Automatic car washes can save you time but they don't always do a great job for the price you pay. Instead of using the automatic car washes you could wash your car by hand which can save you money and prevent damage to paint work sometimes caused by automatic car washes. Below is a guide to help get that showroom finish on your car.
Preparing Your Equipment
Before you start washing your car it is best to always prepare the equipment you will need, this will include:
- Two buckets filled with warm water
- A suitable washing product
- A pressure washer (if you have one)
- Sponges, a microfibre cloth and suitable dry wipes
- A washing brush for cleaning the wheels
- A good car wax
The reason for using two buckets is that you can have one for water and washing solution and the other with just water. This will save you time when washing off the solution from the car by using the other bucket, taking out the need for a hose.
Securing Your Car
You should always make sure that all windows and doors are shut before you start washing. The last thing you would want is to find that you left a window slightly open and water has gotten into the interior ruined it.
Choosing How You Will Wash Your Car
A great way to clean your car is using a suitable pressure washer and also washing by hand. This is because you can use the pressure washer to remove the heavy grime and dirt off from the vehicle and then use a sponge and water to scrub off any excess that may still be on the car.
Not everyone has a pressure washer available for cleaning their car, just hand washing cars are also good for cleaning but may take longer, and some helpful tips for hand washing your car are:
Don't put too much pressure on the car while scrubbing; you could cause scratches with the dirt that's already there. Always scrub the cracks and crevices, this can be where dirt builds up.
When cleaning the car try to do it somewhere cool and out of the sun, this will prevent the soap and water drying out and leaving marks.
Make sure to rinse properly, otherwise you could end up just moving the dirt around.
Also don't forget to clean the car's wheels as they collect a lot of dirt, using a brush tool can let you clean all sides of the wheel, helping to remove dirt from places you might miss.
Wax on, Wax off
Adding a coat of wax to your car will not just help give it a great shine but it will also help protect against scratches, dirt and other grime.
Some helpful tips for waxing your car include:
Always apply the wax to the cloth that you are using rather than directly to the car. Remember that if you are waxing you need to take the wax off afterwards; too much wax on the car will do more harm than good.
Use a suitable microfibre or sheep skin cloth to take off the wax, that way you will get better results.
Cleaning The Glass and Mirrors
The glass and mirrors inside and out of the car are an important part of the cleaning process since not cleaning them properly could affect visibility and have a detrimental effect on your safety when driving.
When choosing suitable cleaning products a good piece of advice is to find a product with a non smear solution, this will help make sure the glass and mirrors have no smears and dirt marks left on them.
If you do not have a glass cleaner, a great tip that you may not know is to use white vinegar and a newspaper to clean your windows. This idea may seem a little odd but the ink on the paper acts as a light abrasive that absorbs the fluids instead of leaving them on the windscreen.
Some other tips for cleaning your windows are;
Always clean the glass on the outside of the car first; it will make seeing the smudges and marks on the inside much easier. Go in circular motions across the surface at first then slowly start a vertical movement, this will ensure an even spread throughout.
Vacuum Everything
Using a vacuum inside a car is great for not just cleaning the carpets and mats, but it can help remove the dust from the dashboard and the areas that you might not be able to get to.
The thing to remember when vacuuming the car is that it's easier to take the mats out to clean them; this will also give you the chance to pat them down to remove the loose dust and grime on them.
Celebrate!
Celebrate the fact that you have the cleanest car in the street, take it for a drive and show off your car to others, but try not to get it dirty else you will be cleaning it again.
For great car cleaning products check out the Power Maxed car cleaning range, or consider becoming a product tester to try our products for free.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shane_Ryan_Shevell Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7759324
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