Do you still want to enjoy the last beautiful days of summer? Or does your car really need a thorough cleaning? With these tips, your machine will shine brightly and your paint will last longer.
Bervoets Wim
Do you only use one bucket to wash your car? In this case, you inevitably end up immersing your sponge in the dirty washing water… Use a bucket for the soap and another to rinse your sponge. Then take a look at the color of the water in the rinse bucket and you’ll be glad you didn’t dip your soapy sponge in it…
Use a wash mitt
Why not a sponge? Because a sponge retains too much dirt on the surface with which you rub. So you put dirt back on your paint. A wash mitt has longer bristles, so dirt does not remain concentrated on the cleaning surface. And rinse the mitt regularly in your second bucket, of course!
Use a microfiber cloth
After washing, do you dry your bodywork with chamois leather? Bad idea ! The chamois is also too rough and keeps dirt on the cleaning surface. A microfiber cloth or waffle cloth not only absorbs more water, but is also gentler on your paintwork and removes remaining dirt better.
Do not use all-purpose cleaners or detergents
Car paint has a specific design and therefore a sensitivity of its own. Household, garden or kitchen cleaning products are too aggressive for car paint. Instead, invest in a good car shampoo. Additional advice: wax shampoos offer the advantage of leaving a shiny layer on your bodywork.
Be careful with pressure washers
A pressure washer easily cleans away grime and rinses soap off effectively. But don’t place the lance too close to your paint and work at a 45 degree angle. Stubborn dirt that remains after the passage of the high-voltage cleaner must be removed by hand.
Is your car covered in shampoo under a beautiful autumn sun? You will then have to do the work twice… Because your car will dry much faster, which will leave traces of shampoo on the bodywork. It is therefore better to wash the car piece by piece: first wash the roof and rinse it, then attack the bonnet, etc.
Wash your rims separately
You might not see it right away, but the rims are often the dirtiest parts of the car. And brake dust is also difficult to clean. So use a specific cleaning product for rims, as well as another cloth. Your rims will then quickly shine again like on the first day.
Start with the big gunk…
Keep this simple tip in mind: first clean the biggest dirt with a pressure washer (on this subject, read tip 5…) or a garden hose, then wash the light dirt with shampoo, and then rinse with a gentler jet. If you start by soaping your car straight away, you will need a lot more shampoo.
Always work from top to bottom
What happens if you ride in a puddle or in mud? Well yes: the bottom of your car will be all dirty. So always work from top to bottom and clean the dirtiest parts of your car last (wheel arches, rims, chassis, bumpers).
Always wipe from left to right
You may tend to pass your wash mitt in a circular fashion. It’s logical, but by doing so, you leave small round traces on your paint, which are called in English swirls . Instead, slide your cloth from left to right (or right to left, whatever…). It’s all about the detail, but the finish matters!
