How to Wash Your Car Like a Pro

Nothing beats the look of a freshly washed car. However, if you have ever attempted to wash your vehicle on your own, you may end up with small soap spots or dirty areas, no matter how many times you wash over the vehicle. You’d take the vehicle in for a professional wash, but that really adds up. Instead, you just need to know how to wash your car like a pro, and at Linda Dugan Insurance, we have a few tips to follow, whether you live in Astoria, OR or not. 

Only Use Vehicle Designed Products

Never ever use dish soap or detergent designed for anything other than washing a car. These products can harm your vehicle more than anything else. 

Rinse First

Before breaking out the soap, always rinse off the vehicle. This helps prep the vehicle, soften up debris while also cooling off the surface of the vehicle. Washing a hot vehicle can not only result in you burning your fingers but you scorching the soap and burning the paint at the same time. 

Move in Sections

You want to know why you end up with soap spots on your vehicle? The soap dries before you can rinse it off. To avoid this you need to wash the vehicle in small sections. Wash by the panel (or part of a panel) and only move on after you have rinsed off the soap  from the individual panel. Water is your friend here, so always keep the vehicle wet both before and after applying the soap. 

Clean Off Contaminants As Quickly as Possible

Notice a bird used your vehicle as target practice? Clean this off as quickly as possible. The longer it sits on your vehicle, the greater the chance it eats away at the paint and causes permanent damage. 

Contact one of the friendly, independent insurance agents at Linda Dugan Insurance today.

Stay Defensive With These Driving Habits

A defensive driver is a safe driver. They also are less likely to be involved in an auto accident or receive tickets while on the road. This, in turn, reduces their insurance rates while keeping them safe and sound inside of their vehicle. At Linda Dugan Insurance, we want to make sure all drivers not only save money on their insurance but stay safe whenever out on the road. That is why we offer these safe driving tips for drivers in Astoria, OR or anywhere else they may travel. 

Mindful of Surroundings

Driving is more than keeping eyes on the road. It is understanding the surroundings. From whether there is a grass median or a railing to sidewalk placement, pedestrians and how close vehicles behind the car is following them, all of this plays an important role in defensive driving and staying safe. The more alert and mindful a driver is, the safer they remain. 

Remove Distractions

Distractions come in many forms. From cell phones to noisy passengers, each and every second a person spends not concentrating on the road and traffic around them is a second too long. Removing distractions is a must for a driver to stay defensive. For someone who needs access to their cell phone, cars do now come equipped with a hands free mode (new stereo systems have this as an option as well). Before someone sets foot in the driver’s seat, they need to cut out all potential distractions. 

Never Depend on Other Drivers

It is impossible to know what another driver is thinking, what they are doing or how defensive they are driving. Other drivers may have something else on their mind or they might be distracted with kids in the back seat. A defensive driver should only depend on themselves and what they can control. 

Stay Safe With These Vehicle Tools

Vehicles are safer now than ever before, but that doesn’t mean you should leave home without a few extra tools. Sure, a new vehicle, a quality insurance plan from Linda Dugan Insurance and a AAA card is a fantastic start, but you need to make sure you can remain safe while out on the road. Without spending much, you can protect yourself and everyone else in the vehicle with these vehicle tools. 

Tire Inflator and Sealer 

Flats happen and, often times, there isn’t much you can do about it. However, most flat tires don’t just burst apart. Instead, more flats occur over time. If you know you hit a nail or your air tire pressure gage is going off, you need the tire serviced, but you shouldn’t drive on a quickly deflating tire. A can of tire inflator and sealer works as a temporary fix and makes it much easier to protect your vehicle and safely drive. 

Flashlight

Toss a thin flashlight into the glove compartment of your vehicle. Small problems with your car at night become major issues simply because you can’t see what is happening. A flashlight makes a world of difference. 

Jumper Box/Cables

Jumper cables are a staple and should always be left in the trunk. Just make sure to spring for longer cables as it gives you more slack to work with. However, a nice upgrade is a jumper box. This gives you a portable charge without relying on another vehicle. It costs more, but if you need a jump now, it is the way to go. 

Mylar Blanket

If your vehicle brakes down in Astoria, OR or anywhere else and the temps turn cold, you’ll need to stay warm until help arrives. This blanket is small and can be folded anywhere, but it is sure to keep you warm.