Car washing is not only about hosing your car, applying cleaning agents, and dying it. It normally requires more than just the simple thoughts of cleaning. According to many experienced car owners, cleaning one’s car is not only about washing it down with soap and rinsing it, its also about maintaining your car’s "new car" appearance.

Proper way to clean and maintain your car

So here are some tips on how to properly clean your own car, and how to maintain its "new car" appearance.

Place your car in a shaded area

Many car owners would usually leave their cars under the sun while cleaning their car. According to them, this is one way to quickly dry their car. This is wrong according to many experienced car owners.

Quickly drying your car may lead to water spot stains on the paint, which can take a lot of time to take off. This is the reason why its important to place your car in a shaded area while cleaning. A note of advice from car experts: do not place you car under a tree. This is to avoid falling debris such as dirt and leaves.

Prepare all cleaning materials

Preparing all cleaning materials saves more time than trying to look for a tool while cleaning. Popular tools used in cleaning a car mostly include a hose (or a pressure washer hose), two buckets of water (one mixes with cleaning agent), towels (preferably a shammy towel), a sponge, and cleaning agents. As for the cleaning agents, better opt to medium strength so its acidity wouldn’t cause your car’s paint job to fade.

Hose down excess dirt

By using a hose, or your other bucket of water, you can hose down excess dirt from your car. If you’re using a pressure washer hose, make sure to set it in low pressure. High pressure water can cause chipping on the paint.

Wash car section by section

Many car owners normally wash their car by lathering their sponge on the water mixed with soap and applying it to their car section by section, either from top to bottom, or from front to end. Either of two is good, but always hose down the part you have already finished cleaning, or you can use a pressure washer hose. This is also to avoid the water droplets to dry.

Dry your car with a towel

Although the use of a normal towel is enough, many experienced car owners would suggest using a shammy towel, which is a special type of drying towel which leaves nothing, compared to using a towel which normally leaves stains on the car. These stains are mostly seen in the windshield.