Coming Clean in 2012

MANILA, Philippines - Don’t judge me when I say that I’ve grown rings of molds inside my car, and that a tiny spider even managed to creep in and build itself a rather intricate home, over the Holidays. I genuinely care for my car, and make the effort to keep it in good shape... but the problem was, it must have had a leak somewhere – and the lingering moisture plus the shade of my garage was the perfect combination to breed molds all over my plastic interiors. As a matter of fact, it must have been practically a baby boomer (or in this case, spore boomer) when I refrained from using my car for a good two weeks straight – a time when I had test units to drive around town. It had given these microorganisms enough time to grow and populate... and enough time for the spider to build such a perfect web.

How the spider came into the picture, I have yet to figure. All I knew was one thing: my car was a mess! An extensive New Year’s cleanup could never have been more relevant. And apparently, it also turned out to be more rewarding than I thought. Think, running a PC for several weeks straight – then finally rebooting. Summarize in two words: Very Refreshing!

My New Year car cleanup went far beyond simply getting rid of molds. Yes, I initially moistened a rag with some alcohol and wiped the microbes away – but I also ended up really emptying the main cabin and putting away all the junk that I had managed to keep in there all this time. This cleanup soon extended to my trunk, where I had found spare parts lying around from weeks back, and half-empty containers of motor oil which I had completely forgotten to take down, since god-knows-when! What immediately came to mind too, were these tons of extra weight that I’ve apparently been lugging around all this time, and all the extra fuel it must have cost me. So naturally, I cleared out my trunk as well, and only kept items needed for emergencies.

While I was at it, I decided to get my next oil change, since it was right around the time I was due for another. I decided to go to the Helix Service Station at Shell West Triangle and had the service done there (since I live in QC), partly because of its proximity and also because they offer those 20-point full-range check-ups as a free service on top of their oil-changing routine. The whole procedure was a breeze, maybe a quick 45 minutes, which I hardly felt pass by as I chatted with friendly staff in their air-conditioned waiting area. At this point, I really felt my car was getting a good head-start in coming clean this 2012.

The last important decision I made which completed my project of prepping my automobile for a fresh start this January, was taking it to Urban Autoworks in Ortigas extension Cainta, where shop manager and friend Rally Sy provided my car with an awesome interior and exterior detailing job. I was aware that although my DIY mold-wipe-off was enough to take the white patches out, spores may still be circulating in the car, and I just wanted a sophisticated cleanup to decrease the chances of a moldy relapse anytime soon.

Indeed, the New Year is often a time when we choose to reboot our lives and start over, all spic and span. Our cars are truly an extension of ourselves, and should well be included in our resolutions to start the year clean and right. I’m sure we all have our own “car closets” to clean out... maybe minus the spiders, but still with much room to tidy up. I like calling this my interior overhaul. And frankly, I never thought it would be so liberating. Have you cleaned your car yet?