When you own a car, you don’t own a singular thing. Instead, you own a set of wheels, an engine, an exhaust system, and much more. These all work together as your car. An incredible number of components come together to create your vehicle. So if you want to be a responsible car owner, you need to regularly clean some key parts of your car. Some components can get dirty and wear down quickly, which is why you need to be proactive and clean them before they cause damage in the long term.
Door Seals
The door seals are an important part of keeping your car temperature comfortable at all times of the year. They also help minimize outside noise in your cabin. Effective door seals will ensure your door stays shut and that things like bugs or pollutants can’t get in. However, they do wear down over time. Age and regular use add up and can damage the seal’s ability to hold and do its job. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help. With some mild soap and water, you can clean off accumulated dirt and debris and breathe new life into your car door seals.
Catalytic Converter
One key part of your vehicle you should clean that can be easy to forget is your catalytic converter. This car part is one of the main components in your exhaust system, and it helps filter harmful pollutants out of your exhaust so that your emissions are safe. Over time, those pollutants, dust, and debris can stack up, clogging your exhaust system if you’re not careful.
The biggest exhaust system maintenance tip you should know is that you need to regularly clean your catalytic converter. And cleaning it is actually quite a simple process. All you need to do is add a cleaner to your gas tank and let it go through your exhaust system, loosening the clog in the converter and getting everything back into proper working order.
Interior Upholstery
Another component of your car you should clean regularly is your interior upholstery. Years of use lead to a lot of wear and tear. And when you’re not cleaning that upholstery regularly, it can add up and significantly age your vehicle. You should take a vacuum to your interior every few months or so to remove dirt and pet hair that can accumulate. Additionally, remove trash or items just taking up space in your vehicle, such as old bottles, bags, or clothes. Consider also investing in an upholstery cleaner so that you can remove stains and odors that have made their way into your car over the years.
These are the important parts of your car you should clean regularly, but don’t forget to clean the other parts too. Car maintenance is the most important thing you can do if you want to be a responsible car owner, and one major part of that is regular and thorough cleaning. Get the right tools, get a little greasy, and keep your car looking good for years!