More Car Washing Tips You Should Know
Washing your own car is a great way to save money, not to mention that it’s also great bonding time with your family. However, you need to do it a particular way to prevent ugly spots, streaking, and suds that can damage your paint. If you want to keep your car looking great, we recommend following these tips:
Get the right soap
Before you even wash your car with water, make sure that you’ve got the right soap. Skip the detergent, dish soap, and other bleach-based solutions. Always use soap made for cars as this is gentler on paint, glass, and other plastic surfaces.
Unless you’re planning to remove the wax coat of your vehicle, a car- specific soap should be used.
Always start at the top
This is the same principle when you’re cleaning your home: always start at the top. This way, the dirt will drip down as you rinse and scrub. Also, this is a more organized way of car washing instead of moving from one spot to another.
If you start at the bottom, you’ll probably end up having to do the cleaning all over again.
Don’t wash while it’s hot
Washing your car when it’s hot seems to be a good thing as it ‘cools’ the vehicle. However, you should remember that car washing is intended to keep your car clean. When you wash your car while it’s hot, water will evaporate fast and you’ll be left with dried soap suds that could be a pain to get rid of.
Also, avoid washing your car under direct sunlight. This has the same effect, as mentioned earlier.
Say no to drip-drying
Drip drying doesn’t work for cars. If you left it air drying, you’d just attract dirt and you’ll end up with dried ugly water spots. This will need another rinse, which is a waste of time and water.
So to finish off your washing, use a clean microfiber cloth to remove the moisture from your car’s exterior. Microfiber cloths are gentle and won’t leave scratches on your car.
Work on a portion basis
If you are going to clean your windshield with a glass solution, work on one side at a time. This is to prevent the solution from drying and becoming a stubborn residue. It’s more evident, especially if you’re car washing during summer.
Also, wipe your glass in an up and down motion instead of going in circles. The vertical motion will prevent streaking.
Go easy on the scrubbing
Avoid scrubbing too much or your car will sustain scratches that will require a visit to an auto shop to fix. If you see deep-seated dirt, rinse your car first and let the dirt soften up. After that, apply your soap and lather it around your car. Using a soft foam or mitt, scrub the exterior of your car gently.
Use two buckets
If you don’t have free-running water, you should use two buckets. The first one is for rinsing your mitt and the other for a fresh batch of soapy water. This is to prevent the recirculation of dirt, which will make washing problematic.
