Interior Car Detailing for Allergy Season: Breathe Easier this Spring
Spring is a shoulder season that makes the outdoors incredibly beautiful. The weather is comfortable with mild temperatures – not too cold as winter and not as hot as summer, while the air is crisp and fresh. There is, however, a downside to all these beauties, making car detailing for allergies essential.
Spring is a season of allergies due to trees, grasses, and weeds releasing significant amounts of pollen. If you don’t take proper measures during this period, your car exterior becomes covered with yellow or greenish-yellow dust, which over time affects the paintwork. The interior can also become a host for allergens. If this happens, you could experience a runny nose, itchy eyes, and other health conditions.
For your health and the safety of your four-wheel investment, this resource discusses car detailing for allergies. You’ll learn what pollens are and how to prevent these allergy triggers from entering your vehicle. Know that QC Detailing provides allergy-friendly car cleaning in Hounslow and many other West London areas.
What is Pollen?
Pollen is a dust-like substance that forms the basis for the reproductive process in plants (trees and flowers). It is released by the male part of plants and transferred to the female parts of the same plant or another plant, typically during spring and early summer or autumn. These dusty particles are so lightweight and flexible that even the slightest wind can disperse them, and some will inevitably end up on or inside your car.
How Do Pollens Affect You and Your Vehicle?
Pollen causes allergies in some people due to the presence of proteins in the pollen grains. If you’re allergic to pollen, you might sneeze, experience nasal congestion, and have watery or reddish eyes. When pollen finds its way into your car, each drive becomes an uncomfortable experience as you will struggle to breathe properly while battling other symptoms like watery eyes.
On the vehicle, the accumulation of pollen over time can create an additional grimy and dusty layer that ruins the sparkling appeal of your vehicle. Beyond damaging the paint job on the exterior, the frequent entry of pollen inside the car can damage the upholstery, reduce windshield visibility, and clog the cabin air filter.
With so much trouble coming from pollen, car detailing for allergies becomes a necessary action once spring sets in. So let’s see how you can protect your car from pollen and some spring car cleaning tips you can implement.
How to Protect Your Car from Pollen in Spring
Here are some failsafe tips to shield your car from pollen invasion and accompanying severe consequences on your health and car.
#1. Wash and Clean the Car Regularly
Pollen removal from car interiors is possible if you clean the car’s interiors frequently in spring. Use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe all surfaces and upholstery. Do this every day if you can, covering every surface, including door panels, storage compartments, and the dashboard.
On the exterior, hand wash the car at least twice a week. But if that’s too demanding, rinse the car every other day with a hose or pressure washer to limit pollen buildup on its surface. You can alternatively take the car to a car detailing shop if you don’t have the time or the expertise to get things done properly.
#2. Apply Wax or Ceramic Coating for Optimal Protection
A better way to protect your car’s paint job and make regular cleaning easier is to apply a protective film over it. Popular options are wax and ceramic coating. Of the two, ceramic coating offers better protection and lasts significantly longer. However, it is more expensive and may require the expertise of a car detailer for an error-free application, even though there are plenty of DIY guides out there. For West London interior car detailing services, QC Detailing experts are more than ready to help you.
Wax is easier to apply and very affordable. You can even use a spray wax on the car after washing it. This temporary protection approach helps protect the ride from pollen until the next washing session. In the meantime, pollen that settled on this extra layer is easier to wipe off without affecting the car’s finish.
#3. Perform a Deep Vacuum Clean Weekly or Bi-Weekly
While you can clean your car’s interior daily, performing a deep vacuum clean weekly or bi-weekly offers better removal of small particles of pollen. Use a high-suction vacuum, focusing on the upholstery and hard surfaces. These places with intricate corners and crevices trap dust and pollen deeper than other parts.
If this is an every two weeks thing, you can employ the services of a qualified car detailer to effectively handle it. They have the experience and right equipment to carry out a more thorough and reliable detailing, including vacuuming. QC Detailing is happy to complete your allergy-friendly car cleaning in Hounslow, Richmond, Heathrow, Greenford, Hayes, Isleworth, Feltham, Kingston, and other locations within a 20-mile radius of Hounslow.
#4. Always Cover the Car, Close Windows, and Park in the Garage
To ensure absolute protection from pollen on your car’s exterior, always cover it whenever you’re not on the road. And park in a garage rather than on the driveway or under a tree. While the car is parked, ensure all windows are properly closed, including the sunroof.
What if you have ceramic coating protection on the car? You still have to cover it and park it in a covered space. You can never be overprotective when it comes to dealing with pollen.
Also, roll up the windows and close the sunroof while driving. Resist the urge to enjoy the fresh spring air; use the air conditioner to avoid letting in contaminated pollen air. In addition, use the A/C in recirculation mode rather than fresh air mode to avoid drawing air from the outside.
#5. Clean Cabin Air Filters Frequently and Replace When Necessary
Your car’s cabin air filter is designed to protect the space from airborne particles like dust and pollen. But with the massive inflow of pollen in the peak of spring, alongside dust particles on a normal day, there’s only so much the filter can control before it gets clogged and starts circulating dust and pollens.
Therefore, regular filter cleaning is required. And to be on the safe side, consider replacing your filters once spring arrives, especially if you haven’t cleaned or replaced them in a while. A good recommendation is the HEPA cabin air filters for cars; they are more effective in filtering pollen.
#6. Clean Car Vents and Consider Air Purifiers
Car vents are primarily responsible for the passage and circulation of cooled or heated air inside the car. Therefore, they can transfer pollen easily, which makes their cleaning an important task.
To clean these car vents, use compressed air. It is powerful in flushing out impurities like pollen and dust from them. If compressed air is not available, however, you can use a vent brush to get the job done. Furthermore, you might consider using air purifiers to support your vent and cabin air filter systems.
Need Professional Help With Professional Car Detailing for Allergies?
Some of the spring car cleaning tips explored in this article require a daily commitment to see appreciable results. Others require expertise and professional tools. If you don’t have the time or think it’d be best for an auto detailer to complete certain aspects, you sure want to reach out to a professional in your local area.
At QC detailing, we take your vehicle’s detailing off your hands so you have time for other life commitments. You don’t have to worry about the job getting done right the first time; our experts have years of experience and top-of-the-line equipment to detail vehicles of different makes and models.
Our experts understand the challenges that come with driving a car in spring, which involves pollen attacks. Hence, we are always ready to offer the best London car detailing for allergies that keep your car free from pollen.
We proudly serve Hounslow, Greenford, Richmond, Heathrow, Hayes, Isleworth, Feltham, Kingston, Ealing, Teddington, Brentford, and nearby areas within a 20-mile radius of Hounslow. Whether you need steam washing, waxing, vent cleaning, cabin filter replacement, or paint correction after pollen damage, you can trust our full-service offerings to get the job done to the highest quality standards.
Bullet Point Summary
- Pollen is a powdery, extremely lightweight particle that male plants emit during spring, autumn, and early summer for reproductive purposes.
- Pollen not only ruins the exterior of cars but also affects the interiors by clogging filters, contaminating the air, and reducing visibility.
- Some individuals are allergic to pollen, and symptoms include watery or reddish eyes, nasal congestion, and sneezing.
- Car detailing for allergies is a critical step every car owner must take during spring to remove allergies from car interior and protect the exteriors.
- Spring car cleaning tips include closing all windows, deep vacuuming, covering the car, parking in a garage, replacing cabin filters, and applying wax.
- If you need help with allergy-friendly car cleaning in West London, QC Detailing is available to render professional assistance. This way, you have more time for other tasks while enjoying your spring rides without the fear of pollen damage and invasion.