This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Ian Ferdock. Find him on Instagram at @ianferdock. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
With winter in the rearview mirror and the explosion of pollen in full swing, it’s more important than ever to keep your car clean. Aside from the obvious increased aesthetic a clean car provides, it’s also incredibly helpful in maintaining your car’s mechanical condition. However, if you never had someone to show you the ropes, you may not know how to best wash a car. It sounds like a relatively simple task, but if you don’t know what you’re doing it can be easy to make a costly mistake. If you find yourself lacking in experience, keep reading for some great car washing tips.
When it comes to washing cars, you can either do the bare minimum or get crazy and thoroughly detail your hot rod inside and out. Realistically, most people aren’t obsessed with their car though, so I’ll provide a medium between doing the job right and not going above and beyond. By learning to do this yourself you’ll save a lot of money instead of paying other people to do it for you. Plus, automatic car washes may be quick, but they’re also a quick way to destroy your paint.
The Wheels
It may sound counterintuitive but always start with the wheels. Brake dust accumulates and if you don’t clean the wheels first, it will spray grime onto the rest of the vehicle.
For this part of the process, you’ll need a few tools. The most important of which is a wheel brush that is long enough to reach into the rim and is made of microfiber to reduce scratches. Instead of using traditional car soap, use cleaning solutions specifically designed for wheels. They’re more effective at eliminating brake dust and will save you time and effort. Meguiar’s Hot Rims Wheel & Tire Cleaner is my favorite and they offer various solutions depending on the type of rims you have.
First, rinse off the wheels with water. Next, generously apply wheel cleaner on the rim, tire, and into the wheel well. Don’t be afraid to spray suspension components either as it will help them stay clean too. It’s best to allow the solution to rest for a minute to dissolve contaminants. Just make sure you don’t let it dry. Then, you’ll want to use the wheel brush to scrub the rim. You’ll also want to scrub the tires with a tire brush. Then rinse everything off.
If you have an older car more prone to rust or really dirty wheels I also recommend using an iron remover. Spray generously everywhere you can reach. Whether you want to agitate it or not is up to you. Let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse it off.
In case that doesn’t completely clean your wheels, feel free to utilize a mixture of car soap and warm water with a microfiber towel and scrub any remaining dirt off. Then of course rinse any lingering soap.
The Pre-rinse
Once the wheels are done, it’s time to move on to the rest of the car. You’ll of course need a few more supplies to get the job done. Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash is a great choice, and it’s relatively inexpensive. You can mix some of that with warm water in a bucket, or you can use a foam sprayer to apply soap directly to the vehicle. While it’s not 100% necessary, I do heavily recommend getting a foam sprayer as it allows you to have a no-contact wash to prevent rubbing debris into the paint and causing imperfections. That is why a pre-rinse is so important.
Instead of being hasty and getting right into it, a pre-rinse really does make all the difference. Fully rinse the car with water to get rid of as much dirt as you can. Then use the foam sprayer to coat every inch of the car. Just like with the wheels, let it sit for a minute or so and then completely rinse it off. No need to scrub, just spray and rinse. Easy peasy.
The Wash
If you elect not to get a foam sprayer then skip the soapy pre-rinse and move on to the regular wash. Either way, the next few steps are the same. For this part, you will need an additional accessory. That would be a microfiber mitt to rub the soap into the car to ensure you clean everything as effectively as possible.
Using either a foam sprayer or the mitt itself after you have dunked it into some soapy water, apply the soap in sections. I like to start with the roof, and then move onto the windshield and front end of the car. From there I work my way to the sides and eventually the back of the car. Make sure you use horizontal and vertical strokes with the mitt, never go in a circle.
It is vital to do this in sections, one at a time. That way you can take the time to be thorough without letting the soap dry on the car from sitting for too long. If it does sit for too long, then it can create soap spots on the paint and it won’t look great, which defeats the purpose of cleaning it.
After you clean each section, just rinse the soap off. However, remember that once you have cleaned a section, you need to keep it wet. So, as you move through your sections, quickly keep rinsing off each part of the car to prevent it from drying completely. Overall, this part is straightforward, but it does tend to take the most time since you’re covering a large surface area piece by piece. Of course, once you are done, ensure all the soap has been completely rinsed off.
The Drying
Now it’s time to dry off your clean car. I love ExoForma’s Mega Car Drying Towel but it’s a bit pricey. I think you get what you pay for as it is super absorbent, making it easy to quickly dry the car. Another great option is a Shammy Towel. They are much cheaper and still do a great job.
When you dry the car it’s best to work as quickly as possible. You want to prevent the car from air drying because it will leave water spots. I start from the roof, then go down to the windows, and keep moving from there.
After that, there still are a few more steps to get the best finish. Open the doors and use cheap microfiber towels to wipe the door jams. Sometimes soap or dirt creep in, so dampen the towels and wipe it away. You can also use towels to dry the rims and tires. I wouldn’t use a nice towel for this part because they can last for years if you take care of them, but any missed grime on the wheels or tires will prematurely soil them.
I also like to just walk around by car a few times to make sure there isn’t any water still dripping from where the panels gap or underneath the door handles. One final easy step that can go a long way is to pop the hood and wipe down the engine and other exposed components. A lot of water and dirt drain from the windshield and can get logged under the hood. Taking a damp towel to these areas goes a long way to preventing any problems down the road from the unnecessary buildup of gunk.
It’s All In The Details
Realistically, that is all you need to do to help prevent any issues arising from a dirty car. However, if you really want the best car washing tips it helps to focus a bit more on the details. A nice and simple touch is applying a coating to the tires. A proper tire dressing will keep your tires looking shiny and minimize any existing discoloration. Plus, it can also reduce dry rot and UV damage to the tire. Essentially, it makes things prettier and is also quite practical. Apply the dressing to a microfiber towel or sponge and rub it evenly on the side wall of the tire.
I also like to use glass cleaner on the windows since it’s more difficult to prevent water spots on glass as opposed to paint. Using something like Rain-X will also allow rain water to bead off giving better visibility during inclement weather.
Another worthwhile step you can take is to address any plastic bodywork. A lot of cars have plastic trim around the wheels or even under the front or rear bumpers. I cannot speak highly enough of Meguiar’s Ultimate Black Plastic Restorer which is utterly fantastic. It goes a long way to create a more finished look, and you can even get a bundle that comes with applicator pads. Once the plastic trim is totally clean, just apply a drop of the liquid on a pad, rub it in, let it set for a few minutes, and wipe it off with a towel.
Extra Car Washing Tips
There are plenty more little things to elevate your car washing experience, but if you are a beginner it’s best to stick to this trusted formula. That said, there are still some valuable things to keep in mind.
Throughout the process, it’s best to keep the car in as much shade as possible. If you have a garage, once you have done your final rinse, it’s best to pull your car inside to dry it to minimize water spots. Direct sunlight is not your friend, and I recommend washing a car on a cooler, overcast day.
Another crucial thing to remember is to prevent contamination from dirty brushes and towels. For example, don’t put a dirty towel or mitt in a bucket of clean water. Make sure your tools are clean, and you may have to rinse them between wheels or sections of the car. If not, you can scratch the paint with rocks or other debris that gets lodged in the mitts or rags. I know it sounds wasteful but it’s better to use a different towel for each product, and sometimes multiple. If you are worried about your environmental impact, there is no need to fret. Just wash them when you are done, and you can use them again.
All the products I mentioned in the article are safe to use, but it is also essential to use them properly. Always read directions for products, especially if it is your first time using them. There are plenty of other great choices out there too but use some due diligence and research beforehand. That’s the end of my car washing tips, so get out there and enjoy the nice weather by cleaning your car.
Let us know in the comments what some of your favorite car washing tips are!
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