Door jambs, trunks, fenders

[JHZR2]

It's that time of year when pollen and maple trees make a mess of everything. While paint is easy to keep up, door jambs and trunk gutters (just outboard of the trunk seal), as well as fender areas, under cowl areas, drains and flat areas inside fenders need cleaning, but its super hard.

Mny spaces are too small to fit a hand in to even remove leaf litter or maple seeds. Not everything needs to be polished and waxed, but leaf litter and dirt holds moisture which could cause rust, and dirty door jambs and such places just look messy. Plus pollen and water and road dirt make a nasty cement in many spots. Cowl plastic covers aren't always removable, but bending them to get hands under can damage or crack them.

So is a vacuum with a flexible pipe or something like this required? Any other tools? What about cleaning? Water? Quick detailer? Sponge on a stick? Paintbrush?

How do you remove solids, dust and grime from these impossible to reach areas? What do you then cover them with for protection, rubber dressing, etc?

Thanks!

 

[S65AMG]

I don't really have this problem, or if I have had in the past, I've ignored it.

But how about compressed air?

 

[dparm]

A lot of the more "serious" detailers just use a cheap leaf blower to both dry the car and force out all those little seeds/leaves.

 

[The Critic]

Compressed air.

 

[dparm]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Compressed air.


A cheap leaf blower is going to set you back about the same as a year or two worth of those air dusters...plus it can be used to help dry the car.

 

[OneEyeJack]

After it's clean and to get the stains finish the job with Pledge Furniture Polish. It cleans pretty well with soft rags and won't damage anything. And next time it will be easier to clean. I tried it with trucks that follow the combines in the field. The fallout from the combines while the trucks are being loaded gets into everything and this method works great.

 

[S65AMG]

Originally Posted By: dparm
Originally Posted By: The Critic
Compressed air.


A cheap leaf blower is going to set you back about the same as a year or two worth of those air dusters...plus it can be used to help dry the car.


I don't think a leaf blower is going to be easy to handle for all the spots the OP wants to get into.

 

[JHZR2]

No, it won't be. I use a leaf blower to dry the car, leaf blowing and fast driving do nothing to remove/clean this kind of stuff. This needs mechanical action and/or vacuum, but the vac will clog really easy with the leaf litter.

 

[benjamming]

a shop vac won't clog.
fine control of pressure washer?

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: benjamming
a shop vac won't clog.
fine control of pressure washer?


A small enough nozzle to get into the nooks and crannies will. A 1 1/4 or whatever size hose that they use is way too big to get in deep.

 

[dparm]

I misunderstood -- you want to CLEAN those areas.

 

[JHZR2]

yes, get this silly stuff that is jammed in nooks and crannies out - stuff that is in too tight/deep for me to easily remove by hand.

 

[FastEddie]

Those areas can be a real chore to clean no matter what kind of brushes/tools you have. I have a commercial grade "adjustable" pressure washer hooked up to a tankless water heat to blast those areas with hot water as much as possible if it's an option, or I use my mytee steamer which fits in rather small areas. Even with the tons of brushes and stuff I have, it can still be a time consuming PITA.

 

[milkboy]

+1 on shop vac, with the long, thin attachment.

 

[JHZR2]

My mess examples (not as bad as they can be sometimes):

Note the lower spot into the rocker/inner fender. Tight, and a thin vac will clog with each single leaf.

Just pollen but clean would be nice and I assume it would be smart to have some wax or other protection on these kinds of surfaces.

Cowls and cowl drains are just tough. This is topside, but cleaning the underside is far worse, and easy to damage the cowl.

Rotten stuff under the wiper arms are hard to access. I suppose this can be sprayed out and away, but again it gets lodged under the cowl in drains.

Trunk areas just outboard of seals can also be tough.

Especially around hinges.

 

[Picky1]

Might want to rethink where you are parking. Looks like you have a long job ahead of you cleaning that up....I would try a blower to get the heavy stuff off and then a good wash with somekind of long brush to get into those hard to reach places.

 

[SatinSilver]

If you don't mind having a detail shop clean it up I think these guys are in your area:

http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/showthread.php?t=89322

Even if its just a wash with the door jams, trunks, fenders cleaned and protected.

 

[Malo83]

Originally Posted By: Picky1
Might want to rethink where you are parking. Looks like you have a long job ahead of you cleaning that up....I would try a blower to get the heavy stuff off and then a good wash with somekind of long brush to get into those hard to reach places.

+1, get out from under the trees or get a car cover to keep all the small leaves out of the nooks and crannys.

 

[MoneyJohn]

I have exactly the same problem and changing parking spot is not a solution. I tried handheld vacuum and I broke it. Finally, I found Metro Vacuum SK-1 Air Force Blaster Sidekick Compact & Portable Motorcycle Dryer on Amazon but I am just not too sure if its worth the price. So far, I have not figured out any alternative but I am open for some cheaper options.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Malo83
Originally Posted By: Picky1
Might want to rethink where you are parking. Looks like you have a long job ahead of you cleaning that up....I would try a blower to get the heavy stuff off and then a good wash with somekind of long brush to get into those hard to reach places.

+1, get out from under the trees or get a car cover to keep all the small leaves out of the nooks and crannys.


Well I use my vehicles and so some of the aspects are going to be impractical. Pollen and leaves happen. I just need to keep after it, so thats why the best approaches/tactics/tools to tackle the job is my interest.