof.
The use of nitro thinners, cold cleaners or petrol is strictly prohibited.
Glass cleaning
Glasses are wiped outside and inside with clean soft suede or rags. With severe pollution, alcohol, ammonia and warm water or special glass cleaners help. Tilt the wiper arms forward before cleaning the windshield. At the same time as wiping the windshield, wipe the wiper blades.
Attention! When using products containing silicone for cleaning glass, it is forbidden to use brushes, sponges, pieces of suede and rags that were previously used to clean the body. When spraying a silicone-based paint care product, cover the glass with a shield made of cardboard or other waterproof material. The use of nitro solvents, cold cleaners or gasoline is strictly prohibited, especially for the rear window of the body, on which the heating element is located.
Caring for rubber seals
The maintenance of rubber seals consists in coating their surface with talcum powder or aerosol silicone preparations, which preserves the elasticity of rubber products. It also allows you to get rid of the squeak when closing the doors. Squeaks can be removed by rubbing the surface with soapy water.
Wheel cleaning
Wheel disks made of steel are treated with anti-corrosion compounds, followed by priming and painting.
Alloy wheels are cleaned with a special tool, this is especially important in the cold season. It is forbidden to use aggressive liquids containing acidic and alkaline compounds, coarse-grained abrasives. All this leads to a violation of the varnish coating of the alloy wheel. Avoid steam blasting above 60°C.
Seat belt care
Wash the seat belts without removing them with a weak solution of soapy lye. Do not use chemical cleaners to avoid damaging the fabric. Wind automatic belts in a dry state. Do not dry the belts above 80°C or expose them to direct sunlight.
Underbody corrosion protection
Anti-corrosion protection of the bottom of the body is carried out at the manufacturing plant or specialized service stations. The bottom of the body must be completely covered with protective material. Hidden cavities are also filled with special compositions based on technical waxes applied by spraying. When carrying out an off-season inspection of the car, check the condition of the anti-corrosion protection after washing the underbody and apply an additional layer of protective material.
Dust, dirt, clay and sand collect on the bottom of the body. Pay special attention to cleaning the body from these deposits, especially in winter, when roads are treated with special reagents.
Anti-corrosion protection of the engine compartment
Anti-corrosion protection of the engine compartment prevents corrosion of the front of the car - side members, spars and cross members, as well as elements and assemblies located in the engine compartment, including the brake system, steering, front suspension. They should be treated with high-quality wax-based anti-corrosion agents, which are sprayed on immediately after washing and drying. Before washing the engine, it is necessary to close the elements of electrical equipment (generator, starter, breaker-distributor) polyethylene covers.
Independent anti-corrosion treatment of the body
To restore the protection of coatings, a number of mastics are used under the general name of autoanticorrosives. All of them are based on bituminous compounds with various fillers in the form of plasticizers and organic solvents. In a special series are autoanticorrosives based on epoxy resins and hardeners.
As autoanticorrosive agents, we can recommend rubber-bitumen, bituminous («Avtoantikor-2»), bitumen-rubber, epoxy-rubber compounds. The following mastics are recommended for use: automotive anti-corrosion type «Bitep», bituminous type «Elastocar», shale type MSA-3.
As protective agents for the treatment of hidden surfaces, auto-preservatives of the type «Movil», «Movil-2» and «Rezistan ML». Solvents for them are white spirit and gasoline.
To protect and seal welds, a material of the type «Plastisol D-4A», which is applied by brush to the primed surface and allowed to dry for up to 72 hours. To protect end edges and spot welds, adhesive joints based on rubber adhesives or «Moment» and 88N. After applying glue to the ends and flanges, a self-adhesive PVC-type tape is used.
Epoxy-rubber paint of the EPK-11 brand, which is recommended for interior work in the car body, perfectly protects against corrosion (floors).
To seal loose joints, it is recommended to apply sealant type AG and 51-17 on the inside of the joints, which must be applied with overlapping of the joint.
Perform the restoration of the anti-corrosion coating in the following order.
Carry out work at a temperature of 20°C.
Clean the damaged surface. Remove the remnants of exfoliated mastic and clean the place of damage from corrosion to a metallic sheen. Prime the surface to be restored and dry it.
Prepare the anti-corrosion composition by thoroughly mixing its components. Add solvent if necessary. Apply anti-corrosion coating in 2-4 coats, allowing 2 to 7 hours for each coat to dry. Final drying time of the entire coating (10-48 hours), depending on the type of coating used, is indicated in the instructions for use of autoanticorrosive.
Apply anticorrosives by spraying with spray guns. If necessary, these funds can be diluted with white spirit or gasoline.
Before applying anticorrosive agents, wash the hidden cavities with water under pressure and dry with hot air. For washing, sill cleaners are recommended. To introduce nozzles into hidden cavities, drill holes with a diameter of 9–10 mm and then close them with standard plugs. The highest protective properties among the film-forming oil compositions are possessed by means of the type NG-216A and NG-216B. Carry out the treatment of hidden cavities every 2 years for seasonal use of the car or every year for year-round use.
Upholstery care
Caring for upholstery consists in cleaning the fabric coverings with a vacuum cleaner or a fairly stiff brush. If heavily soiled, clean the fabric with dry foam. Remove grease or oil stains with gasoline or stain remover. Do not water the stain with cleaning solution to avoid streaks. Erase stains in a circular motion. Most dirt can be removed with warm soapy water.