This is our 2006 Pontiac Vibe that we’ve owned since new. It’s our daily driver, and it’s been a LONG winter. Today I gave it some special treatment, cleaning it thoroughly inside and out. I didn’t think it was all that dirty, but the filthy water pulled from my extraction cleaner tells a different story!
Before:
As you can see, the car was badly in need of some cleaning, but really wasn’t that terrible looking, considering it hadn’t been cleaned all winter. I started by giving the whole car a thorough pressure wash, paying close attention to the door jams; then blasting off the undercarriage. Then I turned my attention to the wheels, tires, & wheel wells. Then the engine compartment saw some degreaser and my detail brush. Once that was done I coated the whole car in snow foam and worked the badges & grill with a detail brush while the foam dwelled. A 2-bucket wash of the whole car, then it was brought inside to be dried off.
Once dry, I cleaned out the trash, then gave the entire interior a thorough vacuuming. Then it was time to shampoo the carpets & upholstery, followed with an extraction cleaning. The interior was wiped down, and some stubborn areas blasted with steam. I then lightly polished the headlamps, then put a coat of wax on the entire car.
While the wax was drying I returned to the interior, cleaning the inside glass and laying down some vinyl protectant on all the vinyl & plastic surfaces. Then the wax was buffed off, the tires shined, and the engine compartment detailed. A little polish for the exhaust tip, and cleaning the exterior glass. Then it was time to roll it back outside for some after photos!
After:
