While washing a car may not be rocket science, there are some things you can do that will not only make the job easier, but can prolong the life of your car’s paint.

Important Things to Remember

First and foremost, never, ever, use dishwashing soap to wash your car. Dish washing detergent strips off wax and can dull the finish. Use either a high-quality car wash product available at leading retail and auto parts stores or make your own. See the recipe box section of our site for how to make your own eco-friendly, cost effective and safe car wash and other car cleaners. Second, never wash a car when the body is hot or when the car has sat in direct sunlight for long periods of time.

What You’ll Need

To get started you will need two clean microfiber mits or cloths, a bucket, a hose soft chamois cloth for drying and specialty cleaners to remove bugs, tar, tree sap or bird poo.

The How to:

Fill the bucket with clean water, making sure that you rinse the bucket to remove anything that may have accumulated before filling with clean water. Next use the microfiber mit or cloth to apply the cleaner to the paint, rinsing the cloth or mit frequently. Don’t scrub your paint to remove stubborn marks like bird poo. Use a pressure hose to remove or a specialty formulated remover to loosen the dirt.

If the water gets dirty or dark change it, remembering to rinse the bucket out completely before refilling. Clean the car in sections, making sure to rinse thoroughly before moving on to the next section.

Don’t Forget the Tires

Use a separate cloth to clean the tires then the cloth you will use to clean the body paint. Grit and grime accumulate in the wheels and will be caught up in the cloth, which could cause damage to the paint if used there. Rinsing the cloth completely after cleaning each wheel.

See the recipe box section of our site for recipes for homemade cleaners for cleaning tires and wheels.

After Washing

Dry the car completely with a soft chamois cloth. Do not use a bath towel as it could cause scratches in the paint. Air drying will leave spots especially if you wash your car with un-softened or hard water.

The Clear Coat Myth

Your car is constantly exposed to environmental contaminates, UV rays, road salt and other chemicals that can dull the surface of your paint. Modern car finishes with clean coat are very durable. However, for optimal protection and longevity of your car’s finish, you should use a high quality wax after each washing.

The Extra Mile

After the car is dry, put a small plastic bag on your hand and run your hand over the paint surface. If you feel rough spots, there are contaminates or debris on the paint that were not removed during washing. To remove these contaminates, you will need to clay your car. Read more about claying your car in the car care section of our site.