1:05 pm, October 4, 2024
If you’ve been following our very own James Baggottt as he navigates the world of selling used cars, you’ll know that he hasn’t found everything as easy as first anticipated.
But now the Clever Car Collection has premises of its own and some excellent five star reviews from very happy customers, James has been thinking about ways to streamline the selling process and potentially make some savings.
Previously, used car stock has been taken to professional body shops and valeting experts for preparation before sale, but James posed the question: ‘Why can’t I do that myself?’.
Well, the main reason is that, like so many of us, he’s a bit rubbish at cleaning his own vehicles. But perhaps more importantly, it turns out there is a subtle art to the perfectly clean car.
In the latest episode of the AI Car Dealership Project, James paid a visit to leading car cleaning experts Autogylm to get the inside scoop on the sort of products required for a professional standard clean, as well as the methods to ensure a shiny, scratch-free vehicle at the end of it.
Hit play on the video above to get the full run-down on how to clean a car properly, but for those who haven’t got the time to stick around, here are a few pro tips:
Wheels
Make sure they are cool to the touch before you start working on them, avoid spraying chemical directly on to hot wheels and brakes, as it will evaporate and not get to work. Grab a heavy duty wheel cleaner and spray the chemical evenly from the bottom to the top of the wheel to avoid streaks.
Using a good quality chemical will often mean you don’t have to go at the wheel with a brush, simply coat the surface, leave it to get to work and then remove with a pressure washer.
Bodywork
Use a dedicated detergent to break down the worst of the dirt on a vehicle before taking a mitt to paintwork, as you could risk scratching it. The correct detergent can be left to work and then removed with a pressure washer, starting from bottom to top.
Once the worst of the filth is removed, you can now work the larger surfaces with a shampoo. It doesn’t matter if you use hot or cold water for this, but get the dilution levels correct, so you aren’t leaving excess soap on the paintwork.
Work from top to bottom this time, but load up the mitt with plenty of shampoo and work on long straight lines rather than working in small circles. Don’t drop the mitt on the floor, as it will pick up debris and scratch your paint.
Remove the shampoo with a pressure washer, making sure all of the suds have been removed to avoid any streaking. Dry off with a synthetic chamois leather and, finally, microfibre cloths.
Interior
First thing to do is get the mats out and use dedicated brushes to brush dirt and debris to one spot. This will make it much easier to vacuum it up in one go, rather than chasing it around the vehicle.
Use a specific fabric cleaner or stain remover if you have lingering stains, as this will break down the enzymes causing the pongs. Giving it a good scrub with a specific sponge will lift away any stains or smells that are in the cabin.
A quick wipe around the hard surfaces with a cleaner and a chamois leather will bring the interior up to a great standard.
