Cleaning Vehicle Exterior - Skoda Octavia 2014 Owner's Manual

Washing by hand

Read and observe and
Soak the dirt with plenty of water and rinse as well as possible.
Clean the vehicle with a soft sponge, a washing glove or a washing brush.
Work from the top to the bottom – starting with the roof.
For stubborn dirt, agents specifically intended for this purpose are to be used.
Wash out the sponge or washing glove thoroughly at short intervals.
Clean wheels, door sills and similar parts last. Use a second sponge for such
areas.
Give the vehicle a good rinse after washing it and dry it off using a chamois
leather.
WARNING
Protect your hands and arms from sharp-edged metal parts when cleaning
the underfloor or the inside of the wheel housings or the wheel trims – risk
of cuts!
CAUTION
Only apply slight pressure when cleaning the vehicle's paintwork.
■
Do not wash your vehicle in bright sunlight – risk of paint damage.
■
Automatic car wash systems

Read and observe and
The usual precautionary measures must be taken before washing the vehicle
in an automatic car wash system (e.g. closing the windows and the sliding/tilt-
ing roof etc.).
If your vehicle is fitted with any particular attached parts, such as a spoiler,
roof rack system, two-way radio aerial etc., it is best to consult the operator of
the car wash system beforehand.
After an automatic wash with wax treatment, the lips of the wipers should be
cleaned with cleaning agents specially designed for the purpose, and then de-
greased.
on page 180 first.
on page 180 first.
CAUTION
Fold in the exterior mirrors to prevent damage before washing the vehicle in
an automatic car wash system. Never manually fold in electric exterior mirrors -
always use the electric controls.
Washing with a high-pressure cleaner

Read and observe and
When washing the vehicle with a high-pressure cleaner, the instructions for
use of the equipment must be observed. This applies in particular to the pres-
sure used and to the spraying distance.
Maintain a sufficiently large distance to the parking aid sensors and soft mate-
rials such as rubber hoses or insulation material.
CAUTION
If washing the vehicle in the winter using a hose or high-pressure cleaner,
■
ensure that the jet of water is not aimed directly at the locking cylinders or the
door/panel joints – risk of freezing!
To avoid damaging the parking aid sensors while cleaning with high-pressure
■
cleaners or steam jets, the sensors must only be directly sprayed for short pe-
riods while a minimum distance of 10 cm must be observed.
Note
See also Washing cars with decorative films using a high-pressure clean-
er » page 183 .

Cleaning vehicle exterior


Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Vehicle paint work
Plastic parts
Rubber seals
Chrome parts
Decorative films
Windows and external mirrors
Headlight glasses
Camera lens
on page 180 first.
Care and maintenance
182
182
183
183
183
183
184
184
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181