Spring Cleaning Round-Up
When spring arrives, one of the rituals you do around Baton Rouge, LA, is to give your home a thorough cleaning. This replaces the ravages of winter with the welcoming of warmer weather. Why not do the same thing for your car with this round-up of tips from Gerry Lane Buick GMC?
Start with the tires.
Your tires touch the road constantly, making them susceptible to wear and damage from rolling on the ground, potholes, and sharp objects such as broken glass or nails. If you see anything embedded in the surface, don’t pull it out. It may be all that’s preventing air from leaking out of a hole. Instead, bring it to our Service Center where we can assess the damage and let you know if a repair or replacement is needed.
While you’re there, have us align your tires to ensure that they’re pointing straight and rotate them, so they all wear evenly. We’ll also fill your tires to the correct pressure, which will be listed in your owner’s manual or driver’s-side door. You can also fill your tires at the air pump of your local gas station.
Take care of the interior.
During the winter, it’s easy enough for the interior of your vehicle to accumulate all kinds of stuff, such as extra mittens, scarves, children’s toys, and air fresheners. Take them and anything else that’s loose out of your vehicle.
You'll now find it easier to take a stiff brush and he got all the dirt that has accumulated in your seams, vents, and tight corners. Then take a vacuum cleaner and suck up all the dirt and grime from the upholstery, carpeting, and any other soft surfaces.
Using an automotive interior cleaner, wipe down all the hard surfaces, such as the dashboard, door panels, and headrests. Spray eyeglass cleaner on the insides of the windshield and windows and wipe off the residue.
If anything, that you took out of your vehicle is going back inside, such as floor mats and organizers, clean them separately before returning them to your car.
Clean the exterior.
Park your vehicle in a shady place that is away from the sun. Otherwise, the surface may dry too quickly and produce water spots that you will have to clean off again.
Use a cleaner that is specifically made for your vehicle's exterior. You'll also need two buckets of water: one for the cleaner and one for rinsing your sponge or cleaning mitt. Proceeding from top to bottom, apply the cleaner to one section and then rinse it away with water from a hose. Be sure to clean your sponge frequently as well.
Don't forget to hose the underside of the car body, which can accumulate chemicals that are to melt snow and ice. You also want to pay special attention to the tires, which may need a specific tire cleaner of their own.
Dry off your car with a chamois or other soft cloth. Then apply a coat of wax to preserve the shine and further protect the exterior from weather, insects, bird droppings, and other damage.
Let the professionals do it.
If you don’t have the time to clean your car on your own, take it to a car wash and have the professionals do it. Keep in mind that even though they will do a good job on the exterior, they probably only give the interior light vacuuming.
If you want someone to thoroughly take care of both the exterior and interior, you’ll have to ask an auto detailer for their services. They will cost more than a car wash, but you can afford to splurge on spring cleaning your car once a year.
Bring it in for a tune-up.
Because you didn’t want to deal with the bad weather of winter, you may have neglected to bring your vehicle in for its scheduled maintenance. This regular servicing is important because it keeps your car running at its best. So, bring it in for a tune-up. Our factory-certified professionals use only manufacturer-vetted parts to make any repairs. They’ll also be able to inspect parts that you do not have the skill to do, such as your air conditioning, which will get plenty of use in the summer.
Your tires touch the road constantly, making them susceptible to wear and damage from rolling on the ground, potholes, and sharp objects such as broken glass or nails. If you see anything embedded in the surface, don’t pull it out. It may be all that’s preventing air from leaking out of a hole. Instead, bring it to our Service Center where we can assess the damage and let you know if a repair or replacement is needed.
While you’re there, have us align your tires to ensure that they’re pointing straight and rotate them, so they all wear evenly. We’ll also fill your tires to the correct pressure, which will be listed in your owner’s manual or driver’s-side door. You can also fill your tires at the air pump of your local gas station.
Take care of the interior.
During the winter, it’s easy enough for the interior of your vehicle to accumulate all kinds of stuff, such as extra mittens, scarves, children’s toys, and air fresheners. Take them and anything else that’s loose out of your vehicle.
You'll now find it easier to take a stiff brush and he got all the dirt that has accumulated in your seams, vents, and tight corners. Then take a vacuum cleaner and suck up all the dirt and grime from the upholstery, carpeting, and any other soft surfaces.
Using an automotive interior cleaner, wipe down all the hard surfaces, such as the dashboard, door panels, and headrests. Spray eyeglass cleaner on the insides of the windshield and windows and wipe off the residue.
If anything, that you took out of your vehicle is going back inside, such as floor mats and organizers, clean them separately before returning them to your car.
Clean the exterior.
Park your vehicle in a shady place that is away from the sun. Otherwise, the surface may dry too quickly and produce water spots that you will have to clean off again.
Use a cleaner that is specifically made for your vehicle's exterior. You'll also need two buckets of water: one for the cleaner and one for rinsing your sponge or cleaning mitt. Proceeding from top to bottom, apply the cleaner to one section and then rinse it away with water from a hose. Be sure to clean your sponge frequently as well.
Don't forget to hose the underside of the car body, which can accumulate chemicals that are to melt snow and ice. You also want to pay special attention to the tires, which may need a specific tire cleaner of their own.
Dry off your car with a chamois or other soft cloth. Then apply a coat of wax to preserve the shine and further protect the exterior from weather, insects, bird droppings, and other damage.
Let the professionals do it.
If you don’t have the time to clean your car on your own, take it to a car wash and have the professionals do it. Keep in mind that even though they will do a good job on the exterior, they probably only give the interior light vacuuming.
If you want someone to thoroughly take care of both the exterior and interior, you’ll have to ask an auto detailer for their services. They will cost more than a car wash, but you can afford to splurge on spring cleaning your car once a year.
Bring it in for a tune-up.
Because you didn’t want to deal with the bad weather of winter, you may have neglected to bring your vehicle in for its scheduled maintenance. This regular servicing is important because it keeps your car running at its best. So, bring it in for a tune-up. Our factory-certified professionals use only manufacturer-vetted parts to make any repairs. They’ll also be able to inspect parts that you do not have the skill to do, such as your air conditioning, which will get plenty of use in the summer.