Preparing Your Car for Winter
Changing seasons is a demanding time for any vehicle. Operating conditions shift dramatically from summer heat and autumn rain to frost and snow, so preparing your car for winter helps prevent unpleasant surprises. Many KERRY® products are designed to make these jobs easier.
Clean the A/C System
An easy-to-overlook first step is cleaning the air-conditioning system. After intensive use throughout the summer, dust and dirt build up on the evaporator, creating ideal conditions for mold and bacteria. Cleaning the system before cold weather prevents them from remaining in the ventilation system all winter and being blown into the cabin when the A/C is switched on again in spring. KERRY® KR-916 A/C System Cleaner is ideal for the job. Treat all ventilation ducts, wait five minutes, then remove the cabin air filter. With recirculation on and the climate-control fan at maximum speed, spray the cleaner into the air intake, which is usually located in the front passenger footwell. Let the system run for 10–15 minutes, then ventilate the cabin.
Deep-Clean the Interior
Dust and dirt accumulate throughout the cabin as well as in the A/C system. Once the weather turns cold, deep-cleaning the interior becomes inconvenient and drying takes much longer. A thorough autumn clean lets you remove the dust collected over summer before the winter season. KERRY® offers products for every cabin surface.
Glass
Clean the inside of the windows with KR-922 foaming Glass Cleaner or KR-520 trigger-spray Dirt and Bug Glass Cleaner. Clean glass is especially important on dark winter evenings, when oncoming headlights reveal every film and smear on the windshield and make the road harder to see.
Dirt and bug glass cleaner
Glass cleaner
Glass cleaner
Glass cleanerPlastic
Treat plastic panels with the finish you prefer: KR-905 or KR-505 for a matt finish, or KR-908 for a gloss finish. Apply the dashboard cleaner and polish to a microfiber cloth first, then wipe the panel. This provides more precise application and keeps silicone overspray off the glass.
Velour and Fabric
For lightly soiled velour upholstery, use KERRY® KR-575 Velours and Fabric Interior Cleaner. Seats remain almost dry after treatment, so the vehicle can be used straight away—especially useful in cool weather, when damp seats take a long time to dry. The cleaner is also suitable for the headliner, where wet extraction must not be used because excessive moisture can deform or detach the fabric. Heavier soiling is best removed with KERRY® KR-979, KR-975 or KR-977 upholstery cleaner. These more intensive cleaners require the seats to be dried and vacuumed after treatment.
Foamy interior dry cleaning
Interior fabric cleanersDoor Trim
Door trim usually combines fabric and plastic, so an all-purpose interior cleaner is the most convenient choice. KERRY® Active Foam Interior Cleaner tackles dirt on fabric, plastic and glass. Spray the active foam onto the surface, allow it to work for 1–2 minutes, then wipe it away with a soft cloth. Apply dashboard polish to plastic parts after cleaning.
Active foam interior cleaner
Interior fabric cleanersLeather
KERRY® KR-981, KR-581 and KR-281-1 Leather Cleaner and Conditioner products clean leather while natural waxes and conditioning agents help keep it soft and supple. Regular care protects upholstery against premature aging, drying and cracking.
Leather Cleaner&Conditioner
Leather care products
Leather Cleaner and Conditioner
Leather care products
Leather Cleaner and Conditioner
Leather care productsTreat Rubber Weatherstrips
In freezing weather, moisture left on door seals can freeze the doors shut. This is particularly common when the temperature crosses the freezing point or after a winter car wash. Apply KERRY® KR-180 Silicone Lubricant to the rubber weatherstrips to displace moisture and help prevent freezing. Its sponge applicator allows accurate, economical application, while the protective silicone film also helps prevent rubber from drying and cracking.
Lubricate Door Hinges
Dust and dirt collect on door hinges throughout the summer, so it is a good idea to renew the lubricant before winter. First flush away contamination with KERRY® KR-968 Fast Degreaser, then apply KERRY® KR-936-1 Adhesive Lubricant. The lubricant is fluid when sprayed, allowing it to penetrate tight clearances; it then thickens to form a durable lubricating film.
Adhesive lubricant
Multipurpose lubricants and greases
Fast degreaser. Universal degreaser
Parts cleanersTreat the Locks
Service the door, hood and trunk locks before freezing temperatures arrive. Moisture from autumn rain can enter the mechanisms, freeze and prevent them from moving. KERRY® KR-943 Multipurpose Penetrating Lubricant reaches tight clearances, displaces moisture from metal surfaces and leaves a protective lubricating film. It is also sensible to keep KERRY® KR-983 or KR-183 Silicone Lock De-Icer, or KR-984 PTFE Lock De-Icer, close at hand. Do not leave lock de-icer inside the car—carry it with you so it is available when the vehicle is locked and frozen.
Silicone lock de-icer (flacon)
Specialty productsAdhesive lubricant
Multipurpose lubricants and greases
Silicone lock de-icer (aerosol)
Specialty products
PTFE lock de-icer (aerosol)
Specialty productsProtect Summer Tires During Storage
Before storing summer tires until spring, treat them with KERRY® KR-550 or KR-953 Tire Shiner. The silicone film protects rubber from environmental exposure, helps slow aging and cracking, and extends tire life. Apply tire shiner only to clean, dry sidewalls—never to the tread or braking surfaces. If the tires cannot be dried after washing, use a foaming tire cleaner instead; its protective effect is lighter, but it can be applied to wet rubber.
Tire shiner
Tire shiners and cleaners