Wash Your Own Car And Save

Why does having a clean car matter? Well, why does having a clean house matter? The answer is that both are possessions and assets that not only you see, but others see, too. Keeping them in tip-top shape not only make you feel better, but it prolongs the life of the possession.

Sure, we all have busy lives and quite frankly, getting a car wash can seem like a waste of time and money. However, if you’re willing to go out and buy a few materials and muster up some willpower – cleaning your own car can be a fun Sunday “alone-time” treat to yourself.

We’re going to tell you the steps to making sure your car looks good, and feels good.

Park your car in a shady area

This will help prevent splotches of paint on your car due to premature drying. Not only that, but when your car gets too hot, it becomes more difficult to keep up with the evaporation of the water.

Make sure to roll up your windows and prop your windshield wipers away from the glass!

Get your supplies close.

This includes: car wash detergent, 2 buckets of water, hose, microfiber cloths, sponge, and a scrubbing brush for your tires. Make sure you’re wearing the appropriate clothes – you will get wet and soapy! If it’s warm, shorts and an old shirt will do. If it’s cold, pants and rubber boots will help keep you warm.

When you purchase detergent, make sure you get car-specific and only use it if it’s safe for your vehicle. Always pay attention to dilution rate, too.

Fill Your Buckets

One (or two, depending on how big your car is) for soap, one for rinsing. Pretty simple!

Rinse You Car

This will help prep your car and get any loose dirt off in preparation for your cleaning. Use a gentle pressure, as too strong of a pressure can damage the paint.

Wheels First

The wheels are usually the most dirty part of the car, so rising this off first will keep dirt from flying off and getting on your clean car. A skinny wheel brush will help you get in all the nicks and crannies of the wheel.

Wash mitt to the rescue

You’ll use a large wash mitt that you’ve soaked in soapy water to rub the car with. Be carful not to use a wash mitt with scratchy bristles as it could ruin the paint. Also, when you’re done you can just throw the fit in the washer – easy peasy!

Start at the top and work your way down

Circle your car multiple times to ensure you didn’t miss any spots. Start from the top, as the soap will run down while you’re still on the higher sections. Scrub off the dirt splattering and bird poop! It may take some extra soap to get this part done, but it’s definitely not a part to miss.

Rinse!

Rinse each section off after completing the cleaning. When the soap dries on the paint, it could stain it. Follow the top to bottom pattern you used to soap up the car. You’ll want to save the lower part of the vehicle for last – as this is where most of the build up is.

Clean Tires

Use a plastic brush to clean the tire walls. Stiff bristles will be great for this part of the car, to get off all the gunk.

Dry

Dry the car with fresh towels. Wipe down fully until completely dry. Any left over soap can tarnish the paint and cause rust. Micro fibers are best for this job.

Wax

If you feel so inclined, waxing is a good decision for your car after washing it. This will protect the sun from tarnishing the paint.

Why spend too much money on a car wash when you can do it yourself? It can be fun, cheap and it will feel great when you’re driving down the road in your glistening showroom car.

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