Owning and maintaining a car can be both a joy and a hassle if anything goes wrong with your car`s internal workings or external bodywork, and because most people but cars with the idea that a few years down the line they will sell it on to someone else it`s important to keep your car in tip top condition whilst it is under your care.

Cars can be an expensive investment as they lose money every day in depreciation, but the easiest way to make sure that your car stays looking like new inside and out and to preserve the resale value of your motor is to begin a regime of regular car washing and cleaning both inside and out.

Thankfully this process has been made as painless as possible over the last few years thanks to the growth of the car maintenance and car cosmetics industry as well as the parallel growth of the car valeting industry. Which ever area of the country you live in, chances are there will be a local car valeting service who will offer to come to you with a mobile unit and valet your car thoroughly. Alternatively there are several useful products that you can buy and use yourself to maintain the interior and exterior integrity of your vehicle.

Exterior Car Wash Tips - The best environment for washing your car is in the shade or beneath cloud cover so that the washing and rinsing water does not evaporate too quickly and leave deposits on your paintwork. Buy a car wash shampoo from your local car supercentre and then use a bucket and sponge. Lather up and coat your car in bubbles, starting with the wheels to avoid any splash back onto already clean panels. After you have thoroughly soaped and cleaned the whole vehicle rinse the suds off, and then use a leather or synthetic shammy to give the car a streak free finish.

The next step is to apply some car wax to the exterior of your car. This can come in many varieties for different vehicle and paint types, so check before you buy that it`s appropriate for you car. Waxing your car will not only protect the paintwork and give it a showroom fresh sheen but will also give it a gossamer soft touch. You might also consider purchasing wheel wax which can be applied to alloy wheels to help them maintain their sparkle and reduce the amount of dirt and brake dust they collect.

Interior Car Wash Tips - Inside your car the first thing to do is vacuum your carpets and remove any floor mats. Once this is done, you can buy special plastic polishing and finishing products to refresh your dashboard and interior plastics. You might also need to clean the interior glass, and there are products specifically tailored to this need available. Using a carpet cleaning product or shampoo on the upholstery may be necessary.

Professional Valeting - If all of this is sounding a bit like hard work, getting a mobile valeting service to attend to your car is probably for you. They can be booked on a one off or regular basis, and will do all the work and more for you, including paintwork repair and leather upholstery restoration. If you`re spending too much money on car insurance and automatic car wash services, which can damage your paintwork, getting into washing your own car or seeking professional help is an easy alternative.