Door shuts can easily be overlooked but you should ensure they’re cleaned along with the rest of your car for the same important reasons. Dirty door shuts will let down an otherwise clean looking car and regular cleaning will not only help to keep the whole car looking good but will help to ensure they will operate reliably and prevent any corrosion from setting in. There are are few different methods that can be used to clean your cars door shuts but whichever one you use, you should do it before you wash the rest of the car.
The first method is to simply clean them with a normal wash mitt and shampoo solution that you would use to wash the rest of the car with. It is advisable to not use that particular wash implement on the rest of the body though but instead keep it for dirtier duties such as such wheels, tyres, arches and shuts. Before cleaning ensure you remove any loose items from the shuts that may have accumulated such as leaves or pieces of litter.
Once washed, the shampoo should be thoroughly rinsed off. You can use a hosepipe or pressure washer for this but be sure to aim the flow of the water away from the door shut itself to prevent any water from entering the interior of your car. If you’re not confident using a hosepipe or pressure washer then you could use a trigger spray bottle filled with water to rinse the shuts down.
Another method which is best suited for cleaning dirtier and more neglected door shuts is to use either a designated de greasing product or a diluted all purpose cleaner to pre treat the shuts, this should be left to dwell for a few minutes and then agitated with a variety of soft bristled detailing brushes to help lift heavily ingrained dirt and grease from awkward areas. Once agitated a pressure washer or hosepipe should be used to rinse off the shuts and ensure all dirt, grease and cleaning residue is properly removed.
After rinsing you should close up the doors and wash the rest of the car as normal because more water and moisture will enter them during the wash process. Only after the rest of the car has been washed, rinsed and dried should you reopen the door shuts and dry them. A micro fibre towel should be used to dry the shuts but as with the wash implement, it is best not to use that particular towel on the body of the car, instead keeping it for dirtier duties.
Once dried you can polish and wax or seal the door shuts, not only will this help to enhance them but it will further help to prevent any corrosion from setting in. An all in one polish product would usually be an ideal choice for this task but any product that is used on the rest of the paintwork can be used on the door shuts.
After cleaning, polishing and protecting it is important to remember to re grease/lubricate the door hinges with a suitable product because the cleaning process will effectively remove any grease or lubrication that was already present.
Once this initial thorough cleaning, polishing, protecting and re greasing has been undertaken, if your car is regularly cleaned then the door shuts can simply be maintained by pre spraying them with a detailing spray and wiping them down with a damp micro fibre towel, after washing and rinsing the rest of the car.