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How To Wash Your Car Like The Pros: 10 Car Washing Tips
By a show of hands, how many of us love to drive muddy cars? None? Didn't think so. A chunk of auto enthusiasts relish driving spotless cars. Let's not forget, cars need mollycoddling and showering, the same way humans do.
As a car owner, have you ever wondered if there were any straightforward ways or tips to effectively and efficiently wash your car?
Also read: How To Clean Your Car With Household Items
Most owners take car washing for granted, a simple process, if you will. Well it isn't. And if proper care isn't taken during the process, we may even manage to introduce a couple of unnecessary scratches on our precious babies. Has that ever happened to you? Unfortunately for me, I fell victim to improper washing procedures and unintentionally nicked my car in a couple of places.
Hence this article really. If you are looking for simple tips to follow while washing your car, read on.
Click through the slides for more details:
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Dust.Must.Go
If you have just gotten back from a dusty drive and your car is covered in grimy filth, and you're too lazy to hose it down with some water, what do you do? Dust it off with a dry cloth?
If you proceed to dust-off, you will end-up scratching the paint. Never dust the exterior of the car with a dry cloth.
Cool off the right way
It's a hot sunny day and you decide your car needs some cooling-off, so why not give it some cold water treatment?
Proceed at your own risk. The cold water causes the car's hot body to contract, and when this takes effect the paint will crack. Instead, find a shaded place to wash your car.
A Sudsy Tale
Run-out of car shampoo? You could go ahead and grab some washing powder or dish soap. After all they're both sudsy and lathery in nature, right?
No they are not. And if you are in the habit of using such substances to wash your car, stop immediately as this can rip-out the protective covering (lacquer) from the surface.
Don’t clean in circles
Scratches on your car are a painful sight. And knowing that you caused them is even more excruciating. How else can you contribute in avoiding them?
Steer clear of scratches (during washing) by NEVER wiping in circles. Wash and rinse the sponge well before wiping off water or soap. Be gentle, we all want to get that annoying stain off but being harsh will only scratch your paint. Make sure to wipe in a top-down direction or in contours of the surface, not in circles.
Hose over bucket
What is a better choice; a bucket of water or a hose, to wet and rinse the car?
We advise you to pick up a hose instead of a bucket of water. Here is why - After a great deal of observation, and practice, while rinsing the sponge we noticed, the dirt is kicked back into the bucket and back to the sponge which can lead to scratches.
Non-abrasive washing cloth/material
Proper usage of drying material should be used to wipe-off the excessive water that remains after washing. We favor chamois leather or terry towels for its gentle and soothing water absorption properties.
What happens if you don't use good drying-off material?
The result is 'water spots', which in the long run, will damage the paint's protective covering (lacquer).
Windows down, everyone.
Intentional or not, open windows and sunroofs while washing your car can do a lot more damage than you think.
First of all, leaving them open allows water to drizzle in. Once this happens, the seats and floor mats will be wringing-wet; leading to a terrible damp smell.
Also, make sure there are no leakages in the windows and sunroof and ensure to spray light water around these areas.
Spray: up or down?
Washing style is key. And by style, we mean the direction in which you hose down the car. Until hell freezes over, make sure you wash the body of the car from top to down. Why is that, you ask?
For instance, let's take you washing the car's door using the top-down hosing. This enables you to keep the soap and dirt away from freshly washed areas. Try it the other way around (i.e. down to top), and chances are you will bring-up all the dirt and muck closer to the window.
Bit-by-bit; part-by-part
Always make sure to wash one section of the vehicle at a time.
For instance, if you are washing the sides of a door, hose down, soap up, and rinse off with water again. Once the entire car is washed, hose it down again, and as suggested, use the preferred drying material to wipe of excessive water.
Polish wisely
Who doesn't want a slick-looking glossy four-wheeled drive? Be that as it may, it is advised to wax or polish your car once in a while; preferably once in 3 months.
Wax or polish blends with your car paint and creates a protective layer. Overuse, especially in the case of older cars missing a clear coat (lacquer) can cause the paint to peel off.
We hope this little guide will help you wash your car the right way. If you come across any tip that you find useful, do write in and share them with us.
