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Winter storms with snow, ice, sleet and tornadoes struck with a vengeance this year. The moisture is welcomed in drought stricken areas. However damage from sand, rocks and salt is most unwelcomed. Let's take a look at spring cleaning your car, truck or van.

First a few do's and don'ts.

*Do wash bugs off the front of your vehicle nightly. Bug juice eats into the paint leaving pin size holes that are often mistaken for small rock chips.

*Petroleum distillates can damage paint and tires. To avoid car waxes and tire treatments that contain petroleum distillates that damage paint and tires, type in 'MSDS sheet for XYZ wax or tire treatment' into a search engine. MSDS stands for material safety data sheet. Look for the words, aliphatic hydrocarbon, hydrocarbon, mineral oil or petroleum. They are all alternative words for petroleum distillates. This is the only way to know if a product does contain distillates.

*Do not use harsh cleaners like dish soap or heavy duty degreasing cleaners to wash your vehicle. Over time the degreasing agents damage paint leading to oxidation.

* It is best to use a pressure washer to rinse off heavy road grit. If washing your vehicle at a car wash do not hold the nozzle close to the surface as the high pressure can sand blast the paint. Hold it back at least 8 inches. Home pressure washers should be set no higher than 600 PSI using a 5 to 6 point tip.

*Never wash in the direct sun. Early morning or evening is best.

Wash your car properly: Partially fill a bucket of water. Add one capful of CleanEz or your organic, concentrated all-purpose cleaner. For lightly soiled vehicles, baby shampoo does a great job although it is not strong enough to tackly heavy grit and dirt. Then add ' cup food grade distilled white vinegar per 2 gallon bucket of water. Use 1/3 cup in areas of hard water.

Vinegar benefits: Vinegar is a mild acid that neutralized the alkali in the water, which helps prevent water spots and softens water so less cleaner is required.

Many paint manufacturing companies now recommend using Lambswool like Mary's LambswoolHand Mitt or Lambswool Wash Pad for tall vans, trucks and RVs to clean. Brushes and microfiber will scratch. Be extremely careful if you purchase 'Lambswool' mitts in the store. Packages say 'Lambswool' on the front of the package but small lettering on the back states it is artificial or manmade material. That material is 100% polyester. The same stuff microfiber is made from and it will leave minute scratches on a vehicle.

Steps to wash your car:

1) First tackle the wheels. Clean sealed wheels by using a cotton toilet bowl brush dipped in the CleanEz bucket of water. Swab all four wheels. You must use an aluminum polish like Mary's AlumiBrite to remove brake dust, oil and dirt from aluminum or mag wheels. It also protects these wheels against corrosion.

2) Next pretreat oil, grease, or heavily soiled areas first by pouring a dab of concentrated CleanEz or an organic concentrated cleaner onto a wet rag. Also swab rear view mirrors as they can be difficult to clean.

3) Start with the roof and hose off grit and dirt.

4) Dampen Mary's Lambswool Hand Mitt or Wash pad in the bucket of wash water. Wash the top and rinse. Add vinegar to the rinse bucket of water to prevent water spots.

5) Hose down the windshield, hood and one side of the vehicle. Dunk the Lambswool Mitt or Pad into the bucket of wash water. Sop down the windshield and the front of the vehicle continuing down a side.

6) Rinse then continue with the back and other side.

7) For vans and RVs or large trucks first use Mary's EZE Squeegee to remove a majority of the water. Follow with a 100% cotton terry towel or to dry all other vehicles, motorcycles etc.

8) After the vehicle has dried, inspect the paint for small rock chips, scratches, oxidation or fog in windshields. Those areas must be treated with what is called a sealant like Mary's RenewzIt . Other products refer to it as an oxidation remover or scratch remover. RenewzIt also restores the luster to oxidized decals and striping including vintage cars and motorcycles.

9) Allow the oxidation remover to cure for 24 hours then apply a polymer based petroleum distillate free protectant like Advantage. Polymers leave a slick protective coating on the paint making it difficult for bugs and dirt to stick. Use Advantage to protect and shine your car year round. Advantage holds the shine for long periods unlike most products that dull after a few months.

To help you in your car cleaning tasks Advantage and RenewzIt are on sale for the remainder of the month of March.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website www.goclean.com Copyright @2013 All rights reserved worldwide.