Vacations over: how to clean the car when returning from the sea

Published on: 01/09/2017 Updated on: 20/02/2025

While on vacation at the beach, has our car been put to the test by sand, wind and saltiness? Don't worry, with MA-FRA products it is easy to remedy this unpleasant inconvenience!

Often, when we return from summer break, our car deserves a specific treatment to remove the remnants of the days spent at the sea, the beach and having fun. The interior may have been a bit neglected and may have taken on sand or crumbs. The bodywork, in turn, might show obvious signs of a vacation lived intensely, being dirty and sticky from dust, salt, gnats or resin.

In short, our car may have been really put to the test and now need deep and thorough treatment to shine again. In such cases, relying on a car care and cleaning professional is definitely the best choice in terms of convenience and quality of result. Through the"AutoWellness" app., you can search for all car wash facilities that use MA-FRA products, for a holiday-proof clean!

For those who prefer to do the treatment themselves, however, here are some tips on how to properly use MA-FRA-specific solutions to make your car shine again.

First goal: cockpit interior as good as new!

During sea days, the interior of the cabin may have accumulated large amounts of sand, dirt, and dust, which over time could be harmful to various surfaces.

Fabrics and Seats. Proper cleaning begins with the removal of carpets and any accessories or objects that might obstruct the work, and then proceeds with a thorough vacuuming of all spaces-from the carpeting to the seats to the trunk compartment. Seats, in particular, following the use of wet costumes, soiled bags, or the consumption of drinks and snacks, may need special treatment. Flash is the product that can act in a localized manner on any dirt stains or even on the entire surface. The product is applied directly to the fabric, working it in with the brush provided until fully absorbed and leaving it to work for a few minutes. Using a damp microfiber cloth will then remove any excess product and homogenize it. Flash can also be used on seats already treated with the sanitizing detergent Pulimax, which allows you to refresh them further and give them a pleasant and persistent clean scent.

Plastics. The time has come to turn to plastic parts. That's where the 3in1 Plastics Treatment, which can clean, polish and, at the same time, protect every type of plastic in the passenger compartment, from the dashboard to the inside of the doors. The application technique is simple: just spray the product on a microfiber cloth such as 1Shine Interior and treat the entire surface evenly. Thanks to this expedient you avoid spraying the product on unwanted parts, especially when trying to reach the most remote corners of your car. The result will be excellent and without halos. Same procedure for 3in1 Dashboard Gloss Treatment, the specific treatment to protect the dashboard from weather and UV rays for a long time.

Glass. To achieve perfect glass cleaning, without halos or streaks, the advice is to use Glass Cleaner with the help of 2 specific microfiber cloths, such as 1Shine Glazing. On the first one you will have to spray the product and then proceed to clean the surface, paying special attention to the tightest corners. With the second cloth, on the other hand, the finishing will be done, thus avoiding leaving halos or streaks. On the outside of the windshield, which is more prone to weathering, you can spray the product directly on the glass to remove any traces of salt or sand. Glass Cleaner has an added plus: it is also ideal for cleaning the LCD monitors of navigation systems and on-board computers.

The final touch. Tissue waterproofing is the final step to a proficient car cleaning. Idrostop, the specific product for this procedure, should be sprayed on the car's interior and left for 15-20 minutes, keeping the doors open. A few tricks: a second coat of the product can further prolong the duration of the effect and ensure uniform coverage of the entire surface; treating the carpets on the outside of the car also speeds up drying. Once this stage is completed, total repellency will be achieved from water-based liquids (including soft drinks and fruit juices), and after 24 hours, the product will begin to show its oleo-repellent ability, then toward oil-based liquids (olive oil, fats and sauces).

How to clean exteriors for a shiny, glossy bodywork

With the right products, cleaning the car will be a simple task that can give great satisfaction. The end result will surprise in accuracy and shine.

Starting from the bottom. Rim and Tire Cleaner is the 2-in-1 product that, thanks to its high degreasing power, can clean wheels and tires in just a few steps. Without any risk of abrasion or corrosion, it loosens dirt-even the most encrusted-from all magnesium alloy, steel and plastic wheel covers. It does not lose its effectiveness even on rims with a design characterized by a very narrow ragged pattern, with spots that seem unreachable and impossible to clean with a sponge. To use it, just spray the product evenly directly on the rim and also on the tire shoulder, of course after making sure the brake calipers and rims are cool. It is best to proceed from the bottom up so as to avoid excess product that could cause halos to appear. After that, it will be sufficient to let it act for a few minutes before rinsing the surface thoroughly. At the end of the treatment, the rims will be thoroughly cleaned and the tires will have returned to their original color.
Bodywork. At first glance, it is the bodywork that shows the unmistakable signs of the vacations. Making it shine again will be a task to be done carefully, but not impossible thanks to the specific MA-FRA products. It pays to start with removing all dirt residues. When doing so, it is a good idea to equip yourself with a microfiber cloth to use for stubborn stains.

With Killer you can remove gnats and insects stuck on the hood, headlights, mask and windshield. First, you need to rinse the car and then spray Killer on the contaminated parts, evenly and from the bottom up. After letting the product work for 2-3 minutes, you can rinse the car and move on to removing any traces of tar and adhesives. It often happens, in fact, to come across road resurfacing work in progress, with fresh tar sticking to the car. Removing it is always difficult unless you have Decaflash, the product designed specifically for this type of dirt and also suitable for removing stickers, such as those to be put on windshields or rear windows when traveling by ferry. Decaflash should be sprayed evenly on the traces of tar or glue, left on for a few minutes, and then removed by rinsing with water. If the residue should be very tough, you can help with the microfiber cloth 1Shine Exterior. Also among the most difficult dirt are resin residues. To remove them, there is Resin Off: you spray it on the affected parts, leave it on for a few minutes and rinse. Again, the help of the microfiber cloth may prove useful.

Once any residue has been removed from the bodywork, it is time for the actual washing. This is where the following comes in. Car Wash Shampoo & Wax, the product that combines shampoo and wax and allows you to clean and clean the car in one step. You have to dilute the product in a bucket of water (ratio 1:30-1:40) and, through the microfiber glove Marley, proceed with washing from top to bottom. For best results, we suggest washing the underside of the car-generally dirtier-with the spongy Spongy which allows the dirt to be released into the bucket while avoiding scratching the car. Once rinsed, the car should be dried with a highly absorbent and wear-resistant cloth, such as the Extra Dry. If you want an even shinier car, it's time to wax it, remembering to proceed in order, panel by panel, always finishing each part before turning to the next. Carlux, an abrasive-free polishing wax, should be spread evenly with Microfiber Pad, a soft, microfiber applicator pad for polishes, waxes and sealants, ideal for polishing and finishing all delicate car parts. The operation can be considered finished after removing excess product with the 1Shine Exterior Microfiber Pad .

Refinishing. Now the car is back to shine, just the way we like it. But you can also add a touch of personalization! How? With one of the products from the very wide range of perfumers and air fresheners MA-FRA. You really are spoiled for choice!

And for a final total black effect on the tires? There is a solution for that, too. It's called Extreme Black and is a silicone-based polish that provides shine and protection. It is a tire dressing treatment also aimed at reviving the tire. It can be sprayed directly on the tire, in small doses, but if you do not have expert dexterity, it is better to spray the product on a cloth and apply it to the surface to be treated, being careful not to affect the rims. Before starting the vehicle, the product should dry for 5-10 minutes.

Maintenance. Now our car is clean and shiny. It would be nice to maintain it that long, wouldn't it? Here then is good news: it is possible! At the end of the wash, simply spray all over the bodywork - plastic parts included - the super-fast liquid carnauba-based wax Last Touch Express and spread it with a microfiber cloth for exteriors, for example, the specific one 1Shine Exterior. This product polishes and protects the bodywork. However, there are variables that cannot be controlled, such as bird "marks." To take prompt action, at MA-FRA we have come up with a practical solution: Fast Cleaner. It is a quick detailer for refinishing all surfaces to keep in the car at all times as it is also suitable for daily cleaning. If used on a fresh stain, simply spray it on and then remove it with a microfiber cloth. If the dirt, on the other hand, is more stubborn, it is advisable to spray it on the area and leave it for a minute before removing it.

At this point the car will be as clean and shiny as ever-and for a long time!

On the site e-commerce www.auto-spa.it all the products mentioned in this article are available, with a special end-of-summer sale section. An extra opportunity not to be missed!

MA-FRA, pampering for your car!

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