We like to minimize hassles and get the best possible results in all aspects of life. A Car wash might sound like a mundane activity, but our general expectations do not change. When done correctly, a car can make your vehicle look great and decrease corrosion chances. If done carelessly, a car wash might end up scratching the glass and paint of your vehicle and leaving water spots over it. Following are a few tips to get the best out of a car wash.
Soap is important:
Remember that the quality of the soap you use to wash your car is essential. Never clean your vehicle with dish detergent. It might promise excellent cleaning power, but it is made for doing dishes. A soap detergent is meant to cut through grease; however, the chemical formula will also dim the paint and trim through your car’s wax. So always use soap that is formulated for vehicles.
Don’t Use A Dropped Washing Cloth:
If you dropped your drying cloth or mitt, forget about it. Please don’t use it again during the current wash sessions. Remember that the cloth might pick up several small particles of dirt and grime when it falls to the ground. The particles will scratch and spiderweb the paint of your vehicle. Therefore, it is always advisable to keep extra towels or mitts as replacements if you accidentally drop anything while washing.
Use More Than A Single Bucket:
The same logic applies to buckets. It is advisable to use two or more buckets while washing the car. Rinse your mitt off after every dip into one bucket for rinsing your mitt, and the other for getting a fresh batch of clean soap on your mitt. This is the most suitable way to ensure that you don’t accidentally scratch the paint while washing your car.
Don’t Expose Your Vehicle To Direct Sunlight While Washing:
Don’t wash your car on a bright, sunny day because the vehicle needs to remain wet for a specific time to be dried. Under direct sunlight, the metal of your vehicle will get hot and dry up rather quickly. That might leave spots over the paint and glass of your car. You can get optimal results by keeping your car wet with a light shower of water, by parking in the shade, or the evening. Always rinse with an indirect spray instead of a jet blast of water.
A Microfiber Drying Towel Is Your Car’s Friend:
Towels made of cotton and polyester have an abrasive surface and, thus, should not be used on your car’s paint. A Microfiber drying towel is specifically designed to protect your finish and dry the surface much faster.
Watch out For Tar:
Sometimes contaminants on your car are too stubborn to be removed by your wash soap. That is when you may require professional service that may recommend specific car chemicals to clean different contaminants. Remember that Car wash soap removes some water-soluble contaminants. Others may require petroleum-based cleaner or/and a wax-and-grease remover. For example, if your car picks up road tar, you will need a tar remover to get rid of it. Bug residue is cleaned with another chemical, and hard water spots might require another. Once your car is cleaned with soap and water, and you identify the contaminants, use the correct cleaner to get rid of the contaminants and re-wash those areas.