How to Wash a Car

How to wash a car

There is many different ways to wash a car, but here is the correct way that generally works for the majority of people. Washing a car thoroughly takes five different steps to complete a clean exterior.

Step1: Wheels are a good place to start, because the cleaning products for wheels work best on dry surfaces. Spray on the solution as directed by the instructions, and see if the dirt and dust is removed. Use a little more spray in bad areas to help get the wheels completely clean. Try and get all road grime and grease off of the wheels. Use a soft brush to clean cracks and crevices on the wheels, but don't scrub too hard. If you have alloy wheels, make sure that the cleaner is safe for the clear coat that may be on it. Rinse the wheels off and after all dirt and grime is removed. Try and keep any abrasives like steel wool pads and wire brushes away from the wheels. This could damage them by scratching the surface of the wheel.

Step2: Use the hose to wet the car thoroughly from top to bottom. It is better to use a pistol grip hose nozzle, and set it to make a big stream that will drive off bird droppings and other dirty spots on the car. Try to avoid high-pressure handles that are found at self-serve places. High-pressure handles can damage a car by driving road grime into the finish, rather than washing it off. Also try to aim the hose up under the car and into the wheel wells to wash off road salt and gunk that has accumulated.

Step3: If there's still is some bug splats, tree sap, or other material on the car, use bug or sap remover to get rid of it. Use a clean mitt or towel for this specific job. Next fill the bucket with the recommended ratio of water and soap. Using hot water will affect the cars wax so be sure to use cool water. Don't use more soap than the instructions say to use, because more soap removes more wax. If possible use less soap to help save your car.

Step4: Since there's more dirt on a car's sides and panels, use two plans. First, work from top to bottom of the car. Secondly, switch to a separate mitt or towel when getting to the bottom of the car, where there are dirtier areas. Switching to different mitts or towels keeps scratches to a minimum that is why it is important to do so. Thoroughly wet down the section of the car about to be washed, and dunk the cleaning mitt or soft cotton towel into the soap bucket.