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Most people know how to wash their cars, but did you know that may people often make simple mistakes that can damage your car. For example before using a sponge on the car you should always rinse the car with water to prevent the sponge from making deep scratches in the paint work, which look unsightly can also be expensive to repair.
In addition to this, whilst scratches can be repaired, the areas that were fixed may not look exactly how it used to. From a distance the car might still look good, but up close, you will be able to notice it unless you get the whole car resprayed. This is especially important to remember if you have a usual colour of car. It might be really difficult to find the exact match of paint to cover the scratches.
So to avoid that happening, have a look at this guide on washing your car. If you follow these instructions carefully and in order, you may well end up having a car that looks like it has just left the showroom!
Key Points
Like with most things, there are a few key points to washing your car. The standard is usually as follows; clean the interior, wash the exterior and then wax. Although a wax isn’t necessary in cleaning the car, it gives it a nice, shiny finish.
It’s a good idea to brush, vacuum and clean the interior on the same day you wash your car. It seems a bit pointless to wash and take care of the exterior if the interior of the car is messy. Be sure to pay special attention to any stains on the seats or floor. You can use interior car wipes to help you with this task. Be sure to use the right wipes though as the wrong ones can smear and even damage the upholstery.
To vacuum, you can either use a standard household vacuum cleaner, or you can use a more convenient handheld one. Using a handheld vacuum cleaner is a great way to get to those hard to reach places that you wouldn’t normally be able to reach.
At this point it is also a good idea to remove your Car Boot Covers, if you have any as you can give them a clean too; this is especially useful if you want to check for any damage that may have occurred. Luckily, if the boot cover has been used correctly, then there should be little to no damage in the boot of the car. It is easy to wash the boot cover and you can just hang to dry whilst you wash the car. If you happen to own a Ford for example, it is easy to replace your boot cover if you feel that replacing it is the best option. There are many Ford Boot Liners to choose from to suit your exact needs too.
Washing the outside
Washing the exterior of your car sounds easy and it is, so long as you pay attention to what you are doing. If you use the same bucket over and over, you might get streaks. Each time you rinse the sponge, you are getting the dirt from the car and adding it to the wash bucket. You can’t expect to get a good finish if you are eventually washing your car with dirty water. To remedy this, have a spare bucket and sponges at the ready when you notice the water turning into the colour of mud. Here are the steps involved to ensure you get the best results:
- As mentioned clean the car with normal water first.
- Pour a decent amount of soap into a clean bucket and then fill it up with water. Make sure to mix so it makes soapy foam. Dip the sponge into the soapy mix and get as much liquid into it as you can.
- Squeeze any excess water out of the sponge and then apply it to the roof of the car. You should always wipe the cars surface in straight motions, as swirling marks and other such marks will make it harder to rinse off and harder to see where you have cleaned. It’s usually a good idea to start with the roof and work your way down the sides of the car.
- If you are washing the car in hot weather, it is very important that you wash the soap off quickly as the hot weather can cause the soap to dry and stick to the car. This can cause problems for the paintwork, as well as require you to start all over again.
Keep these tips in mind when cleaning so you can get the best results possible!