With Spring approaching soon it may be time to do a little early cleaning to prepare. Winter is the toughest season on your vehicle so it’s a good idea to give it a good amount of care. This includes some light maintenance, and a deep clean of your interior. Here are a few items that you should think about doing in March or April.  

Replacing your Cabin Air Filter.   

Going into spring, a new cabin air filter is an absolute must! It will help reduce dust and pollen entering your cabin which will help with reducing seasonal allergy reactions. It is an easy task as well. For most Honda vehicles, your cabin air filter is located behind your glove box. You will need to open your glove box and swing it off the hinge to be able to access the air filter. You can slide the air filter out of the box then replace it with your new one.  

Deep Clean your Floor Mats   

Most of us vacuum our floor mats when we clean our cars but getting all the winter mud and dirt really takes extra effort. You’ll have to wash and scrub them to really remove the grime. You will first want to remove the mats from your car. Knock off any loose debris by smacking the back of the mat then mix soap and water in a bucket. Spray down the mats with a hose then pour the mixture over your mats and begin to firmly brush the mats. You will want to use a stiff brush if you have one. Rinse down the mats after scrubbing, then leave to dry completely before returning them to your car.   

Clean Hood and Trunk Gutters  

If you store your car outside, it’s a good idea to clean out the water drainage on your car. This predominantly means under your truck lid and hood. These areas can often get filled with debris which can trap water leading to rusting. To do this you will simply need to pop your truck and hood to see the drainage paths underneath. Then remove any leaves or other debris and clean with soapy water. The hardest part is avoiding overflow into your trunk, so it is advisable to remove anything from your trunk before starting.  

Cleaning Panel Gaps  

This is a bit more tedious, but necessary in climates like Ontario’s. You will want to find an old toothbrush or get a new one for this. All you need to do is get a small container of soapy water and start to scrub. Focus primarily on the areas around the lights, and the windows. These locations can get filled with debris which can grow mosses. This not only does not look great but can break down rubber seals faster leading to leaky headlights or failing weather stripping.    

Polish your Headlights  

With all the mud, dirt, salt, and everything else on the roadways in the winter it is easy for your headlights to get scuffed up. This can make your headlights appear foggy, which is not only an eye sore but can dim your headlights’ brightness. There is an easy solution to this problem. With some in expensive headlight polish you can make them like new again. There are also some home remedy options such as toothpaste, but we would highly recommend getting the real stuff.  

These are just a couple few simple tasks to help maintain the appearance of your vehicle and protect it for the future. If this sounds like a task that you would rather not do, schedule a detailing appointment at Barrie Honda. Our experts can get your car back in tiptop shape and ready for spring!