Car Care - Automotive Cleaners

Caring for your vehicle can be a rewarding experience. To make the job of cleaning and maintaining easier, there are a wide variety of cleaners, for a wide variety of jobs, from which to choose.

Carburetor/choke cleaner is great for helping to remove varnish, gum and carbon from motor, exhaust, and ignition parts. Most of these cleaners leave a dry-lubricant film which does not gum up or harden. But because of this, these cleaners are not recommended for electrical components.

Use brake system cleaners to remove grease, brake dust, and brake fluid from the brake system, where "clean" is absolutely necessary. These cleaners will not leave a residue and can help eliminate brake squeal often caused by contaminants.

An electrical cleaner will remove corrosion, oxidation, and carbon deposits from electrical contacts, thus restoring current flow. Use these cleaners to also clean carburetor jets, spark plugs, voltage regulators, and other component whose surfaces need to be oil-free.

De-moisturants remove moisture and water from electrical components, including voltage regulators, alternators, fuse blocks and electrical connectors. These cleaners are non-corrosive and non-conductive.

Degreasers are actually heavy-duty solvents. Use them to eliminate grease from chassis components and engine parts. Spray or brush them on. Rinse off with either a solvent or water.

Use a car wash product to wash the exterior of your vehicle. There are many on the market from which to choose. Just be sure not to choose an abrasive cleaner for the painted and chromed surfaces of your vehicle because an abrasive cleaner will leave scratches and gouges in these surfaces. Car wash products are mild detergents that will gently but thoroughly eliminate grime, dust and dirt from all of your vehicle's exterior surfaces.

Use waxes and polishes to help protect painted and plated surfaces from harsh weather conditions. Different types of paint require different waxes and polishes. Check with your vehicle's owner's manual; usually the manual will recommend a certain type of polish or wax. Polishes sometimes utilize certain chemicals to remove the top layer of oxidized (dull) paint from the surfaces of older vehicles. Other polishes contain polymers and silicones for additional protection. These polishes are often easier to apply and last longer than conventional products. A good car wax will give your vehicle an extra layer of protection against salt, rust and heavy-duty dirt. Applying a solid coat of wax before winter weather sets in can help protect your vehicle.