How To Clean Your Golf Cart
Cleaning your golf cart is a bit more complicated than simply soaping it up and running a hose over it. If you really want to get the cart clean, there are some important steps to take. Luckily, Graham Golf Cars has created this guide to cleaning your golf cart. Follow along, and your cart will shine again in no time!
1. Gather Supplies
Ultimately, how you clean your cart is up to you. However, we recommend you gather the following supplies, with additions or substitutions made at your discretion.
- A hose or other source of fresh water
- Dish soap, or a specialized golf cart cleaning spray
- Rubber gloves
- Aluminum cleaner
- A diluted bleach solution or a mold/mildew/stain remover
- Some plastic color restoring formula like Rust-Oleum’s ReCOLOR solution
- Microfiber towels
- Paper towels
- Soft-bristle brush
- Plastic shine or polish
2. Remove Belongings
Once you have all of your supplies together, remove your personal belongings like golf clubs, balls, water bottles, and safety gear. Getting them out of the way will make cleaning easier and make sure they don’t get damaged. You should also remove any trash at this time.
The chemicals you will use while cleaning can damage your grass if you allow them to run off, so you should clean your golf cart in an area with good drainage like a concrete or gravel driveway rather than on your lawn. If your cart has muddy tires or a muddy undercarriage, hose them off as a preliminary to wiping down the vehicle.
3. Wipe Down Plastic
Mix together dish soap and clean water in a bucket. Keep in mind that this mixture is not suitable for cleaning the windshield, and you will need to use a glass spray for that particular part instead. Dip one of your microfiber towels into the bucket and wipe down the plastic parts of your cart. This may include (but is not limited to) the sides of seats, the cup holders, and the dashboard. A spray-on cleaner for plastic can be used instead if you prefer. If you go this route, spray the cleaner on the cloth or the plastic and wipe it down.
4. Rinse Off
Next, take a clean wet rag and wipe down all the plastic. You can also use a hose to do the rinsing, though this runs a great risk of you accidentally damaging your cart’s electronics. For that extra shine, apply a polish or color restorer to your plastic.
5. Clean Aluminum
Aluminum requires special care. Use an aluminum cleaner and restorer on your cart’s aluminum parts. This can come in the form of a spray on may be applied with a sponge. Regardless, rinse the cleaner off and apply aluminum polish if you so choose.
6. Remove Mold & Mildew
Vinyl seats can be vulnerable to mold and mildew growth over time. Luckily, a solution of one part bleach to two parts water applied with a sponge is usually all it takes to resolve the problem. If you would prefer not to use bleach, there are also special mold/mildew/stain removers on the market as well.
7. Disinfect
Finally, use disinfecting wipes to wipe down the surface on your golf cart that you touch most often, like the handles, grab bar, and steering wheel. You can also keep some hand sanitizer in your cart for you and your passengers to use.
Cleaning is an important part of golf cart maintenance, and helps ensure that you will be able to enjoy your cart to the fullest for years to come. For more on golf cart maintenance or to access our rental and parts departments, visit Graham Golf Cars. We operate five locations, including two in the Myrtle Beach area. We are ready to welcome guests from all over, including places like Virginia Beach and Charlotte, North Carolina.