Subaru Crew - Cleaning Interior & Exterior Surfaces

kens

Jedi mindtrick on Steve!
Steve: "I don't want microfiber towels"
OCD Crew:"You want microfiber towels"
Steve:"I want microfiber towels"

Let us know how you like them. :-)

Ken

lark6

The traditional chewing gum removal method involves rubbing the offending gum with an ice cube, then picking out the hardened gum. Goo Gone may work here as well, but then you're stuck with the strong citrus odor.

Ed

hondafriek

The Titan got washed, then got his winter coat of wax. Flushed and replaced the Antifreeze and got the coolant conditioner added.

  Cheap SOC. is not extending the head gasket warranty unlike SOA. who extended it to 8 years or 100,000 Miles.

  Cheers Pat.

fibber2

Almost time for the 'plastic interior' treatment? Snow is only a few short weeks away in your part of the world!

Steve

ozman62

please, we really don't need to be reminded... But, oh yeah, that's why we have Subies. Actually, come to think of it, winter is one of my favorite seasons..
Owen

hondafriek

Steve, I said to Rita just yesterday if I get a fine day next week I will put the plastic in.

  Cheers Pat.

fibber2

Owen,

Pat has an annual ritual in which he removes the seats and door sills and covers the interior carpets in a plastic sheet. Perhaps a bit extreme, but we would expect no less from Pat knowing his love for a finely detailed car! His rides look better after 10 years than most of ours will ever look after 1....

Steve

ozman62

I'm familiar with Pat's OCD affliction (tongue firmly in cheek). I was referring to not needing to be reminded that snow was imminent, and was trying to be humorous. Actually, in Calgary, snow is a possibility all year round, even in summer. Such is life adjacent to the Canadian Rockies.
Owen

tulane

I've seen the "ice" treatment work before, but you will have to rub and pick quite a bit. How do you remove fruit punch from the carpet? I've had my car less than a week and my 5 year old already spilled punch on the carpet.

luck11

Hopefully you patted out what you could with an absorbent towel while it was still wet. Try soaking with soda water then using an absorbent towel to pat dry. Success will depend on how long it has set in, and the colour. Orange is the worst to remove. Otherwise, there are many commercial carpet cleaners out there that should work. One I use is called Folex. Spray, rub with fingers, then pat dry/minor rubbing won't hurt, and voila! I have removed ink, pencil, juice, grease...you name it. Been using it for years and works like a charm to clean the tan carpet in my vehicle after winter's mess. The real advantage? Its non-toxic....and has no odour. See: http://www.folexcompany.com/

dcm61

I have removed ink, pencil, juice, grease...you name it.

Was juice trying to steal your XT? ;-)

DaveM

luck11

LOL!!! Toughest "one" to get out too!!

BTW, just realized I put a link to another site in my previous post...not sure if its allowed when its a product rather than another forum. If I made a boo-boo, my apologies...perhaps someone could delete? Juice? (wouldn't that be ironic!)

fibber2

p0926

Posting product links is usually okay.

-Frank

surfaceplate

anyone know what will remove the paint they use to paint the lines on the roads.new outback v.d.c. with less than 1500mi on it. just got back from mrytle beach s.c. live in upstate n.y. anyway noticed afew spots of white paint on drivers side door.my neighbor told me to use brake cleaner.

subearu

a clay bar (like Clay Magic or Meguiars Clay) or maybe some bug/tar remover. Some have also had luck with a light treatment of paint thinner, but do be careful. And clean and wax the area immediately following.

-Brian

luck11

you clean the area with soap and water before trying anything.

I would try clay bar 1st....safest for the paint surface. You can also use it to remove other contaminents later on.

Paint thinner should be fine on the surface but it will certainly strip any wax. Stay away from laquer thinner, which may strip more than wax.I would soak the spots first, let sit for a few minutes, then rub gently. Otherwise you'll see fine scratches...especially on black.

Brake cleaner will take it off, but the unwanted side effect is that your paint may come off too. Read the back of the can...most brake cleaners I have come across warn against getting any of it on painted surfaces.

Good luck.

Jay.

hondafriek

Use brake cleaner, as has been pointed out regular paint thinners will work and will not harm an automotive finish but it will remove wax.

  Cheers Pat.

ateixeira

Yeah, work from mild to harsher, until it comes out.

My stepmom's Outback was vandalized with spray paint and she got it out with nail polish remover.

That's a little harsh, I would have tried other milder methods first. But it did work for her.

Definitely wash the area thoroughly afterwards.

-juice

mrk610

Iwas finally able to get the month's worth of salt and dirt of teh outback . Itwas in the high 40's and the car was calling me .

 

Mike

ateixeira

Same here! Washed all 3 cars. Wife vacuumed, and I even cleand the interior surfaces.

 

I had forgotten what color they were.

 

-juice

kens

Finally, the rains in California stopped long enough for me to detail my LGT wagon. Despite it's dirt defying silver color, it was starting to look a little grungy with all the road film.

After a full wash, some touch up with Klasse AIO and a spray down with Sonus Acrylic Spray it's back to it's normal happy sparkling self. I also broke out the vaccum and cleaned out the interior getting all the little cracker crumbs my daughter has left behind.

I was also getting a bit of Rain-X buildup from wiper use so I polished down the windshield using Rain-X window polish. It's definetly worth doing once in a blue moon to remove the gunk one can't see from glass. The glass now is slippery smooth.

Ken

ateixeira

You're lucky it's just crumbs!

I've found french fries and entire cookies/crackers under the seats.

-juice

hammerhead

I found a fossilized half of a donut in the Suburban over the weekend. Didn't qualify as survival equipment.

Cheers!
Paul

kens

Cookies, french fries, donuts! What are you feeding your kids!? ;-)

Ken

hammerhead

They eat really good at home
(and donuts are an after-church treat)

Cheers!
Paul

ateixeira

Call it "freeze dried".

;-)

-juice

leo2633

If it's in anything other than a Forester, you can call it a spare tire.

Len

jfl

As long as it's not half-eaten when you have a flat!

fibber2

My two year old survives on air alone. I would be happy to see her eat anything... cookies, fries, even that petrified donut!

Steve

kens

I gave my LGT wagon a good wash down and a full treatment of Klasse AIO followed up by some Sealant Glaze today.

I was surprised at how well the Klasse AIO cleaned glass. On my rear side window, I had a smudge of something that had been there since I took delivery last summer. I tried everything from window cleaner to Rain-X Glass Cleaner to remove it and had concluded it was a manufacturing flaw. While I was applying Klasse today, some of it got on the window, so I figured "what the heck" and polished the glass.

Not only did the smudge go away but my windows are smooth and clean!

Here's a photo of my freshly detailed car:
kens, "Subaru Crew: Photo Gallery" #2428, 11 May 2005 11:16 pm

Ken

subearu

I've been using AIO instead of Rain-X on the glass and it seems to work well. I even clayed the glass when I was working on the XT. DW's MPV is next in the clay routine, just need a free weekend morning to get to it.

BTW, I couldn't see the pic in that link, likely because I'm not registered at LGT

-Brian

ateixeira

Pollen is in high season here, and I've been lazy. My cars have a thick yellow film of pollen on them.

Thing is, if I wash it today, it'll be yellow again tomorrow.

This is the worst time of year for car cleanliness! :sick:

-juice

kens

Sorry about the picture link. I didn't realize one needed to be registered at LGT.com to see it.

I'm trying Imagestation as another source. Hopefully more people will be able to see it now.

Brian: Does AIO work as well as Rain-X in rolling off raindrops from the windshield? I was tempted to just keep going with AIO, but wasn't sure if it would cause streaking of chattering.

Ken

ateixeira

I can see the 2nd one.

-juice

vetmats

I tried some Klasse AIO on the windshields of my outback and my wife's car, and I won't put it on again. It causes significantly more windshield wiper chatter than Rain-X. Also, it doesn't seem to be as slippery as Rain-X (i.e. water does not flow off the windshield as quickly). The Klasse is certainly easier to apply to the windows, but performance is worse!

I'm going back to Rain-X for the next application.

vetmats.

subearu

yep, can see the pic now. looks good.

I haven't had any issues with AIO causing chattering on the glass. I do agree it isn't as slippery as Rain-X, but it does a well enough at least so far.

-Brian

jfl

My daughter is taking the beater (90 Honda Accord) this summer. So I washed it. The surface felt so bad that I tried clay on it. Sure enough, it came out smooth as glass...even though it's washed maybe every other year and lives outside! It looks so good I should sell it and and get another Subaru. (Statement to fit the forum!) Unfortunately, there's no money for a new car as it's being spent on her education.

Jim

rob_m

Hand washed the car on Friday. Hit the entire body with a clay bar on Saturday, then waxed it with Mothers Reflections tech wax. Got the door jambs with a coat of wax yesterday. May wax the rims today. OCD lives on in my house .... Rob M.

jfl

Washed the Subie today. A couple of small tree sap spots left a yellow stain on my white car. The stains (3) are less than 1/8" in diameter.

I've tried the following to no avail: bug & tar remover, pre-wax cleaner, Meguiars No.5 glaze, Windex, wax, clay, and kitchen cleaner with bleach. :sick:

Any thoughts, suggestions, opinions, recommendations, etc.?

Jim

njswamplands

chop the trees down?

dcm61

chop the trees down?

You forgot step #1.

1. Move the car.
2. Chop trees down.

DaveM

p0926

A side from the above suggestions :P a gentle application of a rubbing compound should do the trick (just don't get too carried away).

-Frank

ateixeira

My step mom's Outback was vandalized, spray painted, and she got it all out with nail polish remover.

That stuff is HARSH, though, so be extremely careful if you try it, and absolutely wash the area thoroughly afterwards, too.

I would have thought that bug and tar remover would've done it.

-juice

lilbluewgn02

Meguiars #6

lilbluewgn02

Love Potion #9

jfl

(refer to post #2112)

I can't find the yellow spots anymore! I think the sun has bleached away the stain. :shades:

Swampy: I'd chop down the trees but they're at my workplace.

Jim

jfl

No way I'm kissing that cop on 34th & Vine!!!

declansdad

try using Klasse AIO; my cousin tried everything under the sun to remove the spots last year. When he came over to visit, tried the klasse and bingo, no more sap spots.

Best of luck.

Michael

ateixeira

Sorry about the rain in DC - it's clearly my fault. I washed my cars on Saturday.

Forecast is actually calling for rain for the next 4 days! Figures....

-juice