Tips On Doing A Car Wash

#1. Select The Right Automatic Car Washes

An automatic car wash at a gas station, a touchless wash in a plaza, or a coin-operated car wash near your office – they can be found everywhere around the city. However, automatic car washes are kind of controversial. Most of the DIYers hate the automatic car wash stations, while you have to admit the drive-thru ones are really easy and speedy. Well, keep in mind these tips suggested by autoblog.com when using an automatic car wash station:

• Be sure cloth is used instead of brush, or you can go to the touchless one to avoid scratches on your car
• Watch out for the after-wash wipe-down. If they are using dirty old rags to wipe the car down, you should say “no, thanks” and drive away
• Make sure your car is OK before you leave. Don’t be afraid to claim if you spot something damaged after the car wash.

#2. Use Proper Products On Your Paint

Your car paint is not as strong as you thought. It needs to be properly taken care of in order to have a healthy glow.

So, do not use household cleaning agents like hand soap, dishwashing detergent, or glass cleaner on the paint. They may strip off the protective wax. Use a dedicated car-wash product, which is milder and specifically formulated for using on automotive paint. Before apply any on the paint, read the directions on the products. Some might have special tips about how to achieve the best results and some might have a specific time that they want you to wait on before rinsing.

Don’t use kitchen towels, a dishwashing sponge, or an old T-shirt to scrub your paint.  Apply the cleanser with a large, soft natural sponge or a lamb’s-wool mitt. Also, make sure you rinse all surfaces thoroughly with water before you begin washing to remove any dirt and sand that could cause scratching.

#3. Deal With Birds’ Poop In A Correct Way

Not only birds’ droppings, but also dead bugs, leaves, and chemicals from the atmosphere. All of those contain acids that can strip away wax and eventually eat into your car’s paint. So when you spot any of those, you need to remove them as soon as possible. One trick is you can use baby shampoo to get those things off your paint. It’s gentle for babies so should be gentle enough for the paint, and it can break up the nasty stuff quickly.

#4. Other Details Need Attention

• Wash the wheels and tires first. Brake and wheel crud is usually tougher to get off than what’s on your car’s paint. Let the cleanser sit while you take care of the shining paint
• Do not wash your car when the body is hot, such as immediately after driving it or after it has been parked in direct sunlight for awhile. Hot surfaces dry up soap quickly and leave marks
• Do not move the sponge in circles, which could create swirl marks
• Use a separate bucket to rinse the dirt-filled sponge from getting mixed into the sudsy wash water
• Don’t forget to clean your windshield wiper blades. Dirty ones will streak the glass instead of keeping it clean and clear

To find more tips and tricks on car wash, I suggest you read the following posts:

10 Car Washing Dos and Don’ts

Do’s and don’ts of washing your car

Have fun with your car washing and enjoy the best season!