Selecting The Right Car Color To Avoid The Car Wash

Posted on April 28, 2011 by admin

CarBlack, white, blue, green?  What is the best car color to choose?

According to Cars.com, the most popular car colors are as follows:

  • White: 21 percent
  • Black: 18 percent
  • Silver: 17 percent
  • Gray: 15 percent
  • Red: 11 percent
  • Blue: 9 percent
  • Brown: 5 percent
  • Green: 2 percent
  • Yellow: 1 percent

Picking your car color based on popularity isn’t always the best options.  This is especially true, if you don’t like washing your car a lot.

If you don’t want to wash your car a lot, you should avoid blacks, dark blues and dark greens.  These colors get dirty very quickly.

White is a good color to get if you don’t want to wash your car a lot.  It also hides any dents you may get in parking lots.

However don’t get too caught up with what gets dirty the fastest.

Yes, some car colors require more washing than others, but there are also benefits.  For example, it’s a lot easier to resell a black car that gets dirty faster than it is to sell a bright yellow car.

To also help avoid washing your car a lot, use long-lasting tire shine products and car soaps.  Using the best tire cleaner and car soaps will keep you from washing your car a lot because they’ll protect your vehicle from dirt and dust.

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How To Clean Dead Bugs Off Your Car Or Truck

Posted on April 26, 2011 by admin

car bugsIf there’s one thing that can damage the paint on your car or truck, it’s dead bugs.

After a long drive during the night, you’re likely to see dead bugs splattered all over your vehicle’s front bumper and headlights in the morning.

If you let the dead bugs sit too long, they could wear away the paint.  To help protect against this, you should take the following steps:

1. Try to remove any lose bugs with a high-pressure hose.

2. Get a bucket of soap and warm water.  Try to use a soap designed for cars.  This will help to protect the clear coat on your car.

3. Get a durable sponge or a car cleaning cloth to wipe away the bugs using the soap and water.  Be sure to rinse thoroughly after cleaning.

4. If the bugs are still on there, try using a mild degreaser product.  Use this as a last resort.

We know cleaning dead bugs off your car can be gross, but it’s something that you should take care of as soon as possible.

If you plan on washing the rest of your car, be sure to use quality products.  Using a good tire cleaner, tire dressing and car shampoo can make all the difference in how your car looks.

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Tire Shine 101: What Is Sling?

Posted on April 21, 2011 by admin

car wheelsYou may have heard the term “sling” used in relation to tire shine and tire dressing products.

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, here’s what you need to know.

Sling is when the tire shine that you apply to your car’s tires flings up and splatters on the side of your car while driving.  This is a common problem when you use low quality tire shine products.

Do you know why?

It’s because many low quality tire shine products use petroleum in their formula, which makes it slick and slippery.  That’s why you get the grease spots on the side of your car after driving.

Think about the grease you put in a frying pan.  It sometimes splatters.  Why would you put that on your tires?

To help prevent sling, you should look for quality tire shine products that are non-petroleum based.  This will help prevent sling.

If you use a non-petroleum tire shine, you will not have to apply it as often because it will stick to the tires.  Some good tire shine products can last up to four months.

Before buying any tire shine products, be sure to look at the bottle to see what it contains.  If there’s petroleum avoid these products.  This will help to defend against sling.

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The Best Hose Attachments For Washing Your Car

Posted on April 18, 2011 by admin

hose attachmentWhen you’re washing your car, it’s important to have the right tools and the right car cleaning products.

Without the proper tire cleaner and car shampoo, your car is not going to look great.  The same goes when it comes to hose attachments.

You want to find the right hose attachment that will provide enough pressure to remove dirt, mud and other debris from the surface of your car.

To help you find the right carwash hose attachment, we’ve come up with a short list of some of our favorites.

  • Car Wash High Pressure Water Spray Gun: This is your more typical kind of hose spray gun attachment.  It features four settings so you can adjust the water pressure to varying pressure degrees.  Price: $19.40.

  • Carrand Super Sudzer Hose:  This hose attachment includes a high-pressure spray attachment along with a built-in soap dispenser.  Load your soap and spray soapy water on your car.  Price: $21.49.

Any of these three hose attachments would be great for washing your car.  For more ideas, talk with family and friends about what they use to spray down their cars.

Also remember to use quality tire shine products and other car care products when cleaning your car.  This will help make it look great.

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How To Save Water While Washing Your Car

Posted on April 15, 2011 by admin

washing carWith water bills rising, it is becoming more expensive to do things like wash your car in your driveway.

To help you save money and conserve water, you should follow the tips below when washing your car.

  • Turn off the hose: When you’re not using the hose, make sure that it is turned off.  If it has a spray attachment on it, be sure there are no leaks so water can’t escape.
  • Set Time Limits: When using the hose, give yourself a time limit to get all the soapsuds off your car.  This will help you save on water.
  • Use Long-Lasting Products: Using long-lasting tire shine products and other car care products means you won’t have to wash your car as often.  You’ll save on water and your car will keep looking great.
  • Dry Your Car: You’re wasting your water if you don’t dry your car after a wash.  Drying your car helps protect against water spots and smudges.

Following these tips will help you save water this summer when you’re washing your car.  Remember to use quality products when cleaning your vehicle.  Using the best tire cleaner and car shampoo can make the difference in how your car looks.

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What Is Brake Dust And How Do You Stop It?

Posted on April 12, 2011 by admin

You’ve probably heard of and even seen brake dust before.  But do you know what it is?  Do you know how it damages your wheels?

This blog post will tell you everything you need to know about brake dust.

As the name suggests, brake dust comes from your car’s brakes.  When you apply the brakes, small metal filings from the brake pads come off.  As it mixes with oils and dirt, it can damage your vehicle’s wheels.

Brake dust can eat into the finish of your aluminum wheels causing wear on the finish and small craters in the metal of the wheels.

So how do you protect against brake dust?

You have to regularly use a tire brush and tire cleaner to wash your car’s tires.  You sometimes may have to wash the wheels twice to get rid of all of the brake dust.  Also be sure to thoroughly rinse your tires.  This will help to prevent a build-up of brake dust.

You should try to wash off brake dust as soon as possible.  This will help to protect the wheels on your car.

When looking for the best tire cleaner for your vehicle, look for ones that provide long lasting shine.

Following the tips in this post will help to protect your car from brake dust.

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Three Tips To Finding A Good Car Wash

Posted on April 7, 2011 by admin

car washThe best way to get a perfectly clean car is to do it yourself and use quality tire shine products.

However we know that you always don’t have time to do it yourself.  Sometimes you have to take it to a car wash.  In these cases, it can be difficult to find a good car wash.

If you’re like most people, you want to take it to a car wash that does a good job and won’t damage your vehicle.  This can be hard.

To find a good car wash, you should follow these tips:

1. Don’t Worry About Price: Price should not be the deciding factor if you want to find a good car wash.  Many people get too caught up on price.  Also, an expensive car wash does not necessarily make it the best.

2. Soft Brushes: If you’re going to an automatic car wash, you want to go to one that has soft brushes.  Automatic car washes with cylinder drum style brushes can sometimes damage your vehicle.

3. Get Reviews: Ask around about good car washes.  Family and friends can usually provide good recommendations.  Also visit review sites such as Yelp! And CitySearch.

These three tips will help you find a good car wash.  After you wash your car, spray a little tire shine on your tires to give it a finished look.

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The Best Tire Gauges For Your Car

Posted on April 4, 2011 by admin

tire gaugeHaving a good tire gauge is essential for any car or truck owner.

It’s important to regularly check the tire pressure because it affects gas mileage as well as handling and performance.  You should regularly check your tire pressure at least once a month.

To do this, you need a good tire gauge.  To help you find the right gauge, we’ve listed the top three tire gauges that we like.

  • Accutire Tire Gauge: This is a heavy-duty tire gauge that reads from 5 to 100 psi.  It has an easy to read needle dial.  This tire gauge also features a flexible rubble hose.  Price: $9.99.

  • G.H. Meiser & Co. Digital Tire Gauge: This tire gauge has a digital reader that makes it easy to tell the psi in your tires.  It instantly gives you accurate tire pressure readings.  Price: Around $10.

  • Moroso Tire Pressure Gauges: This tire pressure gauge is easy to see at night and has a large dial.  It has a long 16-inch hose that is easy to maneuver.  This is a great tire gauge for cars and trucks.  Price: $39.99.

Once you have a tire gauge, all you need to do is check the tire pressure.  We recommend checking it while you’re pumping gas or after washing your car.

Remember to check the tire pressure after you apply the tire cleaner and the tire dressing.

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Are Tire Warranties Worth the Investment?

Posted on March 25, 2011 by admin

Tire WarrantiesBefore you buy tire dressing and other tire shine products for your new set of tires, you’re going to have to consider whether or not to buy a warranty for your new tires.

When it comes to tire warranties, you’ll hear people give two opinions:

  • Opinion One: It’s a lifesaver.
  • Opinion Two: It’s a scam.

It all depends withwhom you are talking with about tire warranties.  To help determine if tire warranties are worth the investment, answer the questions below.

Question 1:  How Much Do I Drive?

If you’re driving a lot and putting a lot of wear and tear on your tires, you may want to consider getting the warranty.  Yes, blown tires can happen at any point, but the odds increase if you’re on the road a lot more.

Question 2:  Am I Willing To Spend Extra?

Tire warranties will cost you additional money.  Does your personal budget allow for you to spend money on the tire warranty?  This is something that you will need to ask yourself.

Question 3:  What Is Included In the Warranty?

Be sure to ask the sales clerk what is included in the warranty.  All tire warranties are different.  However, most cover defects in workmanship and materials over the life of the useable tread.  Is this something that you’re willing to pay extra for?

Summary

Answering these three questions will help to determine whether or not to buy the warranty that comes with your tires.

In the end, it is all based on personal preference.  Some people like the extra comfort in knowing that the manufacturer protects their car’s tires.Other people cannot justify paying the extra money.

Either way, you’ll figure out the answer after answering the questions in this blog post.

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How To Clean Your Car’s Trunk

Posted on March 22, 2011 by admin

trunk The trunk is one of the most overlooked parts of a car when it comes to cleaning.

Most people will clean the interior and exterior as well as the wheels with tire dressing.  However when it comes to the trunk, many people forget about it.

It’s important to keep a clean trunk because that is where you haul some of your most valuable cargo.  Groceries, clothing and small furniture purchased at stores are regularly transported in your car’s trunk before it makes it to your home.

Don’t you want to hold items you eat and wear in a clean space?

To help you keep your trunk clean, here are some car trunk cleaning and car trunk organizing tips.

  • Remove Everything From Your Trunk and Then Clean: When cleaning your trunk, remove all items before cleaning.  This will make it easier to remove dirt and other debris.
  • Use a Power Vacuum: Using a high-powered vacuum will help to remove any dirt and debris lodged in the carpet fibers of your trunk.  Be sure to vacuum thoroughly.  Remove any stains or smells with a carpet cleaner.
  • Organize Your Trunk: If you want your trunk to stay clean, it needs to be organized.  Store jumper cables and any car cleaning materials such as tire cleaner inside of trunk organizers.
  • Treat Your Trunk Like The Car Interior: Would you place a dirty tire wrench in the backseat of your car?  If your answer is probably not … then don’t put it in your trunk.  Make sure to clean items before storing them in your trunk.

Following these tips will keep your car trunk clean and looking great.  For more car detailing tips, visit the PowerSheen blog.

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