First time car owner (Model Y) — any tips for spot cleaning the exterior?

[ptamzz]

I've never owned a car before, nor have I cleaned one.

The other day I'd my Model Y parked somewhere in the city and someone puked right next to it. The car got some spots.
In general, how do you spot clean specific areas? I'm looking for tips, things to look out for, products used for cleaning etc. that I can take care of in between full car washes.

 

[jcanoe]

Clean off any tree sap, bird droppings or puke right away. These are acidic and will damage the finish if not promptly removed.

You can start with a bottle or container of plain water and paper towels. My go to quick cleanup product is Windex Cleaner. Note that Windex, similar cleaning products contain ammonia and can strip wax from the finish.

There are products specifically sold for cleaning the vehicle's exterior.

Look for the word "detailer" or "detailing" in the description.

Optimum No Rinse (ONR) Clean and Shine. This is a rinseless automobile wash product. It can be mixed in a spray bottle with water for use between washes. Use a small microfiber cloth towel when wiping off the ONR.

For all glass surfaces inside and out I use Invisible Glass (the squeeze pump spray not the aerosol can.) If the glass is really dirty then I use paper towels for the first cleaning, a second cleaning with the Invisible Glass and a microfiber cloth to prevent leaving streaks.

For road tar there are specific products that will dissolve road tar that may get onto the vehicle. I prefer Turtle Wax Bug and Tar remover.

 

[thesmokingman]

Get a waterless cleaner, comes in spray bottles or you can formulate it yourself. But either way if you have barf spots on it wash it off asap as it's acidic.