If you have a car you love then you need to wash it right and look after it properly. Those who wash their car regularly may seem like they just like the look of it and want to show it off (that is probably true too) but they are doing it to take care of the car and make sure the exterior remains in pristine condition for longer. Washing your car regularly removes the build-up of dirt that can erode the car paint and leave your car faded. Follow our tips to ensure you are washing your car right.
If you ask the average person how to wash a car they will likely say to take it to your local petrol place and for around $10 you can get the full wash and wax too. This is not the right answer. These car washes are great for a quick wash of a car that you do not care about. However, if you love your car, never bring it to those monstrosities. These car washes take a very simple approach. They are these fluffy spinning turbines that run over your car and give it a light wash. On a good day, they don’t do a deep wash of your car as they simply run over it with a spin without actually paying attention to where the dirt is. On a bad day, they can cause serious damage. Be careful when signing up for these washes as you likely have no comeback if something does go wrong.
The second option is to take it to those more hands-on places. There are many locations near you that offer DIY cleaning bays. You likely pay a much smaller price for the use of a hose and there are brushes and cloths to wipe down your car as well. I want to say that these are better than the car washes you find at a petrol place and they are slight because you can pay attention to your car’s needs, however they are dangerous too. If some debris gets into a brush and you wipe the car with it, you may scratch your car.
The only way to wash a car you love is to do it yourself at home using the three bucket system. The three-bucket system is very straight forward. You have one clean bucket of soapy water, one bucket of just water, and one bucket of the cleaning product with water. The first two buckets are used for the body of the car. You wash the car with the soapy water and rinse the cloth with the other water every time it collects dirt. This ensure that only clean soapy water is used on your car and that you are carrying no excess debris that could cause damage. The third bucket is just for the wheels of your car. They are always the dirtiest so you need a separate bucket just for them.
Please avoid using window cleaning products from your house or home soaps. They both use materials that can strip away the wax and damage the car window. Only use car appropriate cleaners. Make sure you check the label of the products you use as there is no such thing as an all-purpose car cleaner. After you wash the headlights apply a UV protection kit to stop the headlights from discoloring in the future.
Soon you will realize that washing your car is actually a very relaxing way to spend a Saturday morning. It is something that you need to get into the routine of regularly because the wax you apply at the end is not just to make it look shiny but to protect it from elements that want to damage your car, like weather and dirt.
