17 March 2011
Washing your car may seem easy, but there’s science and methodology involved in this basic chore to ensure it remains looking in tip-top shape. Read on.
- Ditch household cleaners – they're designed for very different purposes and can smear, strip polish/wax and damage a car's exterior. Only use dedicated automotive products designed for the specific task at hand.
- Clean in the shade – if you wash your vehicle in the open, hot sun, the cleaning products will dry quickly, making them harder to remove and will likely cause streaking.
- Rinse first and make it warm – just like your dishes, you should rinse before you wash. Rinsing the entire vehicle removes grit, mud and dust and does 2 things: firstly it makes cleaning easier; secondly it helps prevent scratching. The water you use with detergent should be warm to make washing easier.
- Use a wheel cleaner – wheel cleaners are designed to strip away brake dust far more efficiently than normal detergents alone. They'll save you a lot of time and are affordable. Make sure the wheel is cool; rinse quickly – don’t let the product dry.
- Up, down, down, up. (This is about efficient use of time.) When washing your car, work one panel at a time and wash from bottom to top and then back down again. By working in this manner, you’ll make sure you don’t miss sections that you have to go back and re-clean. If you work from top-to-bottom, the soapy water will drain down the panel making it harder for you to see where you've cleaned.
- Clean your chamois! Clean your chamois regularly with detergent to remove any dirt and grime. If you're using a dirty chamois, you'll be left with unsightly streaks because you're essentially putting dirt back on your car. Most people don’t think of doing this but it makes an enormous difference.
- After every 3rd or 4th wash, fill your bucket with warm water, add some detergent, give the chamois a good clean, rinse and allow to dry. This should take you about 2 minutes but will make cleaning quicker and easier.
- Wax your ride – a well-polished and waxed vehicle is significantly easier to clean because the process of polishing and waxing leaves a clean, smooth surface with a protective barrier that repels dirt, water and harmful contaminates (not to mention it makes your car look great).
A good wax will give you 4 – 6 months protection before needing to reapply. The act of polishing takes between 10 – 20 minutes, depending on how fast you work, the size of the vehicle and its condition.