Drying the brakes in motion after washing
After each car wash, carry out a short brake test while driving. At the same time, the liquid that has fallen on the brake discs or in the brake drums during washing evaporates. In the same way, you should drain your brakes after a long drive in rainy weather or after driving through winter salted streets before you park your car for a few days. It is quite enough if you lightly press the brake pedal for the last hundred meters of the path. Wherein «exercise» you will avoid settling wet dirty «bedspreads» on the brake discs and in the brake drums, which in a serious case will worsen the brake response time.
After an automatic car wash - do not forget about additional cleaning
After washing, you should further clean your car. Often, car wash aunts handle wheel arches, fender liner and door channels carelessly. Sometimes additional manual work with a sponge and a rag is also required in the door frames and body folds. In the winter, when water containing salt sticks to the paintwork, to the insides of the fenders and to the underbody, you should drive to the car wash more often. Your Focus gets dirty again after a short time, but the rust won't have a chance to nest in critical spots.
Alternative offer - car wash or self-service car wash
If you prefer to wash your car yourself, ask a petrol station attendant about a car wash location. Self-service car washes are also a good alternative: well-maintained car washes offer all the tools to make your job easier, from pressure washer to vacuum cleaner. But before starting work in self-service places, check the condition of the washing brushes. Maybe your predecessor was just washing the bottom or wheel arches after a trip on a dirty road and soiled the brushes with coarse dirt - the result would be unpleasant scratches on the varnish. Also, never wash your car in the hot sun. This is harmful to the lacquer: small drops of water act like lenses on the lacquer - particles of dust and lime can burn the surface of the lacquer.
Do-it-yourself washing
A large amount of water is not a mistake, as washing with a small amount of water will damage the varnish. Small grains of dust and sand settle in the sponge and leave microscopic scratches on the surface, similar to cobwebs.
Garden hose, if possible with dosing spray. If running water is not available, then you should consider at least two buckets of water for the main wash.
A brush with a hose, which is washed off the dirt with running water.
Washing glove or sponge. Keep the water jet sprayer as close as possible to the surface to be washed, then the dirt particles will be reliably washed away. Immerse the washing glove or sponge after two or three washing strokes into a bucket filled with water and wring it out. In this case, dirt will not linger in them.
The long-handled wash brush is particularly suitable for cleaning rims and wheel arches.
Large-pored viscose sponge is ideal for large surfaces.
Sponge for removing insect residues.
Suede for windows - for polishing glass and drying the surface of the varnish.
A bucket of water is practical for washing with shampoo or for rinsing sponges, washing gloves or window suede.
Care products for exterior car wash
Car shampoo. Cleans varnish and removes oily residue.
Washing wax. Similar to a car shampoo, but after drying, it protects the varnish from environmental influences and increases the time before the next polishing.
Rim cleaner. Dissolves caked-on brake dust and road grime.
Synthetic care products. In addition to care products, they also contain coloring materials. Refresh faded synthetic bumpers. Apply and spread with a clean sponge. After a short time, the excess liquid is wiped off with a damp cloth.
Be careful with high pressure washing
Water temperature maximum 60°. Rhythm hot water destroys rubber and anti-corrosion coating of the bottom.
Set the pressure regulator to a maximum of 30 bar. Distance from the vehicle between 60 and 80 cm. If the distance is too short and too much pressure is used, there is a risk of damage to the paintwork of your Focus. After washing the engine with high pressure, often a jet of water paralyzes the engine electronics or gets inside the engine through the air filter - serious damage would result.
Never clean tires with round nozzles. Dangerous for the sides of the tires.
Even with a relatively large distance to the jet and a short action, defects can appear that are invisible at first glance.
External sink
Close all doors and windows. Wet seat cushions are unpleasant.
First, clean the wheel arches, rims and door channels. Advantage: you can simply wash off the remaining dirt.
Wash the underside of the vehicle with a steam jet or water from a spray hose. In winter, you should clean the bottom of your Focus every time you wash your car. Raise your vehicle once or twice a year on a lift platform (at a Ford workshop or gas station) and carry out a visual inspection of the condition of the anti-corrosion coating.
The front rims get more dirty; with each braking, dust from the erasure of the brake linings completely settles on them. So treat them often with a rim cleaner. Be sure to follow the use of products that are safe for the environment and follow the instructions for use. After cleaning, just in case, rinse with a strong jet of water.
Light metal rims should be cleaned regularly with water/detergents. Handle cleaners with care: aluminum rims are very sensitive to harsh cleaners.
To clean the rims, you must wring out the wheel covers. This work is most thorough with a cold cleaning agent, but car shampoo is also sufficient.
The corners and folds of filigree rims can be cleaned most effectively with a toothbrush. To enjoy the result longer, apply transparent wax from the sprayer to the surfaces after cleaning. Brake pad dust and dirt will be deposited on the wax layer, but not on the varnish. Be careful not to wax brake discs or linings.
Wet the road dirt well
Spray the car with water from a hose at moderate pressure. At a self-service car wash with high-pressure cleaning equipment, select a program «Rinsing».
When washing by hand, wash entire surfaces and start working from the roof down.
Washing foam, gently pressing, distribute in a circular motion. Let the foam work a little. ® Rinse off liquid dirt with water from a hose. At the self-service car wash: select the program «Rinsing».
Sponge should always apply a lot of water to the varnish. When mixing, pay attention to the instructions for use of the washing liquid mixture; More often than not, the less, the better.
Car washing with a brush attachment is especially suitable. Special detergent additives reliably dissolve stubborn dirt. you save «purity» washing brushes in specially equipped washing centers.
To dry the varnish, use a special suede. With it, you can work quickly and efficiently. Soft suede with careful use does not leave marks on the varnish.
At the last stage, wash the wheels with a washing brush and hose.
After washing the car, immediately wipe it with suede. Air-dried after washing, the water leaves a gray limescale coating on the varnish and corrodes it.
Soak dry suede in clean water before use. Then wring it out, spread it on a varnished surface and, spreading it wide, pull it towards you.
Always rinse suede before wringing. Treat good suede with care, as the remaining dirt will quickly make it unusable. Therefore, clean hard-to-reach corners (e.g. in the wheel arch) cotton rag or old dry suede.
No questions - transparent glasses are needed
At the end comes the turn of the outer sides of the window panes. Proceed in the same way as when washing windows from the inside. At the same time, check the windshield for damage from stone impacts, scratches and cracks.
Wiper pads wipe with a sponge or dry suede. Check rubber tabs for damage and elasticity - replace hardened rubber.
After washing, check the paintwork, headlight glass and front bumper for stubborn dirt: insect residues, bird droppings, pollen and resin splashes are aggressive and must be removed immediately with a special detergent.
Resin removers should not be applied to fresh or freshly refinished lacquer - the solvents they contain may corrode the lacquer surface.
Good lighting only with clean headlights
You should wash your headlights more often than the body of your Focus. Dirt particles on protective glasses deflect and absorb light rays. Consequences: uncontrolled stray light, reduced visibility, severe glare, especially in fog. After only half an hour of driving on a wet road, your FOCUS headlights are more than 60% dirty. Accordingly, the illumination becomes scarce - the potential for danger to you and other road users,
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