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Using Foam-Type Cleaner on Fabric
Vacuum and brush the area to remove
Always clean a whole trim panel or
any
loose dirt.
section. Mask surrounding trim along
stitch or welt lines.
Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner
following
the directions on the
container label.
Use suds only and apply with clean
Don’t saturate the material.
Don’t rub it roughly.
As soon as you’ve cleaned the
sponge.
section,
use a sponge to remove
the
suds.
Rinse the section with a clean, wet
sponge.
Wipe off what’s left with a slightly
damp paper towel or cloth.
Then dry it immediately with an air
hose, a hair dryer or a heat lamp.
Be careful with a nalr aryer or
heat lamp. You could scorch thl
Wipe with a clean cloth. Using
Solvent-Type Cleaner on
Fabric
First, see if you have to use solvent-type
cleaner at all. Some spots and stains will
clean off better with
just water and mild
soap.
If you need to use it, then:
Gently scrape excess soil from the
trim material with a clean, dull knife
or scraper. Use very little cleaner,
light pressure and clean cloths
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Service & Appearance Care
I.. 264
(preferably cheesecloth). Cleaning should
start at the outside of the stain,
“feathering” toward the center. Keep
changing to a clean section of
the
cloth.
When you clean a stain from fabric,
immediately dry
the area with an air
hose, hair dryer, or heat lamp to help
prevent a cleaning ring. (See previous
NOTICE .)
Fabric Protection
Your Geo has upholstery that has been
treated
with Scotchgard’” Fabric
Protector, a
3M product. Scotchgard“
protects fabrics by repelling oil and
water, which are the carriers of most
stains. Even with this protection, you
still need to clean your upholstery often
to keep it looking new.
Further information on cleaning is
available on
1-800-433-3296 (in
Minnesota, 1-800-642-6 167).
Special Cleaning Problems
Greasy
or Oily Stains: Like grease, oil,
butter, margarine, shoe polish, coffee
with cream, chewing gum, cosmetic
creams, vegetable oils, wax crayon, tar
and asphalt.
Carefully scrape off excess stain.
Then follow the solvent-type
Shoe polish, wax crayons, tar and
instructions above.
asphalt will stain if left on a vehicle
seat fabric. They should be removed
as soon as possible. Be careful,
because the cleaner will dissolve them
and may cause them to bleed.
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Non-Greasy Stains: Like catsup, coffee
(black), egg, fruit, fruit juice, milk,
soft
drinks, wine, vomit, urine and blood.
Carefully scrape off excess stain, then
sponge the soiled area with
cool
water.
If a stain remains, follow the
foam-type instructions above.
If an odor lingers after cleaning vomit
or urine, treat the area with
a
watedbaking soda solution: 1
teaspoon (5 ml) of baking soda to 1
cup (250 ml) of lukewarm water.
Finally, if needed, clean lightly with
solvent-type cleaner.
I
Combination Stains: Like candy, ice
cream, mayonnaise, chili sauce and
unknown stains.
Carefully scrape off excess stain, then
clean with cool water and allow to
dry.
solvent-type cleaner.
If a stain remains, clean it with
Cleaning Vinyl or Leather
Just use warm water and a clean cloth.
Rub with a clean, damp cloth to
remove dirt. You may have to do it
more than once.
polish will stain if you don’t get them
off quickly. Use a clean cloth and
solvent-type vinyl/leather cleaner.
Things like tar, asphalt and shoe
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Service & Appearance Care
Cleaning the Top of the Instrument
Panel
Use only mild soap and water to clean
the top surfaces of the instrument panel.
Sprays containing silicones or waxes
may cause annoying reflections in the
windshield and even make it difficult to
see through the windshield under certain
conditions.
Care of Safety Belts
Keep belts clean and dry.
CAUTIVN
Do not bleach or dye safety
belts.
If you do, it may
severely weaken them. In a crash
they might not be able to provide
adequate protection. Clean safety
belts
only with mild soap and
lukewarm water.
Glass
Glass should be cleaned often. GM
Glass Cleaner (GM Part No. 1050427)
or a liquid household glass cleaner will
remove normal tobacco smoke and dust
films.
Don’t use abrasive cleaners on glass,
because they may cause scratches.
Avoid placing decals on the inside rear
window, since they may have to be
scraped
off later. If abrasive cleaners
are used on the inside of the rear
window, an electric defogger element
may be damaged.
Any temporary license
should not be attached across the
defogger grid.
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Cleaning the Outside of the
Windshield and Wiper Blades
If your windshield is not clear after
using the windshield washer, or
if the
wiper blade chatters when running, wax
or other material may be on the blade or
windshield.
Clean the windshield with
GM
Windshield Cleaner Bon-Ami Powder@
(GM Part No. 1050011). The windshield
is clean
if beads do not form when you
rinse
it with water.
Clean the blade by wiping vigorously
with a cloth soaked in full strength
windshield washer solvent. Then rinse
the blade with water.
Wiper blades should be checked on a
regular basis and replaced when worn.
Cleaning the Outside of Your
Geo
The paint finish on your vehicle
provides beauty, depth of color, gloss
retention and durability.
Washing Your Vehicle
The best way to preserve your vehicle’s
finish
is to keep it clean by washing it
often with lukewarm or cold water.
Don’t wash your vehicle
in the direct
rays of the sun. Don’t use strong soaps
or chemical detergents. Use liquid hand,
dish or car washing (non-detergent)
soaps. Don’t use cleaning agents that
contain acid or abrasives. All cleaning
agents should be flushed promptly and
not allowed to dry on the surface, or they could
stain. Dry the finish with a
soft, clean chamois or a
100% cotton
towel to avoid surface scratches and
water spotting.
High pressure car washes may cause
water to enter your vehicle.
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of
your
Geo may be necessary to remove
residue from the paint finish.
You can
get GM approved cleaning products
from your dealer. (See “Appearance
Care and Materials”
in the Index.)
Your Geo has a “basecoat/clearcoat”
paint finish. The clearcoat gives more
depth and
gloss to the colored basecoat.
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Service & Appearance Care
268
Machine compounding or
aggressive polishing on a
basecoat/clearcoat paint finish
IT
dull tl sh or lea sw’ ’
marks
Special Care for Canvas Top
To protect the canvas top:
After you wash the vehicle, make
sure the top is completely dry before
you open or remove
it.
Don’t get any vinyl cleaner on the
vehicle’s painted finish; it could leave
streaks.
Don’t go through automatic car
washes;
the canvas top could be
damaged.
The plastic windows are pliable and can
be scratched
if you don’t take these
precautions when you clean them:
Wipe off dust with a soft cotton cloth
moistened
with clean, cool or
lukewarm water. Don’t use a “dry”
cloth. Wipe
in one direction only, not
back and forth.
To remove frost, snow or ice, use
lukewarm water. Don’t use a scraper
or any de-icing fluids.
Wash the windows with a soft cloth
and clean, cool or lukewarm water. Never
use a dry cloth, hot water,
strong soap or detergent, solvents or
harsh cleaning agents. Rinse
thoroughly and wipe with a slightly
moist
soft, clean cloth.
Don’t put any labels, stickers or tape
on windows. It’s hard to remove
adhesives left on the window when such items are removed. If a sticker
or label must be removed, remove
any adhesive
left on the window while
the adhesive is still soft and sticky.
Press
on a new sticker or piece of
tape and then lift it off again; keep
doing this until all the adhesive lifts
off with the sticker or tape.
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Aluminum Wheels
If your Geo has these, don’t use chrome
polish on them. Use wax after you clean
them. Also, don’t use abrasive cleaners or cleaning brushes on them
- you
could damage the protective coating.
If you have aluminum wheels,
don’t use an automatic car wa:
that has
hard silicon carbide
cleaning brushes. These brushes
can take off the protective coatinl
Weatherstrips
These are places where glass or metal
meets rubber. Silicone grease there will
make them last longer, seal better, and
not squeak. Apply silicone grease with a
clean cloth at least every six months.
Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires
sheet metal repair or replacement, make
sure the body repair shop applies
anti-corrosion material to the parts
repaired or replaced to restore corrosion
protection.
Foreign Material
Calcium chloride and other salts, ice
melting agents, road oil and tar, tree
sap, bird droppings, chemicals from
industrial chimneys, and other foreign
matter can damage your vehicle’s finish
if they remain on painted surfaces. Use
cleaners
that are marked safe for painted
surfaces for these stains.
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Service & Appearance Care
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep
scratches in the finish should be repaired
right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major
repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be
repaired with touch-up materials
available from your dealer or other
service outlets. Larger areas of finish
damage can be corrected in your
dealer’s body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow
removal and dust control can collect on
the underbody. If these are not removed,
accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on
the underbody parts such as fuel lines,
frame, floor pan, and exhaust system
even though they have corrosion
protection.
At least every spring, flush these
materials from the underbody
with plain
water. Clean any areas where mud and
other debris can collect. Dirt packed in
closed areas of the frame should be
loosened before being flushed. Your
dealer or an underbody vehicle washing
system can do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric
conditions can create a chemical fallout.
Airborne pollutants can
fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This damage can take two forms:
blotchy, ringlet-shaped discolorations,
and small irregular dark spots etched
into the paint surface.
Although no defect in the paint job
causes this, Geo will repair, at no
charge to the owner, the surfaces of new
vehicles damaged by this fallout
condition within
12 months or 12,000
miles (20 OOO km) of purchase,
whichever comes first.
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