Washing your car regularly is important. Not just to keep your car looking fresh and clean, but to limit any damage to your vehicle. Leaving dirt and debris on your car for extended periods of time can damage the paint work, windscreen, and windows. However, not washing your car properly can also result in damage. Here are some handy tips on how to get the best results in your next car wash.

Soap

This is the most important factor of washing your car. Using soapy hot water is key to removing dirt and debris build up. But, using the wrong soap will do more damage than good. Different kinds of soaps are formulated for different uses. Most common soaps, such as dish soap, are made to break down and get rid of grease. This is great for cleaning places like the kitchen, but not your car. These kinds of soaps will strip your car and dull the paint. It’s important to use a specially formulated car washing soap, as these are built to not damage the paint. These can be found at your local automotive store. If you’re after particular results, or you have a special paint job on your vehicle, do some research into what car wash soap best fits your needs.

Where to wash

This is another very important factor to take into consideration. Most people will wait for a hot sunny day to wash their car and wash it out in the sun so it dries quickly. While this may be tempting, it won’t yield the best results. Washing your car in direct sunlight means that any water and soap you use will dry very quickly. Often, it dries before you have even properly washed or dried your car. This will result in streaks and marks left all over your vehicle. If possible, try and wash your car out of direct sunlight. This will give you more time to wash your car properly and not have it drying throughout the process. If you can’t avoid washing your car in the sun, try keep the vehicle wet at all times and only soap smaller areas at a time.

Wheels

Typically, your wheels will be the dirtiest part of your car. This means you should be washing these first. Using a separate bucket and sponge to clean these is also very important. As your wheels will be the dirtiest, using the same cleaning tools can mean you end up dirtying the rest of your car as you try to clean it. Your wheels will also hold different kinds of dirt and debris, generally a more abrasive type. If this is on your sponge and then used on your cars paint, it will scratch and cause damage.

Windows and glass

Similarly to choosing the right soap to wash the body, you should choose the right product to clean the glass. While large amounts of dirt can be removed with your usual car wash product, this will also leave streaks on your glass. A simple glass cleaning product such as Windex should work fine in most cases. However, if your windows are tinted, you want to find a glass cleaner specifically for car windows. Standard products such as Windex can be too hard on tinted windows and damage the finish. When cleaning the windows, work in small sections and buff the product in with a microfibre cloth. This will limit streaking and ensure the product doesn’t dry before it’s buffed away.

Taking care of your car is important, especially through washing it regularly. By following these simple tips, you will ensure a streak and damage free car wash- every time.