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Subaru Crew - Cleaning Interior & Exterior Surfaces

bonnie_rickbonnie_rick Member Posts: 115
those cleaning needs of your Subaru.

Bonnie Rick
Town Hall Community Manager, Edmunds.com
«13456745

Comments

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Welcome fellow Subaru enthusiasts!

    I pamper my Acadia Green '98 Forester L pretty well, but I'd be very interested to hear your tips and tricks, and perhaps share a few of my own.

    Given that these vehicles tend to last a long time, and hold their value pretty well, how do we go about keeping their appearance up to snuff?

    What kind of after-market goodies help keep them clean? Has yours held up well to snow and salt? What about abuse from kids and pets in the interior?

    Please join us to share you experiences, and feel free to pose questions.

    -juice
  • noclassnoclass Member Posts: 24
    Since I haven't found any decent seat covers for any of my cars or trucks, I've taken to using towels. The fold nicely in half and tuck between the bottom of the seat and the seatback. When (never if)I spill coffee, it lands on the towel which is later put in the washing machine.
    Garry from SCOA
    www.subaruclub.com
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Chris: results look great, how often have you done it? Every 6 months? Is it easier to wash afterwards? I'll bet it is, and rain probably beads up real nicely.

    I've also applied Scotchguard on the seats (when it was new). The fabric on my '98 Forester L seems to be water resistant, so you have some time to clean it up before it absorbs much of the spill (usually baby food or doggie puke).

    I've used a spoon to remove the bulk of the spill, then a towel to wipe it. If needed, I'll apply some Scotchguard fabric cleaner, let it soak in a while, then wipe it clean again.

    Despite regular abuse, the seats look great and there's no odor.

    -juice
  • torektorek Member Posts: 92
    Juice asked:

    how often have you done it? Every 6 months? Is it easier to wash afterwards?

    I got "the stuff" shortly after I got the Forester. I had intended to get it at the same time, but the expected "8 to 10 weeks" for delivery of the Forester turned into "under 6 weeks". So, I have only been using it for about two months now (all of Feb and Mar). My impression is that a good "coat of Z", if I may call it that, should last about 6 months.

    The Forester came waxed with something (I have no idea what). I gave it the same treatment, but there was no obvious difference to my own untrained eye between the "before" and "after" on it. It does have swirl-marks -- I assume the dealer used a buffer to apply whatever it was -- so I should do a few more layers of Z5/Z2 and see if they go away.

    Since I actually wash the car so rarely, it is hard to say how much easier that is, either. I did go ahead and apply a second layer of Z6-and-Z2 on the Acura this weekend, with a "Z7 wash" first, and the whole thing took about an hour (spray Z7/water mix from spray bottle, wipe down with towel, do the spray-and-wipe thing with the Z6, apply the Z2, and do one more wipe). The Acura is a lot easier to do than the Forester, though -- less surface overall, no roof rack, and the whole roof is easily reachable without opening the doors or standing on the mini-running-boards. (If I were taller than 5'10", maybe the Forester roof would be easier to reach. :-) )

    Chris
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That's funny, I didn't find the Forester so hard to clean. My previous car had so much ribbed side cladding (no, not a Pontiac but close) that washing the Forester is a relief.

    Sounds like I wash more frequently, but you're more thorough each time you do it.

    -juice
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    I agree with Chris that the Forester does take a little longer to wash than a passenger car. For me, the roof and roof rails take a little more time.

    For those who are interested, I wash my Forester about once every two weeks and wax every other month. I always use Meguiar's products. Twice a year, I do the complete three-step process (cleaner, polish, wax). It really makes a big difference.

    For those who know juice's homepage, you can find a picture of my black 98 Forester S right after the three-step process:

    http://thejuiceman.homepage.com/friends.html


    Ken
  • babaorileybabaoriley Member Posts: 74
    Just found the Owner's Clubs from the Station Wagon forums and glad I did. I wash my 00 OB once a week with just water and elbow grease, once a month with mild detergent and just got done polishing and waxing (Meguiars) for the first time. I did get a couple of scratches in the clear coat I'll have to try Zaino (thanks torek) to get them out next time I wax.

    Now for my question, what have others used to clean the dashboard and window sill areas? The flat, slightly spongy surface is getting marked from my other interior cleaning. I tried just a wet rag, but that left white areas. Afraid to try anything else yet.

    Thanks to all for great info.
    Brett
  • torektorek Member Posts: 92
    to suck the dust off the dashboard and window sills. (My vacuum has various attachments for doing upholstery and the like. I use the brushy thingy -- highly technical term there :-) -- for general car-interior vacuuming, and what I think is probably a window blind attachment to get into hard-to-reach areas under seats and the like. It is just a regular ordinary household vacuum cleaner.)

    People in general seem to recommend Lemon Pledge for vinyl interior surfaces. I do not have any so have not tried it.

    Chris
  • fudd2befudd2be Member Posts: 50
    Cleaning the dash (vinyl) surfaces, fake wood trim surfaces, and even the dust off the delicate plastic guage cover is easy - just use a damp genuine leather chamois!!! The results are great and you can't get more gentle than a real leather chamois.

    -Howard
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I like those suggestions (damp chamois and a vac) so I may borrow those ideas next time.

    CR reviews car polishes in the current issue, but I have not had time to read it yet (all those guests are still here).

    -juice

    PS It hurt to see that the April NY car show was right near where we stayed and just about a week too late for me!
  • 2ndwnd2ndwnd Member Posts: 145
    I noticed while reading my owners manual that it says that window cleaner (such as Windex) is bad for your vinyl. I hadn't been aware of that, but I guess I'll try to be more careful of overspray when I clean the windshield, or maybe I'll just spray the cleaner on a paper towel and then wipe it on the window.
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Any kind of alcohol or ammonia-based cleaner will dry out vinyl and plastics since they're made from petrochemicals.

    I usually hold my towel against the plastic near the windows before spraying.
  • soobersoober Member Posts: 11
    This is great! I finally found all of you, from the Station Wagons bulletin board. And I'm so glad to be able to see what other neurotic car owners are doing to keep their cars obsessively clean. I've never been so obsessive about my car as I've been about my 00 OB. I probably washed it 5 times in the first 3 weeks of owning it. A question, though: I've been bringing the car to those self-serve car wash bays. I don't use the brush, just the soaping and rinsing. But I don't know what the detergent is. Any thoughts about how this is?
    Also, to Ken -- which Maguiar product do you use every 2 months to wax, in between the 3-step process?
    Thanks, all.
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    soober,

    Don't worry, I think I washed my Forester as much when I first bought it too :-). I now wash at least once every two weeks.

    I use the "Deep Crystal System" series of products, including the wax. I use the wax paste (vs. liquid). You can find them at any Pep Boys or equivalent auto supplies store. I'd recommend getting a nice layer of wax on your brand new finish to keep it protected.

    I don't use those self-service car washes so I'm not sure, but I would imagine the detergent probably isn't the best stuff available. Do you use any kind of wash mitt at the car wash or do you simply spray on the soap and spray off. Some dirt/contaminants may need a little coaxing to wash off sometimes.
  • babaorileybabaoriley Member Posts: 74
    Thanks for the advise on cleaning my OB's interior. I did get Windex on part of a sill and it turned white. I've since used a wet chamois and that works good. Thanks Howard.
    In addition, my interior is beige and the lower door molding gets very scuffed up. I use just a little mechanics' hand cleaner w/ pumice and water. Takes all marks out without damaging molding. Also, those new Swiffer cloths work great for quick dusting of the interior (usually while I'm at a traffic light).
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The Swiffer suggestion sounds like a time saver.

    CR rated Zaino the top wax among those they tested, but different waxes had different advatanges, so there was no one clear winner.

    For example, the Zaino wax didn't last long.

    They didn't rate the 3 step systems, though they briefly wrote about them. They didn't like how much work it involved, though results were good overall.

    -juice
  • fmgarciafmgarcia Member Posts: 11
    . . . or ZYMOL?

    I don't think CR tested Zaino.

    Francisco
  • dranoeldranoel Member Posts: 79
    It was ZYMOL that CR tested.
  • 2ndwnd2ndwnd Member Posts: 145
    Although I like my vehicles to look nice, there's no way I'm going to wax my vehicle every month or two. I've used Nu Finish twice a year on my last several vehicles and it seemed to keep them looking very shiny and kept the water beading. I'm surprised more people don't use it, or is waxing just an excuse for folks who secretly like to spend a lot of time stroking their cars?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I stand corrected. Anyone else think a lot of these products sound the same?

    I agree with waxing twice a year. Though I wash regularly, so nothing stays on the paint for too long that could deteriorate the finish.

    -juice
  • ramonramon Member Posts: 825
    I do it 4 times! one for each seasons..... =) I am a freak. On top of that I wash at least try to if it's not raining the entire week, wash my OBS once per week. Oh, I also carry a Quick Detailer from Meguiars for in between exterior cleanings. Wot a nut I am.
  • amishraamishra Member Posts: 367
    I usually get to my OB at least once every 1 1/2 months with a fresh coat of wax. I was amazed at how much it actually protects the paint -- I've been doing it on my '94 Mazda MX-6 for 4 years now, and the paint still looks like new, whereas I see the state of some other MX-6's on the road, and the paint on those cars have lost alot of lustre.

    I usually end up also polishing my MX-6 once a year. Note that waxing and polishing are two different things. The latter actually takes the top layer off the paint, usually the part that has oxidized over the past year. The polish will help in restoring the lustre. I won't do this on my OB until I think the lustre is starting to deterioate.

    I'm a real believer that wax prevents anything from eating into the paint, and it will also help in minimizing chips and "speckles" in the paint.

    Waxing is a relaxing thing for me, so I like to do it whenever I have time to.

    -- ash
  • soobersoober Member Posts: 11
    Ah ha, thanks for the info, Ash. I never knew that waxing and polishing were different, novice that I am. So with the Maguiar's 3-step that everyone seems to recommend, is one of the steps polishing? or is it all waxing?
    Also, what are these Swiffers that were recommended for the interior? an auto product, or a general cleaning product?
    Thanks, all.
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    soober,

    The Meguiar's 3-step process consists of: 1)Cleaner, 2) Polish, & 3) Wax

    The process takes a good whole days of work to complete. It's something that you'll probably only want to do 1-2 times a year. While it does take a lot of time, the results are better than what you can get with a 1-step cleaner wax, especially for darker colors. I became a believer after I used it on my black Forester last year -- it really deepend the gloss and shine.

    I've heard that some two-step products like Zymol work well too. One less step could mean a lot more free time to kick back and enjoy the shiny new coat of wax.

    As for Swifters, it's a household cleaning product. You can find it in any supermarket -- it basically a gauze covered with a light coating of wax. It does a great job of trapping dust and dirt.
  • ramonramon Member Posts: 825
    For best result assuming u have perfect weather, you should put on like 3 coats of wax. First one is applied. Then put the car out on teh sun to let it bake for about 3hrs. then bring it into your garage and kewl it down. the next day do the second layer and repeat the above steps.I think apart of competition for showroom look (heck it should look better!), only loons or ppl with no life do it. =)
    NE ways, don't use cleaner until your car is more than 2 years old. Otherwise you will end up wiping some of your clear coat away and paint away!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Hmm, I thought you had to keep the car in the shade. Doesn't the sun damage the finish when wax bakes on it?.

    Perhaps that's not the case for Carnauba-based waxes.

    -juice
  • luck11luck11 Member Posts: 425
    I began using Zaino just about a month ago. Was a Mothers and then a Mequires Gold Class user for about 7 years before Z. I must say, I love the Zaino. Initial steps take a while, but application afterwards is much easier than Mequires or Mothers IMHO, and Z leaves no white residue in cracks and crevices!! So far, it outperforms Mequires and Mothers products for shine and durability. I have washed my OB about 4 times since application it still shines like initial application, beads like crazy and still looks "wet". In my experience using Mequires and Mothers, after 2 or three washings, the shine and is diminished and beading is not nearly as good. Furthermore, the paint doesn't look wet. Again, this is my experience in the conditions to which my vehicle is exposed(ie. frequency of washings, sun, salt & sand in winter, rain etc),

    California Car Duster. Picked one up last week...talk about awesome!!! And to think that I wasted so much time washing my vehicles in the past because of dust build up! Now I dust my car in about 60 seconds!! I does not scratch (if used properly).

    Stains: Here in Canada, we have a product called Folex. It is a biodegradble product which removes stains. For you Canadians, its available at Canadian Tire Stores. I have used it to remove salt, pen, grease, dirt and food stains from the interior of my vehicle (Geez...sounds like we live like pigs or something...actually...my car is spotless.....I blame any and all stains on my child...he he!). You spray, rub it in with your fingers then dab with a dry absorbant cloth and voila!! It has removed every stain that I have encountered so far. I use it every spring to remove the dirt and salt stains from the carpets in my OB.
  • amishraamishra Member Posts: 367
    Luck11: where did you find the California Car Duster? That sounds like a gem of a tool...

    thanks, ash
  • amishraamishra Member Posts: 367
    Is Zaino still only available through mail order?
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    You should be able to find the Cali Car Duster in any auto supplies shop. It's this red mop-like thing on a short handle. It works great -- I use it everyday to dust of my Forester. Just remember to follow the directions and let the paraffin dry out before it's first use.

    The same company also makes another great product called the California Water Blade. It's a big squeege made from soft silicone. It cuts down on drying time and towel usage.
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    ...I think he meant apply and buff, then bake, then repeat. I don't think he meant apply and then put it in the sun- you'd need a sandblaster to get it off!
  • 2ndwnd2ndwnd Member Posts: 145
    >>Note that waxing and polishing are two
    different things. The latter actually takes the
    top layer off the paint...<<

    Nu Finish is called the once a year "polish", but it also says that it won't scratch your clear coat.

    Dave
  • luck11luck11 Member Posts: 425
    Hey Ash. How's your soob?

    California Car Duster is available at Canadian Tire for about $21. I believe it is also available at Walmart but I didn't even think to check....it may be cheaper there.

    Zaino is still avail only through mail order. In Canada, it is through Crown Emporium in Guelph. Go to www.zainobros.com and there is a link to the Canadian distributer. There you will find the info, tips, instructions and order forms. Took about 4 days to arrive once I faxed in the order. With tax...cost about $145 for the kit (clay, z1, z2, z5, z6, z7 & applicator). Pricey, but since you apply so little, I figure it will last me about a 3 years. The clay will last me much longer. I think $50 a year is a worthwhile investment for the shine and durability it has shown so far. Afterall, where talking about paying $50 per year to maintain a $30000 investment.
  • amishraamishra Member Posts: 367
    Hey Luck11, my Subaru is still in Ottawa. I wrote Subaru Canada and my Dealer a letter about the problems I had - and basically they said they're quite sorry about the problems (fuel injector on cylinder 1 died) but there's not much they can do except fix it. They are actually surprised something went wrong.

    I guess I will know how confident I am about the car once I get it back. I'm willing to give it another chance though because I do miss it!

    They have decided to ship the car back to me via Autohaulaway because I'm not about to take another trip down there from Kitchener-Waterloo where I live. Subaru Canada is paying for the transport costs.

    My local dealer has offered me a "deal": anytime in the next 6 months I can trade in for any Subaru at invoice cost. (However, they will only give me black book value for my car, so it's not that great a deal really).

    -- ash
  • luck11luck11 Member Posts: 425
    Ash, that really sucks!! Its too bad you have had problems with your soob.

    Hold on the California Duster!!! I used it for the 3rd time last night. Afterwards, I was taking out some garbage and as I was passing by my OB admiring the shine, I caught a glimpse of a fine scratch on the hood. I nearly crapped!! Anyway, upon closer inspection, I began finding fine scratches in different sections of the car. At this point, I am quite confident that the Duster is the culprit. I am really, really pissed!!

    I am going to do a test asap on a section of the car with no scratches. If some appear after dusting, the company is going to be hearing from me. BTW, I used it exactly according to instructions.
  • 2ndwnd2ndwnd Member Posts: 145
    >>I am going to do a test asap on a section of the
    car with no scratches. If some appear after
    dusting, the company is going to be hearing from
    me. BTW, I used it exactly according to
    instructions.<<

    I've always thought that sounded like a risky way to clean a car. However, is it possible that it's just marks, and not scratches that you are seeing?

    Dave
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    ash: I wonder if he'd even sell you a new H6 for invoice. My guess is those will be close to MSRP for a while, so that would be a deal.

    -juice
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    You may be able to polish them out, but I'd still be concerned if it was causing those.

    -juice
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    luck11, 2ndwnd:

    I've been using the CA Car Duster on my vehicles for quite some time now without any problems. One thing I always do before and after using it is to give it a good shake to remove any dirt that could potentially scratch the finish. Also, I use a pretty light touch (that's all you really need to get rid of dust).

    Are you sure the scratch is from the duster?
  • hciaffahciaffa Member Posts: 454
    I had the same problem. I dusted using the duster and saw all these small lines on my finish. Upon looking and touching they turned out to be fine lines made from the wax used in the duster. I guess I didn't let my duster stay out to evaporate and or dry out the wax thats on the fibers long enough. I just used some of Mothers Quick detailing spray and the lines come off. Hope this helps.
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    All:

    I just discovered that some careless rear seat passenger has left an ink pen mark on the seat cover of my '00 Forester S. The mark is about 1/4 inch long and in light blue ink. Does anyone here have experience in removing ink stains from Soob seats? Any recommended approach(es)? Should I anticipate a problem with colorfastness? Thanks in advance for your help.
  • luck11luck11 Member Posts: 425
    Duster: used it as directed...aired out 48 hours, only let the ends of the threads touch the surface and shake it out every second pass ie. very frequently. At first I thought it was the parafin and so I tried to rub out with a cotton cloth to no avail.. even tried with my finger and still no luck. We've since had rain and I have not had the opportunity to wash my vehicle and retest the duster, but as soon as I do, I will post. Will also try some of my Z5 (Zaino) on a section and see what happens to the lines. Again, not sure it is the duster...will test. I use a pure sheepskin wool mitt to wash, and imitation chamois to dry (rinse it before and after use), so duster seems to be the only other logical culprit.

    Ink: I use a product called Folex. Its biodegradable and takes out every stain, including inc. You see, my wife has long hair and often uses a pencil or a pen to hold it in a bun (this is one of my beefs). So after 6 months or so, I have to clean the pencil and ink marks off the headrest. Spray Folex on, rub it in with your fingers and watch it disappear. Then soak it up with a dry absorbant cloth by dabbing. I live in Canada...not sure where or if it is avail in the US.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I'd try some saran-wrap on the head rest if she does it regularly!

    :o)

    -juice
  • 2ndwnd2ndwnd Member Posts: 145
    Thanks to whoever suggested using chamois on the interior. I washed my Legacy today, and after drying the outside, I took the damp (synthetic) chamois and wiped off the dash, steering wheel, console, and doors. It worked very well, even cleaned the rear view mirror with it to good effect.

    Dave
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Did a nice cleaning on Friday. Thorough wash, natural chamois dry. Meguiar's wax. Rain X. Cleaned the rims with a soft bristle brush. Interior wiped down, vacuumed, windows (tinted) wiped with damp cloth.

    I was very happy with the results, took about 2 hours or so.

    Tried Armor All Wax on my wife's car (had it in a gift pack) and hated it. Consumer Reports had rated it highly, 4th overall, well ahead of the Meguiar's wax I used on my Forester. No comparison, what were they thinking? The Armor All is hard to apply, flakes off, and doesn't look half as good. Imperfections actually are MORE apparant than before.

    I'm sticking with Meguiar's.

    -juice
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    I normally use Meguiar's, but I decided to give Zymol a try after reading positive reviews from CR.

    The verdict -- it works well. I was impressed with the way it got rid of fine scratches and deepend the gloss of my black Forester. I've always used Meguiar's products so I was a little skeptical on it's performance, but I'm now convinced it's a good product for regular maintenance of your paint.

    Zymol seems more effective than the one-step Meguiar's Cleaner/Wax and a hell of a lot easier than the three-step process (cleaner, polish, wax). I think I'll keep using it for my monthly waxing and save the three-step jobs for once or twice a year.

    Ken
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    Gave my soob its second wax (first this season though) Used 3M professional wax, seemed to work well enough. Then it rained.
  • deniceedenicee Member Posts: 14
    When should I give my new Legacy it's first wax? I've washed it twice in the three weeks I've had it (winestone) and tried the duster. Someone had given me the duster and it wasn't new but it left tiny scratches that I think will come out when I wax it.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    KenS: sounds like a good strategy.

    Lucien: don't sweat it, that always happens. The local weather forecasters call my house and ask me if I washed my car to determine if it's going to rain. If I washed it, 60% chance of rain. Wax? Thunderstorms on the way! ;)

    Actually, it's a nice test of how well you applied it. Did it bead up nicely, and roll off the paint? I love seeing that. We've got so much pollen my Forester is filthy, filthy already.

    What's that duster called again?

    Denice: I believe paint needs up to 3 months to fully cure, but that's from the date of manufacture, so you're ready for the first application.

    Let us know what you use and how you liked it.

    -juice
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    All,

    The ink stain I reffered to in post #42 came out using Resolve fabric cleaner. Easy job.

    As for waxing, I waxed my '00 Forester S last weekend for the first time (bought it mid-January) with Mother's Pure Carnauba. I'd like to avoid using any waxes with silicones in them if I can. There weren't really any scratches on the car to speak of, though I did get a tiny door ding in the LR door. The white paint came out easily with Meguiar's #26 Yellow Wax, but the miniscule indentation is still there (urgh!). Ah well, had to happen sometime, and as I've read elsewhere on the web, Soobs are like sneakers and hiking boots - best when dirty!
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