Turtle Wax Tech Tips
1. You only have to look at all the filth you cleared off the windshield with your wipers to imagine what your paintwork goes through. Bodywork is on the frontline, attacked by grit, tar, oil, and salt, so you can imagine the abuse it takes throughout the rodding season. We asked the guys at Turtle Wax for a couple tips on how to keep our cars looking perfect all year long.
Recommendations:
* Look out for chips, since the front of the car and thesills are prone.
* Use a Turtle Wax ChipStick to stop rust in chips or scratches.
* Remove any bird droppings as soon as possible.
2. In order to get the best results from a car wax, it is necessary to first wash the car to remove dirt and road grime. Failure to do this can result in scratching of the finish during waxing due to the presence of abrasive particles in the road dirt. Washing is also effective in removing residue from industrial fallout, bird droppings, and road salt.
Recommendations:
To prevent scratching, use two sponges-one for dirty areas and the other for cleaner parts.Drive the car briefly afterward to ensure the brakes are dry and to prevent corrosion.Don't forget to clean the painted areas covered by shut doors, tailgate, boot, or bonnet.
3. Waxing and Polishing
Waxes and polishes serve three primary purposes: cleaning a car's finish, improving the shine, and protecting the surface against Mother Nature. Most waxes/polishes contain very mild abrasives, along with chemical cleaning agents, lubricants and waxes. These abrasive services remove surface oxidation while leaving behind a high gloss shine.
Recommendations:
a. Never apply wax onto surfaces that cannot be easily buffed.
b. Ideal waxing temperature is between 55F - 85F.
c. Always apply paste wax in thin coats.
d. Soft terry cotton makes perfect polishing cloths.
e. Do not apply wax in direct sun (unless you are using ICE(r) Synthetic Liquid or Paste Polish) on dark finishes, this makes polish and wax removal difficult.
f. Only wax a recently washed surface.
4. Wheels & Tires
Wheels and Tires are about the hardest surfaces on a car to keep clean and shiny. That's because they're the surfaces closest to the road. Wheel care has become more complex in recent years with the growth in popularity of painted chrome wheels, ABS plastic hubcaps and mag wheels. Each of these sensitive surfaces needs specially formulated products to provide maximum cleaning without causing surface damage.
Recommendations:
a. Move car a few feet after cleaning to spot any untreated areas.
b. Use trip protectant on the wheelarch plastic when clean.
c. To avoid staining the ground, apply Turtle Wax(r) Wet n' Black(r) Tire Shine.
5. Glass Care
After paintwork, it is the biggest surface on your car; it's right in front of your nose, yet it is probably the most commonly ignored. Most of us pay little attention to windows and screens when cleaning, thinking only the shampoo and sponge need to do their bit. Well, for wipers to work properly, the screen has to be free from silicones which washing alone doesn't need always shift.
Recommendations:
a. Drop opening side windows by a couple of inches to clean the top edge
b. Glass doesn't only mean the windows - don't forget to clean the rear view and side mirrors!
6. Interior Cleaning
It seems as if it's just as hard to keep the inside of a car from getting dirty as the outside. Interior surfaces include vinyl, fabric and leather upholstery, carpeting, plastic or rubber floor mats and dashboards,
Recommendations:
a. Before cleaning these areas, we recommend vacuuming to remove loose dirt, particularly from the folds of the upholstery.
b. To save time, use ICE(r) Total Interior Care for cleaning multiple surfaces at once. It cleans, shines and protects soft vinyl, plastic and leather surfaces. It even works for removing stains on carpet and fabric.
c. To get the headlining back to its best, a coarse decorator's sponge is the perfect tool.
d. Rub an ice pack over chewing gum to make it hard and easier to shift.
e. Keep cleaner off steering wheel (unless you are using ICE(r) Total Interior Care), gear level and pedals.
7. Rubbing & Polishing Compounds
Some of you may think you need a new paint job, when all you really need is a paint rescue job - and a new life for your old finish. What you need is a good quality rubbing and polishing compound. What a rubbing and polishing compound does is rub away the top layers of oxidized film as well as some paint, restoring the paint to its factory condition.
Recommendations:
a. Be careful when applying, don't break through the primer coat.
b. For cars with conventional finishes, we recommend Turtle Wax(r) Premium Rubbing Compound and Premium Polishing Compound.
8. Winterizing Your Vehicle
For those of us that experience the cold, dampness, and the sleet and snow of winter, know that this time of the year can be hard on a car. For example, weak car batteries inform you of their condition usually in near zero weather with the familiar sound of a slow growl at the worst possible time. Hard starting, and poor engine performance in the cold of winter are symptoms an engine will experience if not tuned properly. Start winter car care preparation before cold weather sets in.
Recommendations:
a. Thoroughly wash the car with Zip Wax Car Wash and towel dry.
b. Remove any remaining tar and stains with Turtle Wax(r) Bug and Tar Remover.
c. Seal any exposed metal from scratches with touch up paint or a Turtle Wax(r) Color Magic(tm) w/Chip Stik. Now the car is ready for wax.
d. Remember, a car can be waxed in cool weather as low as 50 F.
e. During the winter visit the local car wash regularly or any time excessive soils accumulate on the car's exterior. When winter ends and as soon as the weather starts to warm up, get ready to re-wax to restore shine and exterior paint protection.
f. Seasonal car care which includes a good quality car wax like ICE(r) Synthetic Paste Polish will keep a car looking it's best for years to come.