The Car Care Council has dubbed April National Car Care Month. The designation is an effort to make people aware of the condition of their vehicles, particularly since the summer driving season is right around the corner. We agree; April is the perfect time to clean up the paint, give it a good polish, and apply a quality coat of wax to protect your vehicle from the Spring sun.

Here are a few tips to keep your car looking good:

1. Check the tire pressure. Ideally, you should do this once a month to improve fuel economy, handling, and traction. Apply a tire protectant to keep the rubber dark and supple.

2. Check the condition of your windshield wipers. With Spring comes rain showers. You want to make sure your wipers are going to work well when you need them. Use 303 Wiper Treatment Wipes to hydrate dry rubber wiper blades. To make water bead on your windshield, use a water-repellent glass coating, like Aquapel Glass Treatment & Rain Repellent.

3. Protect rubber seals. Cold winter weather likely dried out rubber door seals, which can cause them to allow more road noise into the passenger cabin. Use a rubber protectant to re-hydrate rubber seals.

4. Wash your vehicle! Choose a designated auto shampoo and a soft, clean wash mitt or sponge. Work from the top, around the vehicle and down. This technique guarantees that the last place you wash is the lowest part of the vehicle, where it is the dirtiest.

5. Use detailing clay. If it’s been 6 months or more since you last clayed, it’s time. Over the winter, you probably weren’t able to wash as often as you like, so dirt and debris had more time to penetrate the clear coat. Take a few minutes to clay and your vehicle will feel silky smooth.

6. Polish if the paint looks lack-luster. A polish will remove the light swirls and oxidation that may have appeared over the last few cold months. Polishing will make your wax or sealant look even better.

7. Apply a quality wax or paint sealant. We can’t overstate the importance of paint protection! Whether you choose a carnauba wax or a synthetic sealant, apply some sort of protective coating to block UV rays, repel water, and ward off oxidation.

With these few tips, your vehicle will be clean, shiny, and protected for the Spring/Summer driving season.

For more information on National Car Care Month, read the Car Care Council’s press release.