Whether you’re a car enthusiast or just an everyday driver, washing your vehicle is a task you’ll need to complete every week. Washing a vehicle can be a relaxing and joyful time for many drivers, whereas others find it a mundane task. Here are some helpful tips on how to wash your vehicle.
Your equipment matters:
Having the right equipment for your job is essential to ensuring a clean and crisp finish to your wash. Not only does having the right equipment make the task of washing your vehicle easier, but it also helps you to protect against unwanted paint scratches.
Equipment you’ll need
- Wash Bucket
- Rince Bucket
- Wash Cloth
- Rinse Cloth
- Car Wash Soap
- Hose / Pressure washer
- Foam Gun
- Microfiber cloth
- Grit / Debre guard
Pre-Wash
The pre-wash step is arguably the most important step of your wash. Pour the required amount of car liquid soap into your foam cannon. Attached is the foam cannon to your hose or pressure washer and apply a decent amount of foam covering all parts of your vehicle. Allow the foam to sit and do its work for a few minutes. The foam will loosen any grit or dirt on the car and help remove it.
First Rinse
Use your hose or pressure washer to rinse all the foam and dirt off your vehicle. Do not use any cloths or sponges to help wipe off any foam or dirt. This could cause paint damage with any leftover grit or dirt that has not been hosed off yet. This rinse will help remove the majority of girt and dirt off your vehicle, helping to ensure a safer car wash for your paintwork.
Hand Wash
Fill one of your buckets with clean water and car wash liquid. Place the grit/dirt guard at the bottom of this bucket. Soak your sponge or wash mitt into your car wash bucket and then softly glide across a panel of your vehicle to collect the loose dirt and grime. Wash one panel at a time, rinsing each one off as you go. Use the separate wash bucket that only has clean water to rise off your panel using your rinse sponge or cloth. Use the grit/dirt guard at the bottom to agitate any grit or dirt from your sponge after each rinse. Using the grit/dirt guard allows you to wash your sponge and or cloth in the eater and not have it touch any grit or dirt that has settled to the bottom of the bucket. Think of it as a barrier from any grit or dirt that could get stuck on your sponge and scratch your paintwork.
Tyres
It is highly recommended to prioritise cleaning your vehicle’s tires last. Tires tend to accumulate a significant amount of dirt and grime, and if they are cleaned first, there is a risk of excess dirty water and grit being dispersed across the rest of the vehicle during the washing process. By saving the tire cleaning for the end, you ensure a more effective and thorough overall cleaning of the vehicle.
Final Rinse
Once you have cleaned each panel of your vehicle, you can perform the second rinse. Use your hose or pressure washer to rise off every aspect of your vehicle. Ensuring all soap has been rinsed off. This will then let you see if any parts of your vehicle require a second wash.
Drying
This may be the last step in the wash, but it certainly holds a huge importance to the overall process. Using a large microfiber cloth that offers excellent absorbency, work on each panel at a time. Slowly wipe each panel carefully to remove any water droplets that remain. It is a good idea to have a second microfiber cloth on hand should the first one become overly saturated. Microfiber cloths are a great solution for drying your vehicle as they can absorb large amounts of water and do not scratch your vehicle in the process.
Following these steps can help make the process of washing your vehicle quicker, easier, and safer for your paintwork.
