4 Ways to Keep Your Toyota Looking Its Best This Fall

Sep 22, 2016

4 Ways to Keep Your Toyota Looking Its Best This Fall Soon it will be time to combat the effects the fall season has on your car. The leaves fall off the trees and find their way into your car. The rain and even snow become more common, leading to dirt and grime on the exterior of your vehicle. Here are four simple tips for keeping your Toyota clean through the season.

Wash it Regularly

The best way to protect the exterior of your car is to wash it at least once a week. When dirt, bugs, and other debris build up on the paint, the layers can strip away the paint and leave it vulnerable to further damage. This is especially true if you live in an area that gets snow or freezing rain during the fall and winter; the salt on the roads can destroy the outside of your vehicle. To protect your vehicle, apply wax to your car once a month after washing it. Waxing helps to protect the paint and give it a nice, glossy shine.

Clean the Interior

It’s always smart to keep the inside of your car clean throughout the changing seasons. Maybe you have kids who eat in the car and leave crumbs in the backseat, or maybe you find yourself tracking leaves into the vehicle. Whatever the situation, it’s easy for dirt, food, leaves, and other items to get ground into the upholstery and make the inside of the car hard to clean.

Use a spot treatment to remove stains from the carpet. If your vehicle has leather upholstery, use a conditioning treatment to prevent cracks and other damage to the material. You may also want to clean the interior windows every so often to get rid of fingerprints and other spots that could obscure your vision.

Eliminate Odors

Nobody wants to climb into a Toyota and be greeted with an unpleasant odor. If you or your passengers have ever dropped a food or beverage item in the car, you might be smelling the bacteria that the spill left. Milk is especially hard to clean and leaves behind a sour scent. Start by using a carpet shampooing machine to clean the upholstery and eliminate bacteria hiding deep down in the fibers. If the smell still isn’t gone, try a fabric refreshing spray to get rid of the odor.

Keep a Trash Container Within Reach

The fast-paced lifestyle is so common that even the cleanest people may find themselves snacking, eating meals, or drinking while on the go. However, it’s easier to keep the seats and floors clean if you have a trash receptacle in your Toyota. You can easily toss wrappers and cups into the garbage container instead of dropping it on the ground. Get into the habit of emptying the trash container regularly, such as when you refuel your car.

Keeping your Toyota clean helps it hold its resale value. You can also enjoy your driving experience more when you don’t have bad odours or trash in your vehicle.

Image by Phillip Stewart, Licensed via CC BY-SA 2.0