Le Labo Auto Plus offers you a collection of tips to keep your car "clean" this summer or to restore it to its full glory at the start of the school year! How to sublimate a bodywork stained with tar or sap stains? How do you remove a stubborn vomit smell? Here are our tips that can be done at a lower cost with a good dose of... elbow grease!
> Also find all the Labo Auto Plus tips in a new guide, on sale at your newsagent.
Check-up of your car
Before hitting the road, a check-up of your car is essential. Here are 6 points to check:
1. The levels.
Oil, power steering, coolant… For everyone, the level should be between min and max.
For brake fluid, if the container is at the lowest, do not look at the fill. Either the pads are at the end of their life or there is a leak. Get checked ASAP.
2. Tires
Scan the sidewalls and tread for any cracks, tears or foreign bodies. Make sure that the minimum wear indicators have not been reached.
Check the pressure (spare wheel included) and adjust it using the manufacturer's label stuck in the door or the fuel filler flap.
3 . Visibility
Wash your windows and check the condition of the windshield. Make sure you have windshield washer fluid, preferably insect repellent (see tips, below).
Are your windshield wipers in good condition? to find out, pull the rubber blades. If they tear, you are good to change them.
4. Lighting
Check that all your lights are working. If you are alone, park against a wall.
5. Air conditioning
Make sure the air conditioning is working properly. To know if it is cold, close the vents, except one. Place a thermometer and turn the fan on full blast with the lowest temperature setting. The temperature should be between 5 and 10°C. Also discover our tips for cooling off without air conditioning!
6. Emergency equipment
Check that you have all the safety equipment such as triangle and retro-reflective vest. Make sure the jack is securely in place, as are the wrench and lock nuts. If you have an anti-puncture kit, check that it is functional and that the expiry date does not exceed 5 years. Beyond that, replace it. Also think of a small first aid kit, including: disinfectant, bandages and why not arnica (for blows), a painkiller (for headaches) and possibly an antihistamine, if you suffer from allergies. Please note that certain medications may be incompatible with driving. Check the pictograms carefully.
With Jérome Fombelle and Olivia Chayette
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Tar residue on the bodywork is a stubborn stain. They should be removed as soon as they appear. The longer you wait, the more they "dry" and cling to the paint.
On the shelves of specialized brands, there are products dedicated exclusively to this task. However, depending on their composition, some are very corrosive and can damage the varnish or paintwork of your car.
To take less risk, there is a milder solution: margarine (or other fatty product)! Before applying the knob of butter to the soiled area, it is best to spray your car with a high-pressure jet. This action will remove the less stubborn residues. It also allows you to pick up encrusted dirt. This way, when you rub in a circle on the tar stain, you will avoid micro-scratches.
When the operation is finished, it is recommended to wash the vehicle again and then apply a polishing product. It leaves a thin water-repellent layer on the bodywork and limits the adhesion of tar and other elements.
Like tar, resin is a real wound to cleanse from bodywork. First tip: during a day at the beach, avoid parking under a resinous tree as much as possible (pine, fir, cypress, cedar, cedar, etc.). Or provide protection (mini-tarpaulin type) for the top of the vehicle. If it is already too late, here is how to proceed.
First of all, test the solvent products on an inconspicuous part of the bodywork. If your white cloth takes on the color of the bodywork or takes on a yellowish appearance (varnish), stop everything and use a less corrosive product.
To remove a trace of resin, it is better for the bodywork to be very hot. Then, boil water and pour it over the parts to be treated. Once the sap is soft, roll it under your fingers and remove as much of it as possible.
Wipe off the residual traces with a cloth soaked in gasoline F. It is less effective than acetone, but also less aggressive for varnishes. Rub until the traces disappear, adding product regularly. For the windows, use acetone, avoiding touching the seals.
Wash the vehicle once the operation is complete and apply a polish to allow the drops of sap to become less encrusted.
After a long drive on the highway, and especially in summer, your bumper and windshield are usually stained with insects. React quickly to remove them. If nothing is done, they can become permanently encrusted on the bodywork and on the windows. Like tar, a simple high-pressure cleaning is not enough to remove all traces. For residues, here are the tips from Labo Auto Plus.
N.B. : to avoid encountering these difficulties after a future trip, the prior application of a greasy product such as an express shiner is recommended.
On the windshield
Slip a sponge soaked in bug cleaner (or windshield washer fluid)… into nylon tights! Resistant and tight, their mesh is formidable for unhooking critters. On the same principle, there are specific sponges (€4 at the car center).
On the bodywork
Dilute a mosquito repellent in very hot water. Spray on the bodywork. Then cover with paper towel and spray again. After 10 minutes, the combined action of the product and hot water will have removed most of the insects, without you having to scrub! To remove the last traces, rinse with boiling water and wipe with a microfiber cloth.
If you're (too) late
Over time, insect juice attacks the paint. Only the abrasive power of a scratch eraser will overcome it. Apply the product in circular motions (with a cotton ball or soft cloth), then polish. Tedious, but effective
The interior of our cars is abused on vacation. Here are the tips from Labo Auto Plus to find an interior worthy of the name...
How do I remove traces of seawater from the seats?
A wet bathing suit or a wet towel leaves a white mark. The salt will deteriorate the fabric, “burn” it. Rinse as soon as possible with clear water, then vacuum or sponge with a microfiber cloth.
How do you get rid of an ice stain?
As soon as the incident occurs, scrape off as much as possible using a plastic card, for example, and wipe with a tissue or towel.
Then, before the stain is completely dry , spray any cleaner, brush and vacuum.
How do you remove chewing gum from a seat?
It is easier to get rid of chewing gum when it is dry. Moreover, it is often advisable to use an ice cube to harden it. When the eraser is very hard, unhook it gently, then brush to remove the excess.
If you don't have time to take care of this task immediately, stick a piece of fabric on the dough chew to protect your clothes.
How to get rid of a trace (and the smell) of vomit?
If the traces are not difficult to remove, the smell is persistent. The earlier the cleaning takes place (spraying, brushing and vacuuming), the less the fibers are impregnated. Eventually, baking soda can remove lingering odors. Sparkling water removes streaks.
How to de-sand a carpet?
Not as easy to clean as it looks! You have to vacuum the floor by tapping with the flat of your hand to bring up the sand buried in the carpet, which is thus caught by the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner. Avoid rubbing it on the carpet to better vacuum, it can break the fibers.
