Cleaning, polishing, and appearance tricks for your Chevy Silverado

[airjam18]

Just a quick tip for those with lots of chrome, I found this from a friend: I f you use a little bit of vinegar on a cloth and wipe down teh chrome with it, it'll leave a great shine. the vinegar also helps to clean out any stains or tar, bugs, etc. on the chrome. I've been using this to clean my stepbars and grilleguard for a while now and it seems to work well.

[White Lightening]

It seems truck enthusiasts come in three styles.
Style one washes, waxes, and cleans often - maybe every week or so maybe even oftener - not me.

Style two is off roading and mudding or working the truck - cleaning and looks just aren't part of the program - and they like to say "its a truck" - which I guess means it isn't supposed to be an asset or look good. This isn't me either.

Style three uses their truck - maybe for work - maybe for fun - but its used daily - and there just isn't the time in life or motivation to clean it constantly - yet every-once-in-awhile it gets attention because it is more than transportation - its your vehicle. This is me. And twice or three times a year tops - I clean etc. (though doing all the other maintenance on it regularly).

This weekend marked the spring clean up - twice a year - whether it needs it or not One of the things I tested that worked great and thought I'd pass it on.

Instead of LineX I went with a nice rubber bed mat (with dimples underneath) and rubber tailgate mat. This spring I took it out to clean the bed and get rid of all the winter sand and winter concrete block dust and dirt. Then as before I used No Touch Wet "n" Protect (I found many others don't work worth a darn). This is Tire shine in a can. I sprayed it on the cleaned mats (heavy spraying) then let it sit in the enclosed bad for a couple days in the heat - then wiped it down with a rag - then used the rag to wipe all the other exterior vinyl trim. Twice a year I'll do this - dust and dirt don't stick - mats looks great - I slide lots of stuff on the mats (many concrete flag stones) - not a mark or dirt on them. And the exterior vinyl trim, mirrors, door handles, bumper trim - all look jet black and gorgeous for months (not to mention the tires).

White Lightening

[BlenderWizard]

anyone got any tips for removing the oxidation from my aluminum toolbox? It looks kinda cruddy... My friend at the body shop suggested vinegar, but that did nothing.

[eliasonb763]

I used to work at a dealer in the detail department. The best way we found to clean the interior is to use an air hose and Meguires vinel and rubber cleaner. The air will push out any dirt from any crack. Just make sure you use a soft cloth on the instrument panel so you dont scratch it. I would start on one side and just blow and make my way across to the other. Works really well.

[twomorestrokes]

Originally Posted by White Lightening

So he shows me these foam applicators he uses for his tires. They are shaped like the tire sidewall profile - so it makes it easy to wipe the tires - but yet you don't have overspary - no cloth/rag needed and its a smoother look and wastes less spray. Buy em at Walmart or any place like that for a buck.

I use an old large diameter air cleaner lid with a bolt and 2 lock nuts through the center hole as a handle. I just hold this over the wheel to keep the tire dressing off of it and spray away and leave it on. While I'm at it, I always spray the plastic inner fender liner to keep things looking clean and new.

After washing and before drying, I use a soft rubber detailing squeegy over the truck. It really cuts down on the chamois time.

[silveradoking]

Old timers trick......If you got a black truck......you got swirls and small scratches.....use some baking soda and some simoniz wax.......works wonders....

[BlenderWizard]

Originally Posted by silveradoking

Old timers trick......If you got a black truck......you got swirls and small scratches.....use some baking soda and some simoniz wax.......works wonders....

Isn't that basically rubbing compound?

[draboo]

Any suggestions on deodorizing the interior??

The previous owner had a dog. The interior STILL smells like a damn dog. I m still vacuuming up dog hair.

I ve scrubbed/shampooed the carpet,seats,everything that is cloth/upholstery in nature. I washed down all plastic surfaces. 2 days ago I purchased a can of Lysol Neutra-Air (fresh scent). Its a new product that neutralizes odors. This seemed to work. I sprayed EVERYTHING down with this stuff. Upholstery,plastic,everything i could reach. I let the truck sit all day with the doors open.

Now,a few minutes ago,the wifey said she noticed the smell coming back.

This is driving me batty.I m tired of scrubbing. Maybe get the damn interior detailed?? I dunno....

[BlenderWizard]

At Home Depot, they have Zep odor eliminator or some such. Anyway, it's Zep brand. I had a bad smoke smell in mine, and it has all but eliminated that. Get the concentrate, pour into a spray bottle and spray on fabrics, but not the headliner. Seems to have done the trick for me. Also get a little can of ozium for good measure. Also, change your cabin air filter.

[yakk]

Originally Posted by White Lightening

...
Instead of LineX I went with a nice rubber bed mat (with dimples underneath) and rubber tailgate mat. This spring I took it out to clean the bed and get rid of all the winter sand and winter concrete block dust and dirt. Then as before I used No Touch Wet "n" Protect (I found many others don't work worth a darn). This is Tire shine in a can. I sprayed it on the cleaned mats (heavy spraying) then let it sit in the enclosed bad for a couple days in the heat - then wiped it down with a rag - then used the rag to wipe all the other exterior vinyl trim. Twice a year I'll do this - dust and dirt don't stick - mats looks great - I slide lots of stuff on the mats (many concrete flag stones) - not a mark or dirt on them. And the exterior vinyl trim, mirrors, door handles, bumper trim - all look jet black and gorgeous for months (not to mention the tires).
...
White Lightening

I was considering coating my bed liner mat, but I didn't want to make it slippery. I have a couple plastic bins back there, and right now, they never slide on the mat. Doesn't your system make it a bit more slippery?

[sportin83]

if you got a smell in the interior try changing the cabin air filter and then get some seat and carpet shampoo. anything can become clean with a little elbow grease.

[White Lightening]

Originally Posted by yakk

I was considering coating my bed liner mat, but I didn't want to make it slippery. I have a couple plastic bins back there, and right now, they never slide on the mat. Doesn't your system make it a bit more slippery?

Greetings Yakk,

I found thru trial and error last year - that using the wrong Tire spray type of product produces a very greasy surface with no penetration - while using the right type of Tire Spray gives more of a siliconized type of finish to rubber mats. I now only use one single product for my tires, mats, and vinyl trim "No Touch" Wet-n-Protect). True - it does decrease the friction surface on the mat - but that is the whole purpose - to spray it on - leave it set for a couple days and "cook" (covered with a tonneau or something - in the sun so dirt doesn't get on it for that couple of days) - then wipe it off casually with a soft rag. By doing this - your mat gets a glossy black finish - sand and dirt don't stick - and its not just a "surface" finish - it somewhat moves in to the mat below the surface. Surface becomes less able to get stains - think of it like a qood quality wax on paint.

I too have several vinyl flip open boxes in my bed (I keep computer supplies and accessories in them plus tools). They don't slide around when I'm driving (incidentally - these boxes are flip up type with catches on them by rubbermaid). They can be stacked nested under my tonneau. Easy to take out or keep in - and with my waterproof hard folding tonneau cover I have zero rain or dust getting into the truck bed over a period of several months (foam weatherstripped the tailgate area).

While bed mat and tailgate mat will be "smoother" and glossier - the vinyl bins should not slide around unless they are totally empty. When I used the wrong tire spray - man - it was like a greased pig LOL - hard standing on it, everything sliding around.

With little time to do cleaning - I want it very easy to clean and stay looking stain free and jet black - this has helped accomplish it for me in the box area.

P.S. And after using the rag on the mat - use it (without additional spray needed) on the black EXTERIOR vinyl trim of the handles, mirrors, bumpers (but not painted surfaces).

White Lightening

[jethro_3]

No Touch, the only way to go. With all the black on my truck I don't want hte static cling that other cleaners cause. I spray the wheel wells, the running boards, and the tires. Since I've got 2 six year old climing in and out of the back door I don't want them to "Slide" out of the back . No Touch is not slick and you don't have to wipe it off nor will it have static cling.

The local Autozone was removing it from the shelfs so I bought 12 cans at $.99 versus the $1.79. Two cleanings per can I am set for a while.. ..

[gremlin96]

deodorizing the interior. you need to rember the area behind the dash. it will collect dust and grime. also the air vents will do the same.

with you favorite spay deodorizer spray under the dash and in the vents with the heator on and agen with the ac on.

to realy do the job remove the seats and clean them out side of the truck. rember thay have a underside to. then do hole carpet, you would be shocked at what gets under the seats.

oxidation from aluminum toolboxs. go to a truck stop and get some aluminum cleaner. take the tool box out then clean it. the cleaners thay have there will eat the paint off. thay have differnt types most of them are acids. to keep the tool box shiney use shark hide. ask for it at boat shops. it will cost a arm and a leg but its worth it. one can will do 100 tool boxes. it will also keep the oxidation from coming back.

[BlenderWizard]

I recently found out that Johnson's (used to be DOW) Foaming Bathroom Cleaner also works pretty well at cleaning the engine. No Touch does pretty good, but it wont knock out grease like the bathroom cleaner will.