The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-12-07
WASHING CAR IS
VERY IMPORTANT
Unless Work Is Properly Done
Finish of Body of Car Will
Be Destroyed.
COOL WATER helps VARNISH
Several Practical Hints for New as
Well as Veteran owners--Garage
Gases Are Also Quite Injurious
to Surface.

You can abuse the engine pretty |
consistently before 1t begins to COM
main. TUtr ON. asB,assse ia
or twice, and then you have no finish
to abuse. The appearance OF the car
and the appearance Of the finish are
one and the same thing, and appear
ance goes a long way toward deter
mining the value of a house, horse or
An automobile. The lack of washing
and failure to wash properly will do
more toward running the appearance
of the car than any other thing,
The varnish of the new car is hard
ened and benefited by frequent wash
ing with clear cool water. Mud, al
lowed to dry or freeze on the car, takes
ND all the oil from the yarnish ana
leaves the finish streaked and spotted.
Dirt is not the only enemy, for garage
gases and even the atmosphere OF
some cities attacks the finish OF the
car which is not frequently washed.
-, A single washing, done carelessly, Will
destroy the luster that careful wash
ing has preserved for months.
Start Cleaning at Top.
Start in by cleaning the top. Give
it a good stiff brushing to remove
the loose dust, and then either sponge
It or use soft brush with clear tepid
water and CASTLE soap. A chamois
skin kept especially for the purpose
will hasten the drying, and of course
the top is not folded back until 1t is
thoroughly dry. About every other
time 1t is 81 good idea to give the in
terror little more attention than 1t
gets from q stiff brushing.
Go over the leather upholstery with
q wooden cloth dipped in clear water
TO which has been added few drops
Of ammonia. If the upholstery is OF
cloth it can best be cleaned by spong-
ing with water containing a little salt
and alcohol. .
Now you are ready to use the hose.
Be sure to remove the nozzle and flow
the water over every part of the body.
This serves to wash off as much Of the
dust as Is possible and to loosen the
mud or ice or snow, so that with lit
tie patience 1t can be floated off. In
cases where the car is exceptionally
dirty 1t is well to let 1t stand Is min
utes and then shower 1t again.
Take a soft, clean sponge, and fol-
lowing it with a gentle stream from
the hose, go lightly over the body. If
certain panels are grease-spotted,
these should be separately washed
with pure water and CASTLE or other
neutral soap, but with this one ex-
ception: Bar soap, soft soap or soap
solution should never be used on the
body above the chassis.
Cleaning the Chassis.
Grease and road oil collect on the
chassis, and their removal requires
more vigorous treatment and separate
tools. Special brushes will greatly ia
cilltate work in inaccessible corners
The caustic action of an alkali soap
rs necessary for the removal Of grease
OF the chassis, but even when used
here 1t is advisable to employ 1t In the
form Of soap solution made by dis
solving a pound Of soap in gallon OF
warm water. The soap is, of course,
rlnsed off, and hard stream may be
used on the chassis to advantage, but
1t should not be directed against the