Washing your car is a great way to spend your time, giving you the chance to check every last detail of your vehicle – the only way to truly know your car’s condition, and of course, the result is always worth it!
Washing a car is also often done incorrectly – this can result in either not getting the car properly clean, or in damaging the car’s paintwork, which can lead to the car fading and losing its appearance over several washes.
To achieve a quality and safe car wash, it would be wise to follow certain tips that will prevent damage to the paintwork and, most importantly, yield a better result! Below, we outline the key points to consider.
Car cleaning products
Washing starts with the choice of tools. The right tools also ensure safer washing – so make sure you choose the right sponge, cloth, shampoo, and brush for the job.
It is essential that you do not use sponges or cloths designed for domestic cleaning to wash your car. Household cleaning materials are designed to repel surface dirt, but washing the car with them would mean immediate damage. Sand particles, dust, and other dirt on the car’s body will abrade the paintwork, creating scratches that are more significant paint damage and require polishing to remove. Sponges and cloths designed for washing cars soak up dirt and only release it in the rinse bucket when in contact with water.
Car shampoo
The most common mistake made when washing a car is to use dishwashing detergent. Why is this a mistake? – Because dishwashing detergents contain harsh abrasives. Other household soaps or detergents should also not be used, as they are usually too alkaline or acidic for car washing. This damages the surface and also strips the protective car wax.
The best and safest result is achieved by using shampoos specially formulated for car washing, which have a neutral pH and contain lubricating agents that help the dirt to glide off the surface without damaging it. It is also possible to use “Nano Shampoo,” which has a very high wax content and effectively restores the water-repellent protective layer of the waxed car. You can get a better overview of car care chemicals here.
Accessories needed
For a quality car wash, you need a range of different accessories. You’ll need several washcloths, a drying cloth, car shampoo, and 2 buckets. If you are also planning to wax or polish, you will also need wax and polishing tools and accessories.
List of accessories you need:
- Car wash mitt, Car wash sponge – for body washing;
- Washing brush – For washing tires and floor mats;
- Washing buckets – one for shampoo water and one for clean water;
- Car shampoo;
- Wheel cleaner;
- Drying towel made of chamois or microfiber;
- Compressor – for compressed air drying (possibly for drying crevices);
- Tar remover;
- Insect remover;
- High speed wax/ Permanent wax/ Nano-protection (For advanced protection)
- Polishers (Especially for thorough work)
Car washing
A well-known basic principle of washing is to keep the car wet throughout the wash. This is important to avoid leaving unsightly water spots on the car that are difficult to remove later. To prevent the car from drying too quickly, choose a shady place to wash it and make sure you don’t leave any windows open during the wash ;)
1. Start washing your car with tar/pitch removal!
It makes the most sense to start the wash with a tar/pitch remover, as the product works much faster and more effectively on a dry car than on a wet one. To dissolve the tar/pitch, it is recommended to use the most neutral tar remover “Winter Wash” – It is safe for seals, chrome parts, and license plates!
1. Spray the car with a tar remover. The sides of the car don’t need to be sprayed above the door handles, and the back of the car needs to be covered with the chemical up to the top edge – there’s still plenty of tar/pitch ;) The hood and the front of the car don’t need to be sprayed either.
2. Allow to act for 3-5 minutes and if necessary, add a second coat of tar remover as described in section 1 and let it dwell for another 3 minutes.
3. Use a pressure washer to rinse off the dissolved tar/pitch from the car. Rinse the surfaces piece by piece, starting from the bottom edge. If you start rinsing from the top, you might rinse off the tar remover so that the tar/pitch still remains on the surface.
2. Now give the car a foam wash!
After the tar/pitch has been removed, a few small specks may remain on the car, which will be addressed during drying.
1. After removing the tar/pitch, apply car wash foam/shampoo to the car and leave for 3 minutes. (DELTA FORCE 2000)
(1.1) Meanwhile, use a brush to clean the tires and floor mats
2. Rinse the car from top down to wash off any loose dirt and grains of sand.
3. Also thoroughly clean the tires, rims, and wheel wells.
3. WASHING THE RIMS
The rims are the dirtiest part of the car, and it is therefore important that any major dirt is thoroughly removed from the corners during the initial rinse. Now, proceed with a more thorough wash.
1. Apply wheel cleaner to the rim and allow it to work as directed.
2. Use a brush or a separate sponge to thoroughly clean the rims.
3. Rinse the rims.
Starting the wash at the rims prevents dirt from the rims from getting on the clean body parts later. If your car wheels are very dirty, it’s a good idea to use a brush to wash them. For cleaner rims, you can use a separate wash pad or mitt of the same type as for the car body. To avoid damage to your car’s paintwork, make sure you don’t use the same cleaning products on your car’s paintwork that you used for the wheels.
4. Wet the car again with water
After washing the rims, it’s time to wash the bodywork. Before proceeding, wet the car again with water to soften the dirt that has dried on the car. You don’t need to use heavy pressure, just a light rinse.
5. Wash your car in a well-planned sequence
When washing the car, it is wise to approach the shampooing stage meticulously. Start shampooing from the roof and work your way down, section by section. This is important so that the shampoo that has run down helps to loosen any remaining dirt.
6. Also clean your washing tool during the washing process
Start by loading a sponge or a wash mitt with shampoo solution to wash the next section of the body. Rinse the tool in a bucket of clean water every few minutes. This will help to rinse off excess dirt from the mitt or sponge so that it doesn’t inadvertently damage the car. After rinsing, dip again in the shampoo water and wash the next section.
7. Avoid water spots when rinsing your car
Once the section has been washed, rinse it clean with fresh water to prevent the shampoo from drying on the surface of the vehicle. It dries on the surface, leaving unsightly marks, and is much harder to remove later.
8. DON’T LET THE CAR DRY OUT DURING THE WASH
Avoid letting the car dry out, and if it takes longer than expected to wash the car with shampoo and a sponge, don’t forget to re-wet the car in the meantime. Otherwise, washing a dried surface with a sponge will leave scratches on your car’s surface and the paintwork will fade.
9. Drying the car
Only start drying your car once the entire car has been washed and rinsed. For drying, it is best to use an absorbent chamois cloth to remove 90% of the water and large microfiber drying sheets for finishing. If you use only microfiber cloths, you should be aware that the cloths will get wet during the drying process and you will need to stock up on several pieces.
When drying, pay particular attention to door handles, license plates, side mirrors, and other similar places where water can drip.
A compressed-air compressor (if available) can be used to dry tricky areas. The compressor makes it easy to force water out of hidden gaps and dry instantly with a microfiber cloth.
10. Car waxing and polishing
If you’ve been providing more thorough care for your car and are planning to treat it with a protective coating or even get rid of scratches and polish it – now is the time to do it.
The use of wax or nano coating gives the car a protective layer that provides better protection from scratches and also keeps surfaces cleaner. As an added bonus, the protective coating also gives the surface a deeper shine.
If the car is scratched and lacks sufficient shine, a polish is applied before the protective coating.
* Polishing differs from waxing in that it uses an abrasive paste to gently abrade the paintwork – so scratches are removed and the car shines like new!
* Waxing is a soft protection that creates a thin protective layer on the car when applied, but it does not remove scratches.
* Nano coating provides a hard and durable chemical-resistant protective layer on the car’s surface, but does not remove scratches.
How often should you wash your car?
The frequency of washing is certainly not set in stone and depends on many different factors such as driving routes, driving frequency, chosen parking spaces, etc. So the washing frequency is still dependent on individual needs and different for each person.
NOTE!! YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY WASH YOUR CAR IF YOUR CAR HAS:
- Insect remains on the hood and front bumper: Insect carcasses look very bad on the car and, worst of all, they corrode the paintwork. So in the warmer season, when insects are more abundant, it’s worth paying close attention. (There is a separate car care chemical for easy removal of insects: INSECT REMOVER).
- Bird droppings: anyone who’s experienced them knows! In hot weather and in direct sunlight, they dry very quickly on the car, leaving an unsightly stain on the paintwork. If they do occur, it’s not worth waiting, and it’s a good idea to wash them off as soon as possible. Bird droppings etch unsightly marks into the paint in a very short time. If staining has already occurred, the surface should be polished.
- Tree sap: If the parking spot where you usually park your car is under a tree, you should choose a new spot if possible, as tree sap can also start to damage the paintwork, and tree sap will also stick to the car, which is not easily removed with a regular wash. If this occurs, it would be wise to carry out clay treatment with automotive detailing clay.
- Winter salt on the roads: in Estonia, salt is used to keep the roads in good condition during the winter, which is detrimental to cars. During the winter, it’s essential to rinse your car regularly, and make sure to protect it with a protective coating.
- WINTER TAR/PITCH???: Yes! Winter tar/pitch! Cars pick up 90% more tar/pitch on their bodies in winter than in summer. Studded tires kick up small specks that get stuck to the car’s surface. It’s still worth keeping an eye on it during the winter and a thorough full cleaning in the spring. Read more about tar/pitch removal HERE!
WINTER TAR/PITCH