Clean these 5 spots before advertising your car

When the time comes to sell a car we all want to sell it as quickly as possible and get the most money for it. We have identified five spots you should concentrate on cleaning we feel are critical to you getting a quick sale and enticing potential buyers to make a full price offer.

1. Floor mats
Your floor mats can take a lot of abuse and are a good indicator as to how much wear and tear may be on other areas of your car. You could say that it’s like a barometer of how well your car has been maintained and looked after. The solution to this is pretty simple, all you have to do is buy new replacement mats. However, if new mats are out of your budget then at least be sure to vacuum, fabric clean and scrub the mats as best you can. Perception is everything when selling a used car!

2. The engine
It’s inevitable that a new buyer will lift the hood of your car and take a good look at the engine. So, having a gunk-covered dusty engine could be a real turn-off. You should therefore lightly wipe down any plastic components with a damp towel as this will make a world of difference. Likewise, vacuum out any leaves or sticks that may be stuck in the hood jambs. Compressed air can be wildly helpful in doing this. Once you’ve cleaned them up as best you can add a water based tyre dressing to the black plastic for a deep rich look. Be sure to then lightly wipe down the shine with a dry cloth afterwards as heavy shine attracts dust and you don’t want to look to eager with a dripping wet engine. Subtlety is key here.

3. Driver seat
As the seller, you’ve been in and out of your car a thousand times. However, a perspective buyer has never sat in your particular car before. Therefore, you should think about the very first time you sat in your car. Think about how it felt, how it smelt and how it looked. Obviously, turning back the clock isn’t possible but by focussing your attention on the driver’s side door, seat bolster, central console, door handle and steering wheel these are all places a driver notices every time they get in the car. So, if you’re going to spend any time getting into the nitty-gritty details and fine touches then train your eye to see everything you would touch when you get in and drive away. The potential new owner will surely notice these things on the test drive so make an impression.

4. Smell
Having a terrible smell in your car can and will prevent the sale of a used car. In fact, cars have been considered a write-off by insurance companies because of devastating or inhabitable odours. So, open all of the doors of your car and remove any and all of your personal items. If there is an odour then try and locate the source of the smell and scrub and vacuum the surrounding areas. Next, consider replacing and removing your car’s cabin filter. Adding flavoured scents to make the small might only help to create an even weirder smell and raise a red flag to your potential buyer. So, if you absolutely must use a scent then stick to the fresh or carpet cleaner-type smells.

5. Paint and wheels
It goes without saying that the first impression of any car is the outside, or in other words the paint and the wheels. Having flawless paint can increase the value of your car by 5% or even 10% but spending hours compounding and polishing to then sell it may not be feasible. So, at the very minimum you should look at washing and waxing your paint. This will give even the worst of paint conditions a pretty face. Likewise, wheels and rims can cost as much as entire cars in some cases so the importance of having them look immaculate weighs heavily on the minds of buyers in today’s market. So, spend the time cleaning the inside and outside of your wheels and even those knuckle-busting tight spots. Trust us, it’s worth the effort!

Once you’ve done the above then hit the Advertise my car option on DesperateSeller.co.uk to advertise your car!