“The big problem is that, when we clean the car, we forget to take care of it,” says Josué Fernández, founder of the Jota Detail brand of cleaning products and expert in vehicle interior care. In this way, the content creator on TikTok (@josueconjota), advises us on something that many owners question: How to keep the upholstery of our car as good as the first day? At least, for as long as possible.
“Passionate about the world of motors and always a faithful cleaning maniac,” as described on the Jota Detail website, this 33-year-old entrepreneur from Madrid began providing detailing services (vehicle cleaning) to official BMW and Ford dealers. . It was then 2015 and I was still buying products from other brands. However, since the pandemic put a “stop” on the world, his presence on the networks led him to make the decision to make his own compounds and, finally, put them on sale at the request of his followers.
Now, he points out that “the main mistake we make is using the typical generic multipurpose products sold in the supermarket” and adds: “if we, in our daily lives, use different products for our personal hygiene (gel, shampoo, cream for the face…), we must do the same with the car”, which needs specific treatment depending on the area and the material of which it is composed. Now, what should this treatment be like?
Josué con Jota, as he is also known in the social media universe, chooses to divide the interior of the car into two sections, differentiated by their characteristics and the type of care they require: the interior without upholstery and with upholstery. In this sense, he states that the ideal is to clean the space that is not upholstered (dashboard, floor mats, doors…) once a week. “Many people put air fresheners so that it doesn’t smell bad, but let’s not fool ourselves. The best thing to avoid a bad smell in your car is to clean it regularly,” he points out.
Likewise, with regard to the seats, it is recommended that deep cleaning be carried out twice a year, preferably with the arrival of summer and winter. In addition, we must take into account the type of upholstery we have. And, “a leather one can also get dirty, but it is much more permissive, more grateful when it comes to cleaning it, than fabric.” Therefore, he clarifies that “to clean the steering wheel or seats, we have to choose the correct type of brush. For example, on leather we must use one that has the softest spike possible so as not to scratch it; and, in the case of fabric, we can go with a slightly more medium-type pick, although not excessively hard because, in that case, we would fray the seat.” We must apply the same criteria when we select a brush to clean the dashboard, “preferably natural and soft.”
Although the care inside the car does not have to be as exhaustive as on the outside, where a bad cleaning habit could even scratch the bodywork, it is important to be aware of a series of guidelines that can slow down its deterioration or minimize bad appearance. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid certain habits such as sitting on the upholstery with wet swimsuits because the salt, once dry, leaves marks; and, in the case of cleaning a specific stain, clean the entire area where it is located so that the result is as homogeneous as possible.
The steering wheel is the big forgotten one when it comes to cleaning. In the words of Josué, “you can see a five-year-old steering wheel in poor condition, or a twenty-year-old one like new.” What does this difference depend on? Faced with this question, it is important to point out, especially after the concern that this aspect generated as a result of Covid-19, that “the steering wheel is the space that collects the most dirt and bacteria because we touch it constantly.” At the same time, the sun directly affects it, one of the main causes of deterioration of the materials found both outside and inside the car. For all this and to avoid that well-known cracking, the answer is clear: disinfection and hydration.
“There are some brands that use imitation leather or plastic, but 90% of the steering wheels that we see on the market are made of leather,” says Josué and proceeds to explain: “So, it is very important to treat the leather correctly to keep the steering wheel in good condition.” state. To do this, the first thing will be to use a specific cleaner for leather, specifically, to disinfect the leather; and then, do something that many people don’t do: moisturize it.” With this last step we will prevent the sun from damaging the material, prolonging its useful life with a more favorable aesthetic appearance. “What the hydrator will do is give elasticity to the leather to prevent it from breaking and, above all, to protect it from ultraviolet rays. This protection will prevent it from fading or deteriorating prematurely,” he indicates.
Finally, he considers that “if the steering wheel could be cleaned every week, it would be utopian. Nobody is going to do it. So, at least it would be good to give it the cleaning and hydration it needs once a month.”
The bodywork is the area that looks the most on our car and is also the one that is most exposed to a multitude of factors. Therefore, Josué starts from the premise that “the sooner, the better.” He says this when asked about cleaning the annoying insect marks that, especially in the summer season, adhere to the entire exterior area of ??the vehicle. “Insects tend to stick to the bodywork and release an amino acid that eats away at the lacquer. If you take too long to clean them, they leave a mark for which you will have no choice but to polish,” he says. The same thing happens with bird feces, which must be eliminated “ipso facto”. As advice, Josué indicates that “if the car sleeps on the street, we have to try to leave it in a shady area because it slows down the corrosion process of the lacquer, giving us more time for action.”
Likewise, now that summer is approaching, it is important to use protective products, such as sealants or waxes. “The best known and easiest thing to apply yourself is liquid carnauba fence,” he recommends, “With this we generate continuous protection. The product stays on top of the lacquer, protecting it against ultraviolet rays and, in the event that an insect hits, it will eat that layer before corroding the lacquer.”
Finally, it places special emphasis on tires, another big forgotten thing when it comes to cleaning and keeping the vehicle in the best possible condition. “The sun eats them a lot and they end up cracking. For this reason, it is important to look for a specific product to hydrate the tires” and concludes by assuring that “sometimes, we have to change the tire, not because it has been worn out, but because it has cracked so much that, at any time, it can become to burst”.
Taking care of our car is an aspect that we must keep in mind if we want to keep it in the best possible condition. Above all, prevention is key, as is having a routine that facilitates the cleaning process and helps keep the vehicle almost like new.