When washing a car, most people resort to using a drive-through car wash or giving it a quick wash and rise themselves. While this is sufficient for many people, it can lead to scratches in the paint and an unprotected vehicle.
When talking about unprotected vehicles, don’t forget to protect your car with an auto insurance policy. Keeping your car protected with a good wash job and a good insurance plan is essential if you want to continue using your car.
Learning how to properly wash a car is easy — it just requires a little knowledge. In this article, we’ll supply you with the knowledge needed to begin learning how you can properly wash your car yourself. In the end, you’ll save money while having a shiny car. Keep reading to learn more.
1. Prepare Your Car for Washing
To prepare your car to be washed, you’ll want to keep your car in the shade. If you wash your car in direct sunlight, the soap and water left on your car can try too quickly and lead to paint damage and water marks.
Next, you’ll need to set everything that you require for washing near your car, which includes the washing detergent, three buckets of water (one for rinsing and two for washing), and water supply. You should also have a variety of brushes and microfiber towels to use to properly clean and dry your car.
For detergents, you can use normal detergents or purchase a car-specific detergent from an auto parts store. However, you should carefully check the recommendations of the manufacturer when it comes to determining the ratio of detergent to the water. Some cars also require specific types of soap as to not damage the paint or ruin the color of a vehicle.
2. Washing the car
After setting everything near your car, take a hose and splash water on the vehicle’s body to soften and loosen the dirt. It is advisable to avoid using a water jet with extremely high pressure as it can rub the grit over the car’s paint. Ensure that you aim the water jet downwards on every surface to prevent water from dribbling into the car through the rubber seals.
Start washing the wheels first since they are usually the dirtiest part of the vehicle. Washing and rinsing the first ensures that the dirt from the wheels does not land on other surfaces after cleaning. Use a long wheel-brush to wash the wheels. You can use wheel-specific cleaners to complete this task or your car body cleaner.
Once you’ve finished the wheels, take a large sponge or wash mitt and soak into the soapy water and apply it over the car surfaces before scrubbing your car. You should avoid using a brush on the body of the vehicle as this may leave some scratches. Wash the car in straight lines — don’t use circular motions.
Start washing your car from the top and then proceed section by section. Wash around the vehicle several times while cleaning even the lower areas. When you begin washing your car from the top, the soap will be able to drip to the lower sections while cleaning the upper areas. This saves you from the hassle of having to repeat washing the same sections.
If there are any splattered bugs or bird droppings on your car, take time to scrub them off as they can damage the car paint. Ensure that you keep the sponge or wash mitt clean by frequently washing the dirt out with plain water while washing. Do not rinse your mitt and re-apply soap in the same bucket. It is also advisable to wash every section after washing to prevent the soap from drying on the paint. You also need to keep every part of the vehicle wet to prevent water droplets from drying and leaving spots on the car body after washing.
3. Drying and waxing the car
Use fresh towels to dry the vehicle and ensure that you dry every surface that you have washed. Make sure that you do not leave any drop of water as it can cause rust or tarnish the paint. Once you dry all the surfaces of the vehicle, wax the vehicle to protect the car paint from the sun.
By taking extra time to properly wash your car, you can extend the life and vibrancy of your car’s exterior. Washing a car is more than just applying soap and rinsing. The more you wash your car yourself, the better you will become at it and the more time you will save. Enjoy your freshly washed car!
