To clean Power Wheels, you will need to remove large debris and other objects from the vehicle. Check the chassis, trunk, footrests, and other appropriate areas. Add a small amount of bleach and detergent into a bucket of warm water and use a hand towel to gently wash the toy. Don’t get water into the battery compartment.
Keeping your kids’ Power Wheels clean can be a challenge. You want to make sure that you are doing it right and not causing more damage than good.
In this blog post, we will go over the steps to take in order to ensure that you are cleaning your Power Wheels correctly.
How to Clean Power Wheels: Simple Steps and Tips
To clean Power Wheels, you will first need to remove large debris and other objects from the vehicle. Check the chassis, trunk, footrests, and any other appropriate areas.
Once you have done this, it is time to wash your Power Wheels. Use warm water with dish soap to clean down the exterior of the vehicle only.
Do not get water into the battery compartment or use harsh chemicals that may damage sensitive components.
Using warm water is advisable as it is easier to dissolve dirt with warm water. Add a small amount of bleach and detergent into a bucket of warm water and use a hand towel to gently wash the toy.
Bleach is good for eliminating mold, mildew, and tough stains. However, it is important to remember that you should not use too much of it as it can damage the color of your vehicle.
Mild detergents are also good for removing tough stains and dirt as it doesn’t damage plastic surfaces.
Do not use hot water as this could cause paint to fade over time, do not wash with harsh chemicals such as gasoline or kerosene, and avoid scrubbing too hard on any parts as this can cause damage to the plastic.
Use a clean microfiber cloth in order to dry off the entire vehicle once done cleaning, and make sure all seats are dried out before putting them back into your Power Wheels toy car or truck after washing.
3 Things to Avoid When Cleaning Power Wheels
Don’t use harsh chemical solvents.
While using a small amount of bleach is okay, you want to avoid harsh chemical solvents such as gasoline, kerosene, or paint thinner, as they can damage the plastic colors.
Avoid high water pressure when washing.
It is important to avoid using high-pressure water. Power Wheels are battery-operated, and the electrical system, which includes the battery itself, the motor, the converter, and wires, can easily get damaged by water.
You want to make sure water doesn’t get into these areas as water and electricity don’t mix. This is why Power Wheels shouldn’t get wet.
Don’t wash with hot water; it will fade paint over time.
As mentioned above, avoid using high-temperature water to clean your Power Wheels toy car or truck as this can cause the colors of the vehicle to fade over time. Use warm rather than hot in order to prevent excessive damage from occurring.
If it’s too late and the paint is already faded, you can always start a DIY painting project with your Power Wheels.
Don’t use hot air to dry Power Wheels as this can cause paint damage.
Ensure that you allow the car or truck toy to fully dry before re-installing batteries and allowing children back into it after washing if they have played with it since last being washed. It is important not to blow on a wet vehicle as the heat from your breath or blow dryer can cause the paint to fade over time.
How to Clean Power Wheels’ Battery Compartment
As noted earlier, you don’t want to get this part wet. Unhook the battery and use a rag to wipe down the connectors and wire terminals.
You don’t need any water at all in order to do this, so it’s okay if there is still some residue from washing left on them.
You might want to apply some grease to the battery terminals to keep them from corroding if you have that type of battery. Wipe down the plastic battery parts with a damp cloth and then dry them with a clean microfiber cloth.
Put the battery back, making sure the wires are connected properly as they were before and that the positive and negative terminals are facing in their proper directions.
Cleaning the Steering Wheel and the Dashboard
Remember, there could be water-sensitive parts in the dashboard. They include a battery meter, an audio system, and other electrical components.
Use a microfiber cloth in order to wipe down these areas, making sure not to get any water on them at all.
Cleaning Power Wheels Tires
Power Wheels tires may be the dirtiest part of the vehicle, especially if the toy is being on a muddy surface. You may need to get a brush, such as those used for car tires, in order to clean the treads.
You can use a small amount of mild detergent mixed with water and then apply it to the tire using your hand or an old toothbrush to help remove any dirt that has gotten into its crevices.
After this, you want to run water over the tire again, lightly scrubbing any dirt that is still stuck on. Finally, you can dry it with a clean microfiber cloth or paper towel and allow it to air dry for up to an hour before putting the wheels back onto your Power Wheel toy car or truck.
How to Clean Power Wheels’ Seats & Seat Belts
Use a damp cloth to wipe down the fabric and remove any debris. You can use a small amount of mild detergent to help clean up stains, but you don’t want to saturate the material as this could cause damage over time if it gets too wet.
After wiping them down with water, you can then pat dry using a microfiber cloth before allowing them to air dry.
Cleaning Power Wheels’ Hood & Trunk Area
Most of the time, the battery compartment is placed in either the trunk or the hood. So again, be sure to not get water here.
You can use a damp cloth to wipe down the exterior of these areas and remove any dirt that has collected over time.
Do not apply water onto the inside of either area as this will damage electronic components in it, such as speakers, toggle switches, an engine sound meter, or other electrical devices, which could be very dangerous if they get wet.
Disinfecting and Polishing the Power Wheels
After cleaning and drying the vehicle, you may want to disinfect and polish it. Disinfecting is important because kids often put toys in their mouths.
You can use an anti-bacterial cleaner to sanitize the vehicle and also get rid of any mildew or mold that might be lingering on it after being washed.
To polish, you may choose to use car wax but just make sure not to apply too much, as this could cause paint damage. Power Wheels are 90 % plastic; therefore, with regular washing and usage, their color is likely to fade.
So after cleaning, once in a while, apply non-wax polish on the car’s surfaces. The polish will restore and protect the plastic body to its original color.
If the Power Wheels are in the sun a lot the plastic can turn yellow, here is how to fix that.
How Often Should You Clean Power Wheels?
While you probably don’t need to clean Power Wheels very often if it is used frequently or played with every day, the best practice would be to wash it every couple of weeks or months, depending on the usage.
We always recommend cleaning it when the Power Wheels comes out of storage as there can be all sorts of bugs hiding in there.
It is a good idea to keep a microfiber cloth in your home so you always have one on hand when the time comes for cleaning Power Wheels, as well as keeping some disinfecting wipes nearby.
Power Wheels Cleaning: FAQs
Final Thoughts
You need to be careful when cleaning Power Wheels so as not to get water into any areas where it could cause damage. Hopefully, the tips provided here will help you to keep your Power Wheels looking great for years.
It’s also a good idea to have a cover for your Power Wheels when they are not in use.
Please be careful and use at your own risk
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