Repair & Improve

Home Improvement Parks in the Garage

by Tom Kraeutler, AOL Home Improvement Editor

Tom Kraeutler is the Home Improvement Editor for AOL.  In this column, Tom offers tips on caring for both your house and car.

Your improvements don’t stop with your house.  April is National Car Care Month and a good time to keep your second largest investment in mind.

The first step to protecting your automobile investment is finding a way to keep your car in the garage, protected from winter weather and unforgiving summer sun that can damage both the interior and exterior.  Organize that space by getting everything possible up off the floor.  This includes big things like ladders and bicycles, as well as the smaller garden tools or toys that take up more space than they have to on a garage floor.

The next step is to take the proper preventive steps to ensure your car is well preserved and running properly when you need it most. There is more to car care then simply changing the oil and installing windshield wipers – increasing your car’s performance, maintaining its appearance and making small repairs can save you thousands of dollars and help preserve resale and trade-in value later down the line.

Easy Solutions to Make It Shine

• SOAP UP - Some car wash soaps use detergents that can remove wax protection and dull the exterior of your car. Selecting top quality car wash soap that removes dirt and grime without removing wax protection is a great place to start.
• WAX ON - Next, to protect your car’s finish, use a product that chemically bonds to the paint for a high gloss, long-lasting shine while providing maximum paint protection and reducing the need for reapplication. This will help save your car’s exterior and save you time and money in the long run.
• WAX OFF - When it comes to detailing, be sure to use a detail cloth to remove excess wax, polish, residue and fingerprints. A high quality micro fiber cloth won’t scratch or streak delicate automotive surfaces and is machine washable for easy reuse.

If all this sound’s more like hard work than the way you want to spend your Saturday afternoon, take a look at some of the high-tech car care products, such as the new line of 3M Car Care products.  3M has been providing professional solutions to the automobile industry for almost 100 years, and this spring it’s expanding those same trusted solutions to consumers for the first time. The complete line of new products that cover performance, appearance, maintenance and repair will hit store shelves in April and are designed to be easy to apply.

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