Car Washing Tips
A simple car wash can really change your car’s appearance. If you are not looking to spend much money consider a DIY approach. With a few products and a little bit of knowledge your car can be shining soon. In this article I will share a few key bits of information that should help you while washing your vehicle.
Tip #1 - The two bucket wash method
A few key steps can be implemented to help save you lots of time and effort while washing your vehicle - one of these is the two bucket method. In all odds, you probably wash your car with one bucket, a rag, and soap. Which means you are mixing the clean wash water with the dirt you just removed from the car. This can be fixed by adding an extra bucket to rise off the dirty rag before dipping it into the soap bucket. In total, you should have one bucket for soapy water (wash bucket) and the other for rinsing (rinse bucket). Bonus: Add a third bucket for washing wheels. I recommend using a 5 gallon bucket so you will more than enough water to help the rinse process. If you want a more in-depth guide to this you can check out our blog post on How To Wash A Car The Right Way.
Tip #2 - Protect your paint
If you want your car to stay shining and glossy while also being easy to clean make sure to have the paint protected. This can be accomplished with a wax, sealant, ceramic coating, or paint protection film. Waxing your car is the most common method of protection, but it has its downsides. A wax will only last 4 - 8 weeks and it does to provide a thick layer of protection. Also, a wax will need to be reapplied frequently - which can be a pain. For the average consumer, a sealant is the best option. Sealants last much longer than waxes at around 3 months - 1 year and they are better at preventing fine scratches and swirl marks. If you want the best protection possible a ceramic coating is the only way to go. These coatings only need to be applied once since they last between 3 - 5 years and will provide the thickest layer of protection for your paint. Plus after you wash your car, the ceramic coating will make your paint look like it was freshly waxed. If you want to learn more about ceramic coatings you can check out our page on them here.
Tip #3 - Clean your windshield wipers blades
If your car’s windshield wiper blades are dirty they cannot properly clean the windshield. Instead, dirty wipers will cause streaking on the glass and will not clear all of the derbies. Take a clean towel and pinch the wiper blade between your fingers and drag it along the blade. This should remove most of the contaminates leaving your wipers clean. If you want more information on how to clean your car’s glass click here.
Tip #4 - Clean your exhaust tips
If you want your car to really pop after a wash make sure to wash and polish the exhaust tips. Take a rag or microfiber towel you don’t mind getting really dirty and some chrome polish. Put the chrome polish on the rag and begin to work it into the pipes. Continue this until the pipes are shining. Repeat for all of the exhaust tips and exhaust pipes.
Phew! You are finally done cleaning your car and with the help of these 4 tips it should look amazing. Now it’s time to go for a drive and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Best of luck with your future detailing endeavors. If you have any more questions feel free to reach out to us and ask.