You might not believe it, but there is an incorrect way to wash your car and getting to work using a bucket, car shampoo, and a sponge is probably the worst thing you can do. However, probably the most popular method used when it comes to washing your car.
The car shampoo you are using is slowly becoming dirty, and the sponge is trapping sharp micro dirt particles, creating a swirling pattern on the car’s paintwork, which is the last thing you want. A nice, well-kept paintwork on a car shows that the car has been well looked after and you want to maintain a quality paint job on your car, and then to finish off, you pour all the dirt back onto your car!
So you may now ask how I wash my car properly. Although there are various ways to minimise the risk of paint swirling and below, our team here at Fleetcare will explain the simplest way to do so. Protecting your car body and also minimising any risk of needing to have your car resprayed.
You Will Need:
• Bucket x2
• Hose
• Quality car shampoo
• Wash Mitt
• Drying Towel
A tip for washing your car is to ensure it is kept out of direct sunlight, as this causes the premature drying of shampoo to your car. If you have no other option than to wash your car in sunlight, then make sure you wash it in stages or rinse a panel soon after washing it.
Firstly, rinse your car with water. A hose is ideal, especially for commercial use with many vehicles, but a watering-can will be enough if you don’t have one.
Next, get your car shampoo and fill one of the buckets with warm water and then add the required amount of shampoo; any car shampoo will do and will do the job well as long as it is not a cheap one.
Then, fill the other bucket. The rinse bucket should really be kept cold so that you know which bucket is which, especially if both buckets have suds on top after washing your car for a bit.
Use a lambswool or a synthetic wash mitt to clean your car. It is a much kinder method of cleaning your car than using a sponge, as it pulls the dirt into the pile rather than trapping it between its face and the surface of your car like a sponge does.
When washing your car, start from the top and work down and around. Preferably start from the roof and work your way down to the sunroof and windscreen, then move on to the side and rear windows. When you move on to the bonnet, wash the sides’ top half along with the car’s bottom front. Always wash the bottom of the sides and the bottom rear of the car last, as with the aerodynamics of a car. This is where the dirt piles up the most in these areas, especially at the back.
When washing, make sure that you rinse your wash mitt after cleaning each panel, and when washing, make sure that you wash in parallel straight lines and not circles, don’t add pressure as the mitt and shampoo will do most of the work except on stubborn marks where you can apply a little pressure to ease them off. It can be surprisingly easy to dent car bodywork, so use light pressure and always take care. Ensure you leave the wheels until last and wash the back wheels first, as generally, they are the least dirty. You can use a sponge when washing the wheels, but a brush is probably better. After this, give your car one last rinse, top to bottom.
When drying your car, use one thick microfibre towel or a specialist soft drying towel; start from the top and work your way down. Don’t be forceful when drying; the towel should glide when you wipe it. If the towel becomes wet fast, use another towel.
This method of washing your car should reduce dreaded swirl marks.
