Expert Advice for Green Auto Detailing Products and Tricks

It’s that time again—time to work on turning your dirty vehicle into one that sparkles and shines. But taking your vehicle to a professional car detailing service center will cost you upwards of $100 every time, making this an expensive process most of us can’t afford these days. Becoming a DIY car cleaner is a simple way to save money without a lot of hassle.

So, whether you’re a seasoned car cleaner or are new to doing it yourself, you’ll benefit from these expert tips on using auto detailing products and processes to getting your car looking as stunning as the day you picked it out.

• Choose green car cleaning products. Traditional car cleaning products can be full of toxic and petrochemicals that are simply unhealthy for you and the environment.

• Always start with the interior of your car and move outward. That means start by removing floor mats, then vacuum and clean interior surfaces, then move to cleaning the exterior of your car.

• Use cotton swabs and toothbrushes to get in the nooks and crannies to get the interior of your vehicle really clean.

• To protect, condition, and restore natural suppleness and beauty to rubber, vinyl and leather, choose a non-toxic product that doesn’t off-gas toxic chemicals. Laura Klein’s Green Car Tire & Dashboard Dressing is just the right product for the job. This highly concentrated formula gives long lasting protection & shine! It is a water and plant based cleaning product that is free of petroleum ingredients and harmful silicone oils. It does not leave a sticky residue, and there are no smelly fumes for you or your family to inhale. There are no harsh chemicals. Just environmentally friendly, easy green cleaning at its best!

• Use a degreaser like Laura Klein’s Green Car Cleaner Degreaser to remove build-up of grease under the hood of your car. Spray it and your engine down, scrub with a brush or a cloth, and then wipe dry with a microfiber cloth. If you use a hose to rinse down your engine, move your car over your grass or a gravel area to prevent oils, heavy metals from flowing into storm drains.

• Choose a waterless car wash product to clean your car. It will save you time, water and money on expensive car washes. All you do is simply spray it on a two foot square area of your car and wipe away the dirt and grime with one microfiber cloth, and polish and shine with a second. It will not scratch your car and even removes bird poop. However if you do have  caked on mud and crud from 4×4ing, take your car to the professional wash where the water is recycled and use the waterless car wash product to maintain it. Laura Klein’s Green Car Waterless Wash & Shine is an excellent product.

• Once your vehicle is clean, do a thorough check of the paint to see if there are any scratches or spots where the paint has been chipped. You’ll want to treat these areas with color-matched paint and then be sure to apply enough protectant to prevent these areas from wearing sooner than the rest of your finish. Apply a product like Laura Klein’s Green Car Wash & Wax Concentrate to provide your car’s exterior with full-spectrum UVA/UVB protection. Remember to move your product over a grassy or gravel area when using a hose to wash your car to prevent toxic runoff into storm drains.