You take a relaxing and comfortable ride on your golf cart. But as you approach your golf cart, all your excitement vanishes because you notice dirt, grime, and stains covering it.
Cleaning a golf cart is more than just a task you have to do. It’s really important for maintaining your cart performance, longevity, and aesthetics.
This comprehensive guide on how to clean a golf cart will discuss its importance, what cleaning products you need, and the steps to follow to carry out this process. So, keep reading this blog!
Why is it Important to Clean Golf Carts?
Cleaning a golf cart is crucial for a number of reasons. Firstly it improves the appearance, making it more aesthetically pleasing.
Second, it prolongs the cart’s performance, longevity, and functionality. Third, debris, dust, and dirt accumulate in various crannies and nooks of the cart, which affects its battery life, performance, and overall condition.
Regularly cleaning your golf cart can ensure optimal performance and extend its lifespan.
Which Golf Cart Parts Need Cleaning?
A golf cart has several parts— each requiring equal maintenance and care. Some people only focus on the cart’s exterior while ignoring the interior. However, a proper cleaning process ensures taking care of all the internal and external carts’ components and accessories.
Here is the list of all parts that need to be cleaned:
- Cart body – metal surfaces, exterior paints, and plastic parts
- Tires and rims
- Seats
- Chrome – steering wheels and dashboard
- Vinyl – seats and dashboard
- Batteries and battery terminals
- Windshield
Essential Cleaning Products For Your Golf Cart
To start cleaning your golf cart, there are a few supplies you need to gather up. Here’s what you need:
- Mild soap
- Water hose
- Car sealant or wax
- Soft brush
- Clean rags
- Chrome cleaner
- Detail spray
- Vinyl cleaner
How to Clean a Golf Cart | Step-by-Step Guide
Cleaning a golf cart is a straightforward process. However, some people get confused as they aren’t adequately prepared.
Since many different brands of carts, including E-Z-GO, Club Car, Yamaha, and more, cart owners may think that the cleaning method varies from brand to brand. Despite some differences, the overall process remains the same.
Here are some pro tips for cleaning the golf cart in the long run.
Step 1: Get the Right Cleaning Supplies
Adopt a proactive approach— you should prepare the cleaning mixture and have all the necessary tools before you begin cleaning.
Choosing the right cleaning materials is essential, as it saves time and money in the long run. You can’t follow a one-size-fits-all approach and expect any cleaning solution to work on your cart.
While some cleaning products might not be effective for your cart’s material, others may be too harsh. It is better to check manufacturer manuals and follow their recommendations.
Here is a general list of washing equipment to use before starting the procedure:
- Water hose
- Dish soap or cleaning spray
- Bleach or mold/mildew remover
- Rubber gloves
- Aluminum Cleaner
- Microfiber towel
- Paper towel
- Soft brush
- Plastic shine or polish
- Use Safety Gear
Step 2: Pick The Right Spot
When you start washing your golf cart, it’s crucial to park it in a shaded and open location. If you clean your cart in an unshaded area, direct heat and sunlight can cause soap spots on the vehicle to dry out too quickly.
Ideally, you should park the golf cart in a driveway or somewhere with adequate drainage. While it may seem more convenient to clean it on the lawn, try avoiding this since cleaning products contain chemicals that will harm the grass.
Step 2: Remove All Things
In this step, you should remove anything that could get damaged by cleaning products or water. This includes the scoreboard, GPS units, floor mats, and other personal belongings stored inside the dashboard storage.
You should cover the interior part that can be affected by water hoses, such as batteries, engines, or other things. But before this, remove the cart charger from the electric board to prevent damage. After removing all the stuff, you can rinse the dust from the water hose pressure.
Step 3: Clean the Interior
Start from the inside out. Use a vacuum cleaner or leaf blower to remove stubborn grime from the interior. Then, move on to the cart exterior and blow off any dust or stain that remains clinging to the surface.
Step 4: Wash the Body
After that, It’s time to wash the cart body. Scrub the surface with a soft-bristled brush with warm water and mild soap.
A water hose should be used thoroughly to rinse each section after scrubbing it. Avoid using rough detergents.
Clean off all the plastic on the cart, including the dashboard, cup holders, etc. Next, remove the soap by wiping it off with a wet towel or sponge.
Step 5: Clean the Windshield
The windshields of golf carts are typically made of polycarbonate or acrylic. Unfortunately, these materials are easily scratched, so you must exercise additional caution when washing this component.
Because of how easily they scratch, the glass cleaner and paper towels won’t work well on this; instead, use warm water with the same microfiber towel.
Step 6: Clean Aluminum
For cleaning aluminum, select a cleaner specifically designed for golf cart aluminum cleaning.
Some products can be sprayed on, as well as ones that can be applied with a sponge or towel. Either way, you will dry the area after the cleaner is applied and rinsed. Applying an aluminum polish is not essential, but it is recommended.
Step 7: Clean Seats
When mold or mildew grows on the vinyl seats of your golf cart, don’t lose hope, as I have a simple solution for you. For this, you will need bleach and water.
Here is how you should make the mixture: one-part bleach + two-part water.
Apply this mixture with a sponge and carefully rub the seat surface in circular motions. If it doesn’t work, you can easily find mold and mildew remover from the market.
Step 8: Clean Underneath And Wheels
Golf cart wheels and undersides collect dirt and mud. A simple water hose with full pressure is enough to remove rust.
For cleaning tires and rims, use tire cleaner to remove brake dust, tough soils, and light iron deposits. It can also extend the lifespan of the rims and tires.
Step 9: Clean Batteries
It’s true that dirt, grim, and corrosion build on your battery, shortening its lifespan if you don’t clean it on time. So, it’s crucial to clean your golf cart batteries.
First, you need to clean the battery terminals with a mixture of water and baking soda with the help of a toothbrush. Apply the mixture, leave it for a while, then rinse with water. Take a clean rag to dry the battery terminals.
Step 10: Disinfect touch areas
When you take out your golf, most of the areas get infected due to touching them several times. Keeping your golf cart germ-free with disinfecting wipes is simple.
These should be applied to high-touch areas such as the steering wheel, grab bars, and handles to facilitate rapid movement. For lengthy drives, hand sanitizer is a necessity. Ensure that you have some in your cart!
Step 11: Apply sealant or car wax
If you want to keep your cart looking eye-catching and brand new, you can apply sealant or car wax on the surface of your cart. This will help your cart to be long-lasting. Also, it will prevent any potential damage to the paint and elements that can be affected by it.
Step 12: Detail Spray
If you don’t want to apply sealant or car wax, you can use detail spray to increase its aesthetic further. There are different high-quality sprays available in the market. You can use any one of them. This will help your cart to prevent any streaks.
Step 13: Drying
Finally, use a microfiber towel from upside to downside. This will dry off the water and prevent spot formation.
Once the process is completed, the next step is to clean the underside of your cart. Lastly, take another microfiber towel for a final wipe-down to clean the golf cart properly.
How To Clean A Golf Cart Engine?
The engine is also an important part of a golf cart which demands proper cleaning. You can clean your golf cart’s engine by spraying it with a hose. But how? Fret not! Follow the steps mentioned below:
- Firstly, before cleaning, ensure that the engine is not hot.
- Now gather all the supplies like a water hose, engine degreaser, soft brush, and clean rags.
- Next, spray the engine with a degreaser and cover all the surfaces.
- Next, rinse the spray with a water hose and remove any dirt accumulated on the surface.
- You can also use a soft brush if you see any stubborn grim cover on it.
- Lastly, use clean drag to dry it and remove any streaks from its surface.
How Can You Remove Water Spots From A Golf Cart?
If you see water spots on your windshield or anywhere in the golf cart, there are methods you can apply to clean them. But the most popular method is vinegar. Vinegar can be found in almost everyone’s household. So it’s a quick remedy to remove water spots from the cart. Take a spray bottle and add vinegar to it. After that, spray it on the water spot. Leave it as it’s for a while, and it will evaporate. You can apply a clean rag for further cleaning it.
Final Thoughts On Cleaning Golf Cart
After reading the above comprehensive guide, you can now understand how important it’s for golf cart owners to clean their golf carts. Proper golf cart maintenance will enhance its appearance/productivity and prolong its performance and lifespan. So, clean your golf cart today by following our guide. Stay connected!
