How to Wash Your Car The Right Way

Today at AFFORDABLE Mobile Car Detailing, we are going to discuss how to wash your car the right way. Washing your car the right way will keep your car in the best condition. Believe it or not, most of the wear and tear of the paintwork is caused by improper washing and drying techniques – the #1 cause of Swirl Marks and light scratches! 

Things you’ll need:
- Snow Foam Lance (optional but highly recommended) 
- High Pressure Washer (optional but highly recommended. 
- 2 Buckets
- pH Neutral Car Wash Shampoo and Snow Foam Shampoo
- Grit Guards (optional but highly recommend) 
- Wash Mitt 
- Microfibre Drying Towels 
- Drying Aids (Spray Wax or Quick Detailer) 

Things to throw away because they are extremely harmful 
- Sponges 
- Chamois “Shammy” 

Why throw away sponges and chamois you might ask? Sponges do clean very thoroughly, but what most people don’t realise is that is very coarse and flat. Which means not only it traps dirt in between the sponge and your paintwork, and the coarseness will cause light marring and swirl marks. Chamois does dry the car extremely well, but it ‘grabs’ on the paintwork. If there are any dust or dirt trapped it between, swirl marks is caused! These effects will be amplified on cars with softer paintwork. 

​Step 1: Preparation
- Dilute Snow Foam with water, it is usually 1:10. Sometimes some products will have different dilution so check first before you mixed it up.
- Fill up 2 Buckets with water and put 2-3 caps of shampoo in one of the buckets.
 
Step 2: Pre-Wash
- Apply Snow Foam with the snow foam lance and apply a nice and thick layer over the entire car. Let it sit for about 3 to 5 minutes. In the meantime, you can take some of the detailing brushes and thoroughly brush the grilles and crevices. 

​Step 3: Rinse
- High Pressure Rinse thoroughly over the whole car 

Step 4: Wash  
- Take your wash mitt, dip it into the shampoo mixed bucket. Wash a quarter of a panel each time. Start from the roof and work your way down. After each quarter of a panel, rinse the wash mitt in the plain water bucket and repeat the process above. 

Step 5: Rinse
- High Pressure Rinse thoroughly over the whole car

Step 6: Drying your car 
- Use your microfibre drying towel to dry over your car. Carry 2 to 3 Towels with you because usually a towel will get too wet after about 1/3 of the car. 

Step 7: Final Touch 
- Use a high quality spray wax or quick detailer, spray and wipe over the whole car, panels by panels. 

We hope this article helped you to get a better understanding about how to wash your car the right way. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us by clicking here. ​