Polishing And Waxing; Handwashing - Volvo XC40 Owner's Manual

MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE

Polishing and waxing

Polish and wax the car if the paintwork is dull or
to give the paintwork extra protection. The car
does not need to be polished until it is at least
one year old. However, the car can be waxed
during this time. Do not polish or wax the car in
direct sunlight, the surface being polished
should be a maximum of 45 °C (113 °F).
•
Wash and dry the car thoroughly before you
begin polishing or waxing. Clean off asphalt
and tar stains using tar remover or white spi-
rit. More stubborn stains can be removed
using fine rubbing paste designed for car
paintwork.
•
Polish first with a polish and then wax with
liquid or solid wax. Follow the instructions on
the packaging carefully. Many preparations
contain both polish and wax.
IMPORTANT
Avoid waxing and polishing on plastic and
rubber.
When using degreasant on plastic and rubber,
only rub with light pressure if it is necessary.
Use a soft washing sponge.
Polishing glossy trim mouldings could wear
away or damage the glossy surface layer.
Polishing agent that contains abrasive must
not be used.
598
IMPORTANT
Only paint treatment recommended by Volvo
should be used. Other treatment such as pre-
serving, sealing, protection, lustre sealing or
similar could damage the paintwork. Paint-
work damage caused by such treatments is
not covered by Volvo warranty.
Related information
•
Cleaning the exterior (p. 597)
•
Handwashing (p. 598)
•
Automatic car wash (p. 600)
•
High-pressure washing (p. 601)
•
Cleaning the wiper blades (p. 601)
•
Cleaning exterior plastic, rubber and trim
components (p. 602)
•
Cleaning wheel rims (p. 603)
•
Rustproofing (p. 603)

Handwashing

The car should be washed as soon as it
becomes dirty. This means that the car is easier
to clean since the dirt does not attach as firmly.
It also reduces the risk of scratches and keeps
the car fresh. Wash the car in a car wash with oil
separator. Use car shampoo.
Handwashing
The following steps are good to remember when
washing the car:
•
Avoid washing the car in direct sunlight. This
can cause the detergent or wax to dry and
have an abrasive effect.
•
Remove bird droppings from the paintwork
as soon as possible. Bird droppings contain
chemicals that affect and discolour paintwork
very quickly. For example, use soft paper or
sponge soaked in plenty of water. An author-
ised Volvo workshop is recommended for the
removal of any discolouration.
•
Wash the underbody, including wheel hous-
ings and bumpers.
•
Rinse the entire car until the dissolved dirt
has been removed so as to reduce the risk of
scratches from washing. Do not spray directly
onto the locks.
•
If necessary, use cold degreasing agent on
very dirty surfaces. Note that in this case, the
surfaces must not be hot from the sun.