The Most Important Spring Cleaning Tips For Racing Cars You Need To Know
Once the tough winter season is over, you need to give your racing car some tender loving care. That’s because its exterior has undergone quite a beating from the freezing temperatures and salt, on top of the usual wear and tear. Likewise, its interior is most likely to have been bombarded with ice and slush.
Spring is the perfect time to bring back your pride and glory to its former beauty. It deserves the attention that it gave you on the tracks. Every spring, you must take the time to tune and rev up your car to ensure it is ready for the racing season ahead. With that in mind, here are the best spring cleaning tips for racing cars that you can do at the comforts of your home.
Gather Your Tools
The first thing you want to do is to assemble all the supplies and tools you’ll need to thoroughly clean your car. These include a pressure washer, a vacuum cleaner, microfiber towels, a variety of sponges, and rags. To get the job done, you’ll also need various liquids for auto detailing:
- Wash shampoo and conditioner
- Interior and exterior detailers
- Wax liquid
- Tire cleaner
- Rim cleaner
- Foam applicator
- Lubricator
The two-bucket technique is usually used when car washing, wherein one bucket contains a water and soap mixture, and the other is solely used for rinsing a wash mitt. Although this is a good method, it can eat up a lot of your time. If you want to save time, electric pressure washers are the way to go. Not only do these devices will make the car shine, but they are also more efficient and can get rid of even the toughest of dirt.
Get Rid Of Interior Debris
Check the truck and interior of your car and remove any garbage you’ve left behind. Open the center console to see if there is residual trash in the in-door storage and glove box compartments. Make sure that all nooks and crannies of your car are cleaned and only leave important things in there such as a flashlight and required documentation.
Before putting things back to their respective places, wipe all the compartments down with a microfiber towel and interior detailer. Then, wipe the dashboard down using a special cleaner, as well as the storage areas, center stack, and instrument panel.
Check Underneath The Seats
The rule of thumb when cleaning any car is to look in areas that are hard to see. Of course, that includes under the seats, which you’ll be surprised at the things you can find there. Furthermore, this is the area where massive amounts of dirt and dried salt exists.
That’s why it’s always a good idea to vacuum under the seat to remove plenty of unwanted things from your car. When cleaning, make sure to move the seat as far back and forward as it can go. Doing so will provide you with a better view of the stuff hiding under there.
Wash The Floor Mats
The most effective way to deep clean rubber car floor mats is with a pressure washer since it will do the job for you. Pressure rinse the mats off and leave them to dry. When dry, you’ll most likely find spots that still have some dirt. Simply spray a bit of degreaser on the areas, let it sit for a few minutes, and then give them some brushing. Rinse the car mats and let them air dry again.
Give The Headlights And Taillights Proper Cleaning
Two of the parts that acquire the most dirt during winter are your car’s taillights and headlights. As spring sets in, they will appear quite foggy and filthy. Nevertheless, most drivers pay little to no attention to these. Usually, we don’t give them the time of day as long as the bulbs are not burnt out. But taillights and headlights are very important when it comes to safety and visibility on the track when there’s a heavy downpour during your race.
Giving these components a simple wipe with a warm, damp cloth in the spring can make a huge difference. Not only will your car’s visibility improve but the range of light coming from it as well. Likewise, it will be easier for people and other drivers to see you from a distance.
Wax The Exterior Of Your Car
Washing your car’s exterior is good to remove any corrosive salt from its body. However, do not forget to polish to finish it. Although you don’t have to wax the outside of your car all the time, it is advisable to do it at least once or twice a year, especially during spring. After all, wax presents numerous benefits, which includes:
- Seal the paint
- Repel water beads
- Add shiny coat to the exterior surface
- Get rid of water spots
Change Oil
Consider having two oil changes annually instead of the recommended every 3,000 miles. And if you have the budget for it, go for high-quality synthetic oil. Although this may cost you more, the peace of mind it will give you is worth the extra bucks.
Rotate Your Tires
This standard maintenance is often overlooked. Just like oil changes, spring is a good time for tire rotation. Doing so will ensure that all your tires will wear evenly. Hence, it’s a must to rotate them regularly.
Clean The Tires
Another important exterior area you need to clean is the tires of your car. Make sure to apply non-acid cleaning products when washing the tires to give them a good clean while preventing harsh chemicals from damaging them. Then, remove any tough dirt that has worked its way into the tires with a stiff brush. Overall cleanliness minus the harsh chemicals will leave your tires in tip-top condition.
Watch these video instructions for a more detailed way to clean your tires.
Check The Breaks
Determining if the brake pads of your car need replacement are also best done in spring. Your mechanic can also evaluate what’s the condition of brake discs (or brake drums if you have an older car). Usually, you don’t need to replace them if you have serviced them on schedule. However, some instances call for these parts to be replaced.
Give The Undercarriage Of Your Car A Good Washing
Washing the undercarriage of your racing car can help prevent rust from rearing its ugly head. And there’s no better time to do this than after winter. All kinds of filth, salt, mud, and gravel can get trapped under your car, around its exhaust, muffler, wheel wells, and axles. Blasting these off with a pressure washer is the best way to go about it.
Moreover, visiting a professional car wash once during spring never hurts to give it some thorough cleaning. This will also ensure that anything that’s corrosive and can cause rust to build up and spread gets taken care of immediately. Keep in mind that rust is like cancer. Once it gets hold of your car, it will spread and eat it alive. So keep your vehicle’s underside clean to make it last longer.
