In
order to keep your car cover in great shape and delay
the need for really deep cleaning, it is important that
you hose them off thoroughly about once a month. The
method that has worked the best for us, in most cases,
is to leave the cover on the car and using a nozzle at
the end of your hose to add a bit of water pressure and
squirt them down well. Leave them on to dry out after
first swiping or spilling off any excess water
accumulation. This also helps maintain the shape of the
cover and might avoid any shrinkage. If you are about to
use or work on the car and you have a safe place to lay
out your cover, that is fine. Just make sure that the
covers will be in a safe place and take into account
that the wind might kick up and blow them around a bit.
Placing some kind of weights or weighted objects on them
might be a good idea.
When it is time for a
more through cleaning, you can sometimes still leave the
cover on the car but most people are more comfortable
laying it out on the driveway. Brush off loose dirt,
hose down completely, put about ¼ cup mild soap such as
Dreft, Woolite, or Ivory Snow (never detergent) in a
gallon of water and use a soft bristle brush to clean.
Using a long handle on this brush is very helpful
because it extends your reach. Allow soap mixture to
soak in. Rinse completely. Allow to air dry. Never
put your boat cover in a dryer. This can lead to the
breakdown of the fabric and can cause shrinking.
To remove stubborn
stains, it is advised that you contact the manufacturer
for their recommendations. Remember to protect any other
surfaces close to the cover when using any mixture that
includes chlorine bleach or and other chemicals that
could fade or discolor your driveway porch railings,
etc. Also, always try a test area first to protect the
cover and follow directions completely.
Most car cover
materials are treated in the manufacturing process with
a finish that increases water repellency and helps
protect against he U.V. rays. This should be replenished
every few years or after a through cleaning. "Sunbrella"
produces much of the fabric used in the industry today
and they recommend "303 High Tech Fabric Guard." As
stated before, you should contact the manufacturer of
the car cover you have purchased for their stand on this
subject. Many on line sites will have very useful
information.
If you find
professional cover cleaning companies and would like to
utilize their services, make sure they have a good
working knowledge of the product and type of fabric that
you have and that they have a firm grasp of cleaning and
re-treatment requirements.
