Miracle Body and Paint’s Ultimate Car Care Guide (PART 5)

Here’s another car care guide installment of Miracle Body and Paint, San Antonio’s best auto and paint repair shop.

Take care of the door and window seals

You can use a rubber protectant or silicone on your car’s door and window weatherstripping. This will keep these parts in good condition. Never use an oil-based product since it can damage the rubber component. Making sure that the weatherstripping is regularly cleaned and treated can minimize your door sticking to the rubber seal and damaging it during the cold season.

Immediately repair any leaking weatherstripping

If you noticed that the weatherstripping is already leaking into your car’s interior, immediately repair or replace it. If the leak is small, a brush-on seam sealer can do. You can use trim adhesive to re-secure any loose sections. If the tear is big, special caulking is available at an auto repair shop. You can extend any worn out sections by using foam rods into the hollow part of the weatherstripping. Avoid buying genetic when replacing entire gasket sections. It’s better to use a product that matches the original.

Don’t let the leather dry out or crack

Good thing about leather car seats is that it can last long with minimal maintenance. Seats can get soiled through time though, it’s best to use leather cleaner. After that you can use a leather protectant to shield the grain leather from further damage. Using a good protectant can limit stains and make cleaning easier in the future. It is best to buy a protectant that has conditioners to keep leather supple.

For soiled seats, use upholstery cleaners

You can use upholstery cleaners you use at home on your car. Don’t use it too much though, since using it frequently can saturate the fabric. If you have velour seats, use a brush to gently clean the fibers to maintain its original matte texture.

Take care of fabric upholstery

Using a fabric protectant can make fabric upholstery easier to clean. Some products can discolour fabric, so better to test it on a hidden part to be sure the treatment is safe.