Car Washing

Most people feel they know everything they need to know about car washing, but you just might pick up a few tips and learn to avoid some common mistakes.

Last Sunday I was driving by a new car wash in my neighborhood. It was filled with people in various stages of cleaning their vehicles. I parked my truck in a nearby parking lot and walked over to see this beautiful new self serve wash.

I watched as a guy pulled his new Corvette into the wash bay and put his money into the coin box. He switched the dial to "foaming brush" and started to scrub his new Vette. What really surprised me is that he never even looked at the brush. I've seen those brushes used to clean wheels, wheel wells, and dirty truck beds.

OK, so what did our friend with the Vette do wrong? Well, the first thing he should have done was rinse off the car! Even the smallest pieces of dirt, when rubbed into the surface, will scratch the clearcoat finish of your vehicle. This, over time, is what causes the finish to look dull.

Next, of course, is to make sure that the brush or wash mitt that you use is clean and free of anything that might scratch your car.

All right let's forget about the guy with the Vette and talk about your vehicle. Here's a list of things you'll need to get started.

Equipment Needed

• a hose with a nozzle
• two wash buckets
• a bug sponge
• car wash soap
• a lambs wool mitt
• a chamois

Steps for washing your car

Always try to wash your car in the shade. If that's not possible, try to wash when the sun is not blazing hot. The soap will dry up very fast in the hot sun. If you absolutely have to wash in the sun, wash only small sections at a time.

Fill both buckets with water and add car wash soap to one of the buckets (check the directions on the bottle of soap for the proper amount to add). Don't use dish washing liquid! Dish washing liquid is too harsh to use on cars. It will strip the wax from your vehicle's finish.

Remember to rinse the car first. It's best to take off the nozzle and let the water flow over the car on the initial rinse. Next, put a clean wash mitt into the suds bucket and begin at the top of the car. Do just a section at a time and rinse when done.

After each section rinse the mitt in the clean water bucket. This will prevent any dirt on the mitt from scratching your finish. Work your way down the vehicle doing just a section at a time. Remember to rinse after each section. You want to prevent the soap from drying on the car.

Use the bug sponge (you can find these specially made sponges or mitts in the car care section of the department store) to scrub off the bugs on the front bumper and grille. Just dip it into the car wash soap bucket and use a little elbow grease. You'll also find bugs on the exterior mirrors and windshield.

Drying the Car

After completely rinsing off the car, use a clean chamois to dry the car down. Again, work your way down from the top of the car, and ring the chamois out frequently.

You Love your Car--So take care of it!

Washing your vehicle frequently between your regularly scheduled waxing is the best thing that you can do for your car's finish. You'll keep dirt and contaminants from building up on your finish and save money by not having to have expensive buffing done on your car.

The Essentials Kit

Here's a detail kit that will give you everything that you'll need to wash, clay, and wax your vehicle. Your wash bucket has a screw on top, so it will double as a storage container when not in use. It also comes with a DVD that will show you how to use all the products. Makes a great gift!

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