There is a lot of misconceptions regarding the correct way to wash your car, from many brands pushing their own agendas to sell products, to self confessed ''professionals''. The truth is that it does not have to be an expensive or time consuming operation to correctly care for your car, but correct care can result in increased value and cosmetic longevity.
To start, lets get some of the main 'Do Nots' out of the way
Do Nots
Do not use a sponge, a sponge has a flat tough surface that does not pull the dirt in, but instead drags dirt across the paint work scratching your car. Instead use a microfiber wash mitt. Microfiber pulls dirt deep into the fibers away from the paint which reduces contact scratches and swirl marks. You can purchase a microfiber mitt from Repco or Kmart for as little as $5.
Do not use washing up liquid to clean your car. Washing up liquid is a harsh cleaning agent that is designed to strip grease and oils and lipids off pots and pans. This sort of chemical will strip all the protective wax's off your car paint leaving it unprotected from UV rays and any road grime contacting with the paint. You can purchase a good quality car wash from super cheap auto for $10.
Do not use only one bucket to wash your car. 2 buckets, one with car soap and one with water will keep your soapy water clean and prevent the wash mitt collecting dirt and reapplying back onto the car. Dip your mitt into the soapy water and rinse into the clean water.
Do not throw the bucket water back onto the car. Yes, it needs to be said and for good reason, more people do this then you would imagine. I have seen people spend an hour scrubbing their car to throw the dirty bucket water back over the car.
Do not use a drying blade or chamois. Drying blades catch dirt and drag it down your paint leaving scratches and chamois will absorb water but will keep the dirt on the surface similar to using a sponge to wash your car. Instead, pick up a microfiber drying cloth (Kmart sell them for $5) and softly rub it in a straight line (not circular) to remove water.
Do not use the same wash mitt for your wheels as your paintwork. Your wheels are full of metal and tar gathered through brake degradation and road filth. This will end up scratching the paint work.
Do not wash your car in direct sunlight. Water is full of different elements such as fluoride and calcium which if left on your paint work in direct sunlight, will dry and leave water spotting which will not wipe off easily. Product will also dry into the paint work. Find a shaded area.
Do not wash your wheels last, this will result in the wheel muck being put back onto your clean paint work.
Now that we have got some do nots out of the way, lets look at a safe method. For this cleaning method your will need the following.
2 x buckets (95 cents each from Bunnings and will last for years)
1x Microfiber wash mitt ($7 from Repco, will last for at least 30 washes)
1x Car wash ($4.99 from supercheap for Turtle wax, will get at least 20 washes)
1x Microfiber drying towel ($5 from Kmart, or $15 for a good quality Gyeon one from Repco)
1x Wheel cleaning spray (Meguiars sell one for $12)
1x Long wheel brush ($7)
1x Microfiber cloth (pack of 5 for $4)
1x Glass cleaning spray (household Windex $3)
1x Tyre Shine ($3 from Repco)
Method
Prepare your car for cleaning by parking it in a shaded area with water supply access. If you have a pressure washer then connect this up, if not then a hose with a controlled spray head attachment will work just as well.
Step One
Rinse the car to loosen up and spray off any excess dirt and dust. Make sure to get into the wheel arches and the undercarriage to spray any excess road filth away. If using a pressure washer, avoid getting to close to the wheels and paint work as a pressure washer can strip paint of wheels and cars, especially older cars or cars with economic wheels.
Step Two
Spray the wheels with your wheel cleaner, allow it to sit on the wheels for a minute before agitating, first between the spokes and getting to the back of the wheel with the long brush. brush the face of the wheel and the tire and finally the wheel arches. Spray the product well off the wheel and arches and repeat if needed.
Step Three
Fill 2 buckets with water, in one bucket add in your car wash and get your mitt wet in the clean water before dipping it into your soapy water, get a generous amount of soapy water and start cleaning the car. Remember to start from the top of the car and work around the first half and then go back around and do the second half. The second half gathers more road filth and by cleaning them together, you risk dragging the dirt up the panels. Rinse your wash mitt regularly.
Step Four
Rinse the car well, ensure there is no product left on the car. Door jambs and around the boot will hold more soapy residue so give these an extra rinse.
Step Five
Using your Microfiber drying towel, wipe the car gently in straight lines. Straight line drying will decrease swirl marks and will make it easier to polish out any scratches caused in routine washing. Keep an eye on the cloth to ensure it is not getting dirty. Under the doors and bumpers are often missed in the washing process so make sure you get these. A clean car means a clean drying cloth.
Step Six
Using your window cleaner and a microfiber cloth, spray the glass and rub with one side of the cloth and buff off with the dry side. Get the wing mirrors as well. Be careful spraying glass spray on the windows, glass spray contains chemicals that will strip the wax off the paint work if left sitting on it to long.
Step Seven
Wipe the wheels down with a microfiber cloth and apply tire shine onto another cloth and apply it to the tires. Do not spray onto the tires as it will get onto your clean car.
Step Eight
Open all the doors and boot and wipe down the door jambs and boot panels.
You have now successfully safely and effectively washed your vehicles exterior. This should take no longer then 30 minutes and the products will last for many washes. It is important to understand that a professional detailer will often undergo many additional steps and use many more products to ensure the longevity of the wash and that all the nooks and crannies are reached.
Keep an eye out for my next wash blog that will be a guide for advance exterior washing and also interior cleaning.
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