Have some time off? Spending time with the family during the Thanksgiving holiday? Take the time to clean your cars together in the driveway and enjoy the fall air outside.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and that means so are family road trips for all of the upcoming holidays. Did you know Americans travel an average of 214 miles every Thanksgiving? That is a lot of vehicles on the road starting as early as the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and ending on Sunday after. With brightly colored foliage to adorn the roads, a road trip this time of year can be pleasant for the entire family. Of course, in some cases, you might be the one hosting all of your family members. No matter what your plans are this Thanksgiving, car maintenance like cleaning your car can be fun when done together.
If you are hosting Thanksgiving, this means you will likely have several vehicles parked in and around your driveway. Although crowded, it is a great opportunity for some group car maintenance and cleaning. While some members of the family prefer to handle meal prep, others may enjoy watching football but there’s always time for a fun activity together – like cleaning your cars.
Cleaning out the Interior of the Car
Divide and conquer – one person can take the trunk and another can take the passenger area. Collect all wrappers, papers, etc. in a garbage bag. Items that belong in the house can be gathered into a pile to take inside. And then it’s time to vacuum and wipe down the interior surfaces like the seats, doors, and dashboard with a mild cleaner intended for car interiors. Don’t forget about the inside of your windows. Gently clean these with a glass cleaner and microfiber cloth making sure to leave them streak-free.
Cleaning Tires & Wheels
The best way to wash a car at home is to focus first on the tires. Fallen leaves can get caught in pretty much every nook and cranny of the car, especially the tires. You’ll want to designate a set of rags and brushes just for use on the tires. Use a hose with a nozzle that provides strong water pressure to spray the wheels of any excess debris. Then, prep your soap, lather up those tires, and brush them to really get the grime out. Allow the soap to sit for a few minutes, rinse and repeat if needed. Once satisfied, move on to the wheels – wet the wheel surface and scrub it with your soapy water. Rinse and repeat, if needed.
Washing the Body of the Car or Truck
You want to first thoroughly rinse the entire vehicle to remove any surface dirt from the car. Using a car-safe cleaner and chamois or other rags, lather up the vehicle in sections from top to bottom and rinse as you go. Being methodical about this will ensure you don’t miss any spots. If any areas were particularly dirty, you may need to give those a second go. Once you’re satisfied with how clean the vehicle is, give the entire car a good rinsing to be sure there’s no soap left behind. And finally, hand everyone a clean, dry rag and start drying the car from top to bottom paying particular attention to your car’s windshield and windows to ensure there are no chips or cracks.
The best part of this activity is that it can be a fun, family-bonding exercise. Not to mention, your guests go home with a freshly clean car. Who wouldn’t be grateful for that?
For any issues with your car’s glass that go beyond spruce and clean, Glass America has you covered. If you find any chips or cracks on windshields while cleaning, give us a call right away! With locations all across the continental US and FREE convenient mobile service, any accidents that may have occurred during the trip can be remedied before the drive back home. Glass America comes to you, so you are not late for Thanksgiving dinner.