IT PAYS TO KEEP YOUR CAR LOOKING TIDY

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32018, 19 June 1969, Page 10

IT PAYS TO KEEP YOUR CAR LOOKING TIDY

It pays to keep your car looking its best, not only does it give you a feeling of pride in what, for many at least, is a most expensive possession, but if you ever come to sell the car you will find that careful and regular maintenance of the car’s appearance will have added $s to its value.

It is obvious that to keep a car running and in a readily saleable condition it must be regularly lubricated, according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, and yet many neglect the car’s appearance—the very thing which first attracts, or repels, a prospective buyer.

A car which shows no sign of rust has good upholstery and has a generally neat appearance suggests a careful owner, and a buyer is more likely to feel confident' that such a car would have little if anything wrong with it, than if he was presented with a car that really showed its age and had a scrappy air about it. What then is the best way j to keep your car looking its best? Here are a few ideas which, if followed, will be of benefit to all car owners. A job always becomes easier when it is tackled in a systematic way, and car care is no exception. Have a set plan, one of the easiest is to set about the task in the following sequence.— 1. Brush out the interior. 2. Wash the exterior. 3. Clean the windows.. 4. Clean the chromium plating. 5. Polish the exterior. 6. Polish and dust the interior. Cleaning Upholstery i Nothing easier? Well there isn’t really, but like most things there are tricks of the trade, depending on just what it is that you are dealing with. There are three general types of trim materials used in automotive bodies: plain fabrics, such as broadcloth and gabardine, or pattern fabrics manufactured with natural or synthetic fibres such as nylon, orlon, rayon, and viscose; genuine leather; and coated fabrics such as vynil or mylar. Dust and dirt particles that accumulate on upholstery should be removed every few weeks, or more often if the car is given constant hard use. This is best done with a whisk broom or vacuum cleaner, but do not use a whisk broom on fabrics having raised tapestry patterns, since damage to the fine threads may result. Before attempting to remove stains or spots from upholstery fabrics, try to determine as accurately as possible two things: the nature and age of the spot or stain; and the effect of stain-remov-ing agents on the colour, structure and general appearance of the fabric concerned For best results stains

should be removed as soon as possible after they have been made. If allowed to stand for some time they often become set and removal becomes difficult or impossible. There are three types of acceptable cleaners available to car owners, the volatile cleaners, usually ' colourless liquids such as lighter fluid, which should not be used on P.V.C. or P.V.C. coated fabrics; synthetic detergents: and neutral (non-alkaline) soap. The volatile cleaners, although not fully recommended, are good solvents for grease, oils and general road grime. Synthetic detergents generally loosen stains satisfactorily; however, the use of improper types of detergents involves the risk of damage to the colour or finish of the fabric. Here are general hints on cleaning upholstery, but in all cases read the maker's directions on the cleaner container carefully first. Care should be taken not to use too much solvent and to apply it sparingly and only with clean cloths. It is the solvent which does the work so only a little amount of pressure should be applied —there is no need to try -and rub the stain out. Never use this type of cleaner on leather. P.V.C. or P.V.C. coated fabrics. For best results with this type of cleaner use as follows: 1. Brush away all loose particles of dirt and soil. 2. Damp a clean cloth (cheese cloth will do) with

volatile cleaner. Open the cloth and allow the cleaner to evaporate until the cloth ; is just slightly damp. 3. Using very light pressure and a circular lifting motion, sponge the stained area, starting at the outer edge and working toward the centre until the entire area has been ; covered. Change to a clean portion of the cloth every few strokes. ■ 4. Wait a few minutes to i allow most of the volatile cleaner to evaporate. This will > avoid the danger of the 1 cleaner penetrating to pad- i ding under the upholstery. Certain cleaners will deteriorate sponge rubber, which is often used as padding. 5. If necessary repeat ' steps 2, 3 and 4 several times ' until the stain has been satisfactorily removed. Each time , a clean cloth should be used. , 6. If a ring should form on the fabric when removing a stain, the entire area should ' be cleaned as in the preceding steps. 7. Allow upholstery to dry , completely before using. < Some volatile cleaners are . toxic and harmful; therefore, the following safety precautions should be observed when using them: 1. Always use in a well- i ventilated area. Car doors , and garage doors must be open when such cleaners are , used. If the seat can be removed to the open so much • the better. 2. Avoid prolonged or re- ' peated breathing of the vapours from the cleaner. ; 3. Avoid prolonged or re- . peated contact with the skin. 4. Keep the cleaner away from the eyes and mouth. 5. Exercise special precaution when using inflammable cleaners. Synthetic Detergents To use synthetic detergents on upholstery fabrics, the steps are as follows: 1. Make a solution of the detergent in lukewarm water, working up thick, frothy suds. 2. With a clean cloth or sponge, dampened with lukewarm water, apply the suds 1 only to the surface of the ' upholstery, using light to medium pressure. Repeat several times, applying more suds with a clean portion of the doth or sponge. ,

3. With a second clean cloth, dampened with lukewarm water, rub over the area to remove excess detergent and loose material. Medium pressure should be used. 4. With a clean dry cloth, wipe off the excess moisture. A vacuum cleaner may also be used. 5. Allow upholstery to dry partially; then repeat the above treatment if necessary to remove the stain. 6. When the upholstery is satisfactorily cleaned allow it to dry completely before using. General Precautions Solutions containing water are not generally recommended for the cleaning of broadcloths. Water is destructive to the high face or high gloss finish of broadcloths, causing the nap to curl and roughen to such an extent that the finish is destroyed or made unsightly. However, in some cases where it is necessary to use a solution containing water to remove a stain, the resulting disturbance to the finish of the material may be preferable to the original stain. Do not use as a cleaning solvent any gasoline which is coloured or which contains tetr'ethyl lead. Do not use solvents such as acetone, lacquer thinners, enamel reducers and nail polish remover. Do not use laundry soaps, bleaches or reducing agents such as chloride of lime, Javelle water, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hydrosulphite, potassium permanganate, chlorine or chlorine water, sulphorous acid or photographer’s hypo. The use of these agents tends to weaken fabric and to change its colours.

Do not use too much cleaning fluid; some interior trim assemblies are padded with rubber and volatile cleaners frequently dissolve rubber. Cleaning Leather The care of genuine leather and coated fabrics including vinyl-coated formed headlining is a relatively simple but important matter. The sur face should be wiped occasionally with a dry cloth, and whenever dirt accumulates, the following cleaning instructions should be followed:— (1) Lukewarm water and a neutral soap should be used Apply thick ?uds, worked up on a piece of gause or cheesecloth, to the surface. (2) Repeat the procedure, using only a damp cloth and no soap. (3) Wipe the surface dry with a soft cloth. Polishes and cleaners used for car body finishes, volatile cleaners, furniture polishes, oils, varnishes or household cleaning and bleaching agents should never be used. Carpet Care Thoroughly brush or vacuum the carpet. In many Instances the carpet may require no further cleaning. If the carpet is extremely soiled, thoroughly vacuum it to remove loose dirt: then with a foaming type of upholstery cleaner clean about one square foot at a time. After each area is cleaned, remove as much of the cleaner as possible with a vacuum cleaner. After cleaning the carpet use an air hose to “fluff” the carpet pile and then dry the carpet. After the carpet is completely dry use an air hose again to fluff the pile. If the carpet is not extremely soiled, it may be cleaned in the car by applying a sparing amount of the foaming type of upholstery cleaner with a brush. If oil or grease spots are present they may be removed by sparingly using a volatile cleaner. It is a good idea to make small mats out of oddments of carpet to go under the driver’s and passengers’ feet to cut down wear on the carpet. Removing Specific Stains | For certain specific stains special treatment is necessary.

It must be expected, particu- 1 larly where water treatment is specified, that discolouration and fabric disturbance may occur. In some instances fabric disturbance may be considered preferable to the stain itself. Battery Acids.—Apply ordinary household ammonia water with a brush or cloth to the affected area, saturating it thoroughly. Permit the ammonia water to remain on the spot about a minute, so that it will have ample time to neutralise the acid. Then rinse the spot by rubbing with a clean cloth saturated in cold water. This treatment will suffice for both old and new stains. However, no type of treatment will repair damage to fibres, resulting from the action of the acid on the fibres, particularly after the spot has dried.

Blood.—Do Not use hot water or soap and water on blood stains since they will set the stain, making it impossible to remove. Rub the stain with a clean cloth saturated with cold water until no more of the stain will come out. Care must be taken so that clean portions of the cloth are used for rubbing the stain. This treatment should remove all of the stain. If it does not, apply a small amount of household ammonia water to the stain with a cloth or brush. After about one minute continue to rub the stain with a clean cloth dipped in clear water. If the stain remains after the use of water and ammonia, a thick paste of corn starch and cold water may be applied. Allow the paste to remain until it has dried and absorbed the stain. Then nick off the dry starch. Brush the surface to remove starch □articles that remain. For bad stains, several applications of starch paste may be needed

Sweets. Sweet stains, other than from sweets containing chocolate, can be removed by rubbing the affected area with a cloth soaked with very hot water. If the stain is not completely re-

'moved, rub the area lightly,| after the water has dried' from the fabric, with a cloth' dampened with a volatile cleaner. Sweet stains from cream and fruit-filled choco--lates can be removed more easily by rubbing with a cloth soaked in lukewarm soapsuds (mild neutral soap) and scraping, while wet, with a dull knife. This treatment is followed with a rinsing by rubbing the spot with a cloth j dipped in cold water. Stains resulting from chocolate or milk chocolate can be re-' moved by rubbing the stain with a cloth wet with lukewarm water. After the spot is dry rub it lightly with a cloth dipped in a volatile cleaner. Chewing Gum.—Harden the i gum with an ice cube, and: scrape off the particles with. a dull knife. If the gum can-' not be removed completely by this method, moisten it with a volatile cleaner and work it from the fabric with a dull knife while the gum is still moist. Fruit Stains, Liquor, Wine. —Practically all fruit stains can be removed by treatment with very hot water. Wet the stain well by applying hot water to the spot with a clean cloth. Scrape all excess pulp, if present, off the fabric with a dull knife, then rub vigorously with a cloth wet with very hot water. If the stain is very old or deep, it may be necessary to pour hot water directly on to the spot. Direct application of hot water to fabrics, is not, however, recommended since discolouration usually results. If the above treatments do not remove the stain, allow the fabric to dry thoroughly then rub lightly with a clean cloth dipped in a volatile cleaner This’ is the only further treatment that can be taken. Soap and water are not recommended since they will probably set the stain and cause a permanent discolouration. Drying the fabric by means of heat, such as the use of an iron is not recommended.