Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Best Pressure Washer On Details

Saturday, March 26th, 2011

Cleaning molds, grimes, and hard mud would be a tough job without the right tools but having the best pressure washer you could buy in the market would make the work easier. The technology behind the machine is the pressurized water that is being ejected through a wand with a nozzle at the tip. The force of the water is enough to wash away even hardened stains. Adjustments could be made depending on the usage. From the different forms of pressure washer sold in the market, consumers are at the dilemma of choosing the best pressure washer. Pressure washer comes in variety; some are powered by electricity, gas, petrol or diesel. But either of which is economical depending on the buyers preferences. To enhance its cleaning capabilities, some pressure washers also have features that allow detergents to be introduced into the water stream for a more effective cleaning. However, when talking about choosing the best pressure washer, people might also need to consider the brand and quality. Some brands may be very expensive but would also last for 10 years or more.

What to look for in buying the best pressure washer

Dont be tempted to buy a very expensive pressure washer from a very eager sales representative because some of the best pressure washer also comes at a best price. Over the years, improvements are done in manufacturing the best pressure washer. Moreover, depending on the usage, consider taking a look into some important aspects before buying.
1.Pressure power the force of water ejected through the nozzle vary depending on the power. The more power the more weight and cost is added. So depending on the task to be performed, choose pressure washer that would meet the power demand of the job. There is no sense in buying a high powered pressure washer to be used in cleaning soft mud or stains.
2.Power source – innovations on powering this machine has greatly expanded. Some pressure washers are powered by Gas, petrol, diesel or electricity. Choosing which is convenient and economic will help you choose the best pressure washer.
3.Flexibility adjustments on water pressure and water stream ejection is a good feature to consider but it could be more expensive.
4.Return policies and warranty an important reminder on buying any appliance since this could save much money in case of damage and repairs.
Buying the best pressure washer is a profound investment. It is recommended to take a look on some reviews in the internet or talk to persons who have enough knowledge about choosing the best pressure washer. Take time to try out the pressure washers in the store before buying them.

Consumer safety in using the best pressure washer

The need to read manuals and safety reminders before using any appliance is significant. The force of water coming out from the nozzle is strong enough to rip off skin. When using an electric powered pressure washer, make sure that water and live electric current are appropriately isolated to avoid getting a shock. Guidelines and instructions must be carefully read before operating pressure washer to avoid such hazards. Safety must always be the main priority in using the best pressure washer.

Tips On How To Get Your Vehicle Ready For Warm Weather Driving

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

The 1st warm weekend of the season traditionally triggers a symphony of cleaning products, vacuums and garden hoses. But whilst you may be in a rush to put a shine on your vehicle, it is equally essential to make sure it’s ready for the warm weather on the inside also as the outer layer.

The most critical areas to check after the harsh wintertime are engine fluids, radiator hoses, belts, tires and brakes, says Pat Goss, host of PBS’ MotorWeek and Washington Post automotive columnist. Adequately preparing these key areas of the automobile before the weather warms up won’t only maintain you secure despite the fact that driving, they’ll help stop expensive repairs.

After battling months of snow, sleet and icy roads, your motor vehicle is without doubt in will need of some serious care. To make your spring trouble-free, follow this 10-point checklist for security, dependability and fuel economy.

1. Remove your winter tires and rotate all-season radials-If you’ve got winter tires, it’s time to shop them away. In case you do not have winter tires, it’s equally essential to have all-season tires rotated or switched out for new ones.

2. Brake check-After a blistering winter, be sure to check your brakes. Warning signs include extreme grinding, squealing, screeching or chatter.

three. Wiper blades check-Wipers work hard over the wintertime months, wiping away dirt and debris on your windshield. Replace them within the spring before a shower makes it challenging to see.

4. Clean the underbody-In addition to washing the external, be positive to spray the underbody of your vehicle and underneath the rear and front bumpers to rinse away any salt congregating, which may result in erosion and rusting. Utilize a high-pressure sprayer or garden hose for best consequences.

5. Apply a protectant-Any vinyl surface, as an example the seats and the wheel, is susceptible to cracking, sun damage, and fading-so be certain to apply a protectant at the start of the season and touch-up regularly.

6. Change your oil-Give some thought to the kind of petrol you could have inside your engine. Fully synthetic oils, like Mobil 1, are specifically designed to protect your engine in hot weather, while optimizing your engine’s efficiency and decreasing oil ingestion. (For a lot more info about Mobil 1, go to www.mobiloil.com.)

7. Check all fluids-In the wintertime months, fluids are easily depleted as your engine works harder within the colder weather. Ensure to check, top off or replace all fluids, which includes brake, transmission, coolant, power steering and windshield washer fluid.

8. Pressure test-Assess the pressure of the cooling system, and examine belts and hoses for wear or deterioration.

9. Interior clean-up-Vacuum and be positive to dispose of any unwanted garbage that has hibernated below your seats over the wintertime. Now is also the time to outlet your winter vehicle mats within the garage.

10. Wash your motorcar-All vehicles in spite of the finish (clear coat, acrylic, enamel, etc.) need standard washing throughout the year. To preserve your car’s shine and look after the surface, wax your motor vehicle as soon as it as dried totally.

The warm weather conditions are here-so be certain to follow these basic ideas to ensure vehicle dependability within the warm months ahead, says Goss. By looking after your vehicle, it’ll a lot more likely take care of you. And it’ll do it for a good deal less money.

Garden Tools To Help You Spruce Up Your Garden

Monday, March 7th, 2011

The garden is a great place to sit and relax after a hard days work, and its an ideal location to hold a party in the summer. The kids, of course, also love to get out in the garden during the summer; it makes a great change from being stuck indoors during the winter months. However, the winter always takes toll on the lawn and patio, and spring is a great time to repair any damage and consider purchasing garden tools to help you spruce up your garden and get it ready for those long summer days.

One of the first jobs that many homeowners have in the spring is cleaning up the yard. Those who have a patio or paved area will know the amount of dirt that often accumulates after months of rain, snow and whatever else nature has thrown our way. With this in mind, you might want to consider pressure washers. They are an excellent way to remove dirt, grime and debris, and your paved area or patio will look sparkling and brand new after a good pressure clean. A pressure washer should be considered as one of the must-have tools for the garden. As the saying goes, there is nothing like a good spring clean, and a few well-chosen garden tools makes light work of it.

Once you have your patio cleaned you can turn your attention to the garden itself. There is a multitude of different tools for the garden. Implements such as spades, hoes, rakes, lawn edgers and secateurs are all part of any gardener’s armoury, but there are two tools that you cannot manage without if you are to make your life a lot easier – the trimmer and the lawn mower.

There are two choices of trimmers and you may wish to have both as they save a great deal of time when it comes to keeping the hedges and lawn neat and tidy. A good quality hedge trimmer is one of the best ways to keep your privet hedge in order. All it takes is a quick trim across the top, which can be done in just a couple of minutes. A hedge trimmer can also come in handy for easily trimming conifers and a whole range of other garden shrubs.

You simply cannot maintain a great lawn without the help of a good lawnmower. The choice of these is huge. Depending on your preference you could choose a petrol model, an electric or even a self-propelled lawnmower. Of course the models today make light work of keeping the grass looking great as they also collect the grass and all you have to do is empty it into the green bin. You might also wish to consider purchasing a garden roller. This will flatten down the lawn or indeed any area such as bark chippings or gravel.

When it comes to a superb range of garden tools there is no better place than shopping online or in store with Wickes. We offer a multitude of tools and equipment, along with accessories to ensure that every part of your garden and patio is well prepared and ready for those long summer night barbeques.

How To Shed Those Excess Christmas Pounds

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011

As the winter sales rapidly encroach, consumers are yet again encouraged to overspend, especially as we try to avoid the steep VAT increase. However, while some Brit’s are enjoying picking up the bargains, there are many of us who feel they cannot enjoy what the high street shops have to offer due to a huge cloud of debt hovering following an expensive Christmas.

A lack of financial planning in the run up to Christmas is undoubtedly to blame for many of us overspending. This, along with an increased pressure to buy the most up to date gadgets for our loved ones has left January a gloomy debt filled month. According to the Insolvency Trade Body R3, over six million Brit’s obtained a personal loan in order to cope with the financial pressures of the period, that’s in addition to credit card debt, and debt advice charities are reporting month on month increases in people seeking free debt advice. This frightening statistic highlights just how important saving your money throughout the year really is.

New Year, New Leaf. If you have entered 2011 with mountain high debts then be disciplined and motivated in your attempt to consolidate your debt. This doesn’t have to be a daunting prospect, providing you keep a level head and make just a few small lifestyle changes, your debt can be repaid in the most hassle free way.

Communicate with Creditors: At the end of the day, it is in a creditor’s interest to avoid a default on your debt. If you feel that your debt is a mountain too difficult to climb then explain your situation to the creditor. Many will be extremely understanding (they are human after all!) and will look to re-evaluate your repayment scheme. Some may offer to lower the interest rate; others will reduce your monthly repayments. Turning a blind eye to the reality of your situation will only lead to future financial complications.

Offer to do overtime: This may not be a viable option to some and many may not have any free time at all to work extra hours. However, there are companies out there who do offer overtime, and at quite competitive rates of pay. Obviously this is a temporary agreement and once your debts are repaid you can return to your normal working patterns. Weigh up the benefits of temporarily spending your free time at work against the additional pay to see if this is something that could work for your circumstance.

Walk, don’t drive: Is your office a walking distance from home? Do your children go to the local school? Perhaps your local shop is just a stone’s throw away? If any of these are the case for you, then why not walk instead of driving. With the weather as it is at the moment, walking your kids to school will not only waken them up, but it can turn into a fun family adventure as you frolic in the snow. Simply choosing to walk to the local shop to get a loaf of bread can save you petrol expenses and help in saving on car maintenance. Of course, like most things, it is much easier said than done. But when you’re struggling with huge amounts of debt, small and relatively insignificant life changes such as this really can make a difference.

Generate some cash: The aftermath of Christmas is a great time to have a good clear out. Have any old gadgets or toys been replaced by new ones this year, phones or laptops perhaps? If so, instead of sending them to the skip, consider selling them online. Websites such as Amazon and Ebay are fantastic sources of generating some cash on items you no longer use. When was the last time you sorted out the loft? You’d be surprised at what gems you could find up there that could make a killing at a car boot or garage sale! Although it may be time consuming, selling your used goods can be extremely beneficial in generating some quick and necessary funds.

Cool it and wrap up: Now we all know that utility bills are the main culprits of our desperately low bank balances, but I think the amount that can be saved from a little energy efficiency is greatly underestimated. Turning down your thermostat a few degrees won’t dramatically reduce the heat in the house, but could dramatically save your bank balance. Simple things like turning unused lights off, putting your washer on a cooler wash, washing up dirty pots and pans by hand instead of the dishwasher and using your laptop on battery all can make huge contributions to the amount you save on your utility bills. Additionally, utilise offers such as free evening and weekend calls and save your necessary phone calls for then.

Cool it and wrap up: Research conducted last year concluded that a homeowner could save a mighty 10% on their heating bills alone of they made a few small changes to their home to encourage heat insulation. For example, purchasing a few cheap draft excludors for your doors and simply drawing the curtains when the heating is on, can all prevent heat (and money!) being wasted.

Save Money On Your Car Related Costs By Taking Care Of It Properly

Monday, February 21st, 2011

With petrol costing 128.3 pence per litre on average according to the January 2011 Fuel Report from the AA, owning a car is becoming increasingly expensive.

The issue with costs such as fuel and car tax is that you can’t change the price of them. Sure, you can change how much you have to pay by driving more careful or buying a different car, but the price isn’t going to be substantially different.

There are certain ways that you can save money on your car related costs, however and one of these ways is to ensure that you take care of your car properly.

By properly, this doesn’t mean getting it serviced once a year and washing it once a month. As necessary as these points are, this should be the absolute basic care that you give your car and it doesn’t come near to covering everything you should do to look after your car properly.

To ensure that your car related costs are kept to a minimum (in theory, the more care you give your car, the less chance there is of you having to take it to a garage for repairs), there are numerous processes that you should carry out, all of which can be grouped together into one of three categories – daily, weekly or monthly tasks – with examples for all three as follows:

1. Daily – you might not think that there are many tasks you can carry out on a daily basis, but there are in fact a few, including removing any rubbish from your car.

Whether you’ve just bought a brand new car from Honda dealers you’re driving around in a 10 year old Toyota, the reason you need to tidy your car daily is that the longer you leave something in there, the more chance there is of it being left there – and if it’s food, for example, this could do anything from leave a nasty smell to damaging your upholstery.

2. Weekly – of the numerous weekly tasks that you should carry out, two of the most important are to check your tyre pressure and give your car a quick clean.

The first, checking your tyre pressure, is required because not only will your tyres wear down quicker if they’re under or over inflated, but you’ll also see a lower MPG rate if you have incorrectly inflated tyres.

In respect of giving your car a quick clean, it’s a great idea to check on a weekly basis for any signs of dirt such as bird droppings or wild food (berries that have fallen from a tree, for example) and wash these off, as they could damage the paintwork if left.

If you use your car regularly and it does get dirty easily, a weekly wash wouldn’t go amiss, but it’s not a necessity.

3. Monthly – the most important task you can do on a monthly basis is to give your car a mini service. Check all of the fluids, from oil through to windscreen washer fluid, inspect the spark plugs and look for any signs of rust.

The simple reason behind this is that quicker you can top up your fluid levels, change your spark plugs or treat any signs of rust, the less chance there is of the car requiring professional repairs.

Looking after your car might be a chore if you’re not a car enthusiast, but it doesn’t have to be boring or dull. As long as you plan your care schedule properly, you can ensure that you’re doing your utmost to reduce the amount of money you need to spend on ongoing maintenance.

Explaining The Different Types Of Water Tanks

Tuesday, December 14th, 2010

If you are storing water, then you will need a water tank to store it in. What type of tank you choose depends on the needs of your situation and installation requirements. The first thing to consider is the final use for the water. Different tanks have to be used for drinking water (also known as potable water storage) and water for other uses than drinking (normally known as non-potable water storage).
The most popular type of plastic water tank for water storage is a rotationally moulded type of tank. These are suitable for cold water storage applications, for both potable and non-potable water. With a capacity of up to 10,000 litres of liquid, these are light in weight and easy to install. Uses for these water tanks typically include water supplies for temporary buildings, irrigation, as part of a rainwater harvesting system, fire fighting or for pumps or pressure washers requiring a reservoir. This type of tank is often situated above ground, but you can also get underground water storage tanks, which are often used for rainwater reservoirs. Underground tanks mean the water is more protected, and therefore resist freezing better. Underground tanks can be located beneath lawns or patios.
Larger capacity tanks are also available, and these are either supplied in one piece like the rotationally moulded tanks, or for larger tanks such as those where installation needs to be made through a restricted opening, in sections that are reconnected on site. Several different types of sectional tank are available, depending on the space, base for the tank and the installation access. Alternatively, you can connect together several smaller tanks to increase your volume of storage.
Whilst larger tanks are generally for commercial use, home owners wishing to use waste water or rainwater for watering the garden or washing the car can also use these larger capacity tanks as part of a wider water saving policy. This is both environmentally friendly and reduced the cost of water, particularly metered water supplies.

Five Ways To Avoid A Car Crash

Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

Here we’ll concentrate on what checks motorists can implement to ensure both their safety and the wellbeing of their fellow drivers in the darker, wetter weeks ahead.

Check your tyres and pressures

If any of the tyres on your car have only 3mm of tread or less left, then they need changed. It is both illegal and dangerous to drive with tyres with any less tread depth than this, and if caught with worn rubber on your vehicle you could face 3 penalty points per tyre and a maximum fine of 2500. If all four are worn, that’s 12 points: immediate disqualification, and anything up to 10,000. It’s not really worth it.

The more you pay for a tyre, the safer you’ll be with it fitted. The reason that big brand such as Michelin, Pirelli and Dunlop are more expensive is because they are constructed from grippier, more durable material and feature tread patterns better equipped to displace water on the road surface.

Budget tyres may be easy on the wallet, but they cannot compare to a proper set and they may lead to greater expense in the end. Many car crashes are caused by wheels locking under braking or skidding: instances that could arguably be avoided if a reputable brand of tyre was fitted to the car. Budget tyres are, arguably, a false economy.

A tyre is also illegal is it is not fitted to the wheel rim properly, is adjudged to be the wrong size, features any rips, bulges or gouges which penetrate deeper than 10% of the tread’s sectional width.

Tyres don’t work properly if they are not inflated to the correct pressure. Checking pressures should be a regular, if not frequent occurrence, especially if you rack up large mileages.

It is not a difficult process: cars generally feature stickers in the door shuts or on the rear of the fuel flap that inform the driver of what pressure with which to inflate the front and rear tyres, depending on how many passengers they generally carry in the car. Nearly all air compressors at petrol stations can now be adjusted to automatically inflate or even deflate tyres to the desired pressure and then the shut the air flow off.

Check your lights

It is amazing how many motorists don’t seem to realise when they are driving around at night without their headlights on, so for these reasons it is also probably not surprising that a large proportion of people don’t notice when a bulb blows. It is both illegal and more dangerous to have headlights not operating properly.

Dirt also has a significant impact on a light’s efficiency, so it is important to keep the lenses clean to avoid a car crash.

Change your wiper blades

When a wiper blade is coming to the end of its useful life, it tends to spread water more thinly across the windscreen than actually wipe it off, leaving streaks in the driver’s field of vision and usually making a juddering sound.

It should wipe water off cleanly and with little noise. It is essential to be able to see as much as possible in poor weather, especially at night, and worn wiper blades don’t help much. They can also result in an MOT failure.

Keep your windscreen clean inside and out

If your windscreen is dirty on the inside it will take longer to de-mist in cold weather conditions, and the film of grease and dust will become almost opaque if caught by the headlights of oncoming cars. Special window polish can be used to clean both the inner and outer surfaces of the windscreen and ensure much greater visibility in all conditions.

Likewise, the washer fluid reservoir should be full at all times. It is against the law to drive with an empty fluid bottle.

Check your brake fluid

Although changing the brake fluid is not something that everybody would wish to attempt, keeping an eye on it is not difficult. The fluid reservoir, under the bonnet, should clearly show how much fluid there is left.

If it is dipping to dangerous levels, not only will this be apparent from a visual check; the dashboard warning light will illuminate. In some cars the fluid level warning light is the same as the handbrake light. If the bulb illuminates when the handbrake is off, something is up! No brakes means no chance of avoiding a car crash, so make sure you’re on top of things.

5 Ways To Avoid A Car Crash

Monday, October 4th, 2010

Here we’ll concentrate on what checks motorists can implement to ensure both their safety and the wellbeing of their fellow drivers in the darker, wetter weeks ahead.

Check your tyres and pressures

If any of the tyres on your car have only 3mm of tread or less left, then they need changed. It is both illegal and dangerous to drive with tyres with any less tread depth than this, and if caught with worn rubber on your vehicle you could face 3 penalty points per tyre and a maximum fine of GBP2500. If all four are worn, that’s 12 points: an instant ban, and anything up to GBP10,000. It’s not really worth it.

The more you pay for a tyre, the safer you’ll be with it fitted. The reason that big brand such as Michelin, Pirelli and Dunlop are more expensive is because they are constructed from grippier, more durable material and feature tread patterns better equipped to displace water on the road surface.

Budget tyres may be easy on the wallet, but they cannot compare to a proper set and they may lead to greater expense in the end. Many car crashes are caused by wheels locking under braking or skidding: instances that could arguably be avoided if a reputable brand of tyre was fitted to the car. Budget tyres are, arguably, a false economy.

A tyre is also illegal is it is not fitted to the wheel rim properly, is adjudged to be the wrong size, features any rips, bulges or gouges which penetrate deeper than 10% of the tread’s sectional width.

Tyres don’t work properly if they are not inflated to the correct pressure. Checking pressures should be a regular, if not frequent occurrence, especially if you rack up large mileages. It is not a difficult process: cars generally feature stickers in the door shuts or on the rear of the fuel flap that inform the driver of what pressure with which to inflate the front and rear tyres, depending on how many passengers they generally carry in the car.

Nearly all air compressors at petrol stations can now be adjusted to automatically inflate or even deflate tyres to the desired pressure and then the shut the air flow off.

Check your lights

It is amazing how many motorists don’t seem to realise when they are driving around at night without their headlights on, so for these reasons it is also probably not surprising that a large proportion of people don’t notice when a bulb blows. It is both illegal and more dangerous to have headlights not operating properly.

Dirt also has a significant impact on a light’s efficiency, so it is important to keep the lenses clean to avoid a car crash.

Change your wiper blades

When a wiper blade is coming to the end of its useful life, it tends to spread water more thinly across the windscreen than actually wipe it off, leaving streaks in the driver’s field of vision and usually making a juddering sound.

It should wipe water off cleanly and with little noise. It is essential to be able to see as much as possible in poor weather, especially at night, and worn wiper blades don’t help much. They can also result in an MOT failure.

Keep your windscreen clean inside and out

If your windscreen is dirty on the inside it will take longer to de-mist in cold weather conditions, and the film of grease and dust will become almost opaque if caught by the headlights of oncoming cars. Special window polish can be used to clean both the inner and outer surfaces of the windscreen and ensure much greater visibility in all conditions.

Likewise, the washer fluid reservoir should be full at all times. It is illegal to drive with an empty bottle under the bonnet.

Check your brake fluid

Although changing the brake fluid is not something that everybody would wish to attempt, keeping an eye on it is not difficult. The fluid reservoir, under the bonnet, should clearly show how much fluid there is left. If it is dipping to dangerous levels, not only will this be apparent from a visual check; the warning light will illuminate on the dashboard.

In some cars the fluid level warning light is the same as the handbrake light. If the bulb illuminates when the handbrake is off, something is up! No brakes can equal a car crash, so stay alert.

Pressure Washers For Perfect Cleaning Needs!

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

You quite enjoy the task of keeping your house clean and healthy. What about the thick hard mud stuck to your vehicle or thick oil stains lying on your garage floor? What about the debris around your house or the oil stuck to the grill! You always desire for that squeaky-clean look but it seems to remain elusive. The one solution that can prove the most effective in this situation is a Pressure Washer. A pressure washer is the machine that can prove quite useful for all your cleaning needs and get rid of stubborn stains and marks in and around your house. Pressure Water is a real time-saver when it comes to a variety of outdoor cleaning chores. Pressure Washer uses high-pressure water to remove dust, mold, grime, mud and dirt from surfaces and objects such as buildings, vehicles and road surfaces. Pressure Washers use a motor, high pressure hose and a trigger gun to generate pressures up to 5000 PSI and above. Pressure Washers are also used in industrial cleaning applications to remove the surface layers as well as dust-free cutting of some metals and concrete. Pressure washers can be classified into following categories depending on the type of fuel they consume.
Electric Pressure Washer
Diesel Pressure Washer
Petrol Pressure Washer
Gas Pressure Washer
Gas powered Pressure Washers more powerful than electric powered Pressure Washers. However, due to the hazardous nature of the gasoline exhaust gas powered Pressure Washers are not suitable for enclosed and indoor areas. Pressure Washers can help you save water, time and energy and provide you with excellent outdoor cleaning solutions. Pressure Washers save water by up to 75 percent as compared to using just a garden hose. Detergent can also be added to the water stream of the Pressure Washer with the help of a particular nozzle for better cleaning process. An electric pressure washer offering 2000 PSI (pound per square inch) pressure would provide sufficient cleaning for most casual household chores.

An electric Pressure Washer just enough to support your household cleaning activities would typically cost you about 10 cents per hour in terms of electricity costs. A Pressure Washer uses very less water as its output pressure is about 50 times higher compared to a normal garden hose. We can add cleaners to the pressurized stream of water to clean faster. The cleaning power of a Pressure Washer is rated by its maximum pressure and its water flow. Light-duty Pressure Washers have a pressure rating up to 2,000 PSI while Medium-duty Pressure Washers, usually gasoline powered offer 2,000 to 3,000 PSI. Price of Pressure Washers ranges from less than $100 for electric units to $1,000 or more for gasoline-powered Pressure washers. Consider all your needs before buying a Pressure Washer cleaner. Let’s say, your purpose of buying a Pressure Washer is just to clean a car, then a Pressure Washer of 1,000 to 1,300 PSI would prove good enough to fit your needs. Some Pressure Washers also come with adjustable pressure settings for flexible operations. Pressure Washers are extremely powerful devices and can inflict injury if handled carelessly.

Polishing One Off: Polish To Protect

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Keeping your car washed and polished not only means that it stands out in the car park but will also help prevent rust and corrosion.

So how does washing your car – which obviously relies on getting it wet – prevent corrosion? The first part of the answer is that those things that dirty up your car – bird droppings, bugs, mud etc – stain if they’re not washed off in time. Some things that get spilt on cars can corrode the pain if they’re not washed off in time too, but clean your car regularly.

When your car is clean the moisture dries up quicker than when it’s dirty. When your car is dirty the moisture (be it from rain, wash or puddles) will accumulate in dirty areas and result in corrosion. The more frequently your car is washed, the less dirt there is for moisture to accumulate around.

Your car should, ideally, get a clean once a month. Every now and then use a pressure washer – easily found at most petrol stations around the country – as this will remove dirt easier from those hard to reach places that often go un-touched by a sponge and bucket wash, not intentionally mind.

Clean from the top down as there’s no benefit from having dirty water drip over the areas you’ve just cleaned at the bottom of the car when you’re washing the roof.

Be careful not to hold the pressure get too close though or you risk peeling off loose paint.

Using a pressure washer once in a while also makes it easier to blast out the dirt from places such as behind mouldings, inside the wheel arches and under fixings, that would otherwise be awkward to clean. It’s these areas where build ups lead to corrosion quicker.

Once your car is cleaned, remember to wax and polish it. Not only does this make your car shiny as well as clean but it serves to protect the paint. The wax and polish act as a shield and will help protect the pain from the environment and from fading.

The wax and polish form a thin, transparent layer over the paint and covers minor scratches and chips, helping it look like new.

Giving your car a good polish and wax will only take around half an hour. Just thirty minutes. It’s a simple process of taking a small soft sponge and a clean, soft towel. Once your car has dried (there’s no point polishing it while wet) get a small amount of wax on your sponge and spread it evenly on once section. As with washing it’s best to go from the top down.

Make a thin layer of wax and avoid touching any trim such as bumpers, window trims and door seals etc. Leave the wax for a minute or two until it begins to haze then buff it to a shine using the soft towel.

If you use a good, high-quality car polish (which doesn’t even mean high prices) then it can stay on the car for up to three or months. Reapplying the polish and wax on a regular, periodical basis will keep the paint protected longer and make it easier each time.

A regular monthly wash with car shampoo and a bucket and periodical blasts from the pressure washer followed by a good coat of polish will leave your car clean, shiny, looking like new and protected from corrosion.