Top Car Cleaning Tips: Learn How to Wash Your Car Properly

In cleaning your car, you have two options: bring it to your local car wash or do the task yourself. There are pros and cons regardless of what option you choose. But if you have the time and want to save money, washing your car yourself could be a great idea.

But did you know that washing your car is more than just making it look good and clean? By properly washing it, you can also lengthen your car’s lifespan. This is because you washes out contaminants that can cause corrosion.

Before you start washing your own car at home, make sure that you have these essentials with you:

• Interior protectant
• Wheel cleaning products
• Soft bristle brush
• Garden hose
• Vacuum
• 2 buckets
• Wash mitt
• Microfiber towels
• Chamois towels
• Lint-free cloth
• Electrostatic cloth
• Duster
• Skinny brush
• Squeegee
• Spray Sealant

Now, let’s get started:

Start With The Wheels

We recommend that you start with your tires. They collect all sorts of abrasive junk and dirt that can be really hard to wash away. So if you start with them, you still have your full energy.

Using soapy water and and skinny brush will do the trick for most cases. But if your wheels have not been cleaned for a while, it will be better to use special wheel cleaning solutions. And because this is just the first step, any remaining solutions can be washed off later — eliminating any hazard it can cause.

Clean Up Your Car’s Metal Parts

Once you’re done with your wheel, it’s now time to clean the car’s exterior, particularly its metal parts.

First and foremost, dust off your car using a duster. After that, hose off all dirt and debris on all sides of your car. Both these steps remove any unwanted object (dead insects, tree sap, etc.) from your vehicle as these can cause damage to your car’s paint.

Once everything has been thoroughly rinsed, you can now soap the water from top to bottom. You will be needing two buckets here: one with soapy water (for washing off dirt) and the other with just plain water (for rinsing). Make sure to rinse your microfiber towel properly or just have reserved towels in case the one you’re using gets too dirty.

To wipe your car dry, you need a chamois towel. This is recommended as this item quickly absorbs water making this step easier to complete. You can also use a squeegee to wipe the windows dry. If you want, you can also get spray sealant, which can add protection to your car paint.

Make Sure Glass Parts Are Cleaned As Well

Now that the metal parts of your car’s interior has been cleaned, go over the glass parts next. This step is important as clean mirrors, windows and windscreens will help you see better when you drive.

The way to clean your glass depends on whether they’re tinted or not. Tinted glass requires more caution to avoid damaging the film.

For untinted glass – You can just use a steak-free and water-repellent glass cleaner. Kindly spray the cleaning product onto a paper towel then wipe the glass. Avoid spraying it directly onto the glass to avoid any drip downs that can damage other surfaces. Wipe the glass surfaces dry using a microfiber towel.

For tinted glass – It is advisable to just use soapy water to avoid damaging the film. Use a clean microfiber towel to wipe the glass surface and use another one to dry it after.

Now Take Care of the Interior

First things first, begin by removing all thrash away from your car. It is important to do this to ensure that no loose item will be stuck to the vacuum. Once done throwing the trash away, wipe the windows and remove dust from all surfaces. To remove dust and other debris, we suggest that you get an electrostatic cloth, which can be an efficient tool if you want to clean hard-to-reach areas.

Next step is to vacuum the entire interior of your car from the dash to the seats up to the floor. Once done, you can apply interior protectant to the dashboard, center console, driving wheel, and shift knob using a microfiber cloth.

Finally, clean the pedals of your car. Start by placing a towel under the pedals to ensure that the carpet won’t get wet. Then, clean it using a small brush and soapy water.

Wrap Up

One important tip I can give you is to wash your car during the morning, which is when the heat is just about right. If it’s way past morning or the sun is just blazing hot that day, it is advisable to clean your car under the shade. This ensures that your car’s paint will not be damaged. Water drops and soap can cause long lasting damage to your car’s paint when they dry up in intense heat.

Now that you know how to properly clean your car by yourself, you probably want to keep it that way. Sad to say, getting your car dirty is unavoidable. However, there are some pre-emptive measures you can take to ensure that your car remains clean as long as possible. These include:

• Avoid eating in your car when possible, especially messy food and drinks.
• Park your car in the garage whenever it’s not used.
• Clean any mess real quick.
• Remove any loose debris on your shoes before entering the car.
• Keep a trash bag or mini trash can inside the car.