How to Wash Your Car Properly


washing a car

Does your car look like it went off-roading last week? Have your summer recreational activities left a few smudges on your exterior? It’s time to wash your car! While there’s nothing wrong with heading to the car wash to let someone else do the hard work, washing your car at home is not as hard as you think. How can you wash your car properly?

The Right Way to Wash Your Car

  1. Start by parking your car out of the sun. While it might seem like a good way to dry it off rapidly, the hot summer sun can dry up your cleaning solution and water too fast. Make sure that your windows are closed and retract the antenna if you can.
  2. Gather up all of the tools that you need to wash your car. At a minimum, you should have a wash mitt, scrubbing brush, water and detergent that is appropriate for your car and paint. If you aren’t sure what to get, you can ask at your local auto supply store. Fill up a bucket with water and add car soap. Fill up another bucket with water that you can use for rinsing off. 
  3. Hose off the car to soften any dirt and grime sitting on the surface. Never use a rough stream of water to do this step, as you could rub the grit against your paint and damage the clear coat. Aim down when rinsing off the car. 
  4. Wash your wheels first, as they are typically the dirtiest. Then, use a large wash mitt to wash the vehicle. Never use a bristled brush on the body of the vehicle, as this can leave small scratches that damage the paint over time. If you can find one, a mitt with long strands is ideal to avoid pushing too much dirt into the surface.
  5. Wash your car in sections from the top down. That way, soap and water from higher sections will drip down to areas that might need more time to soak. 
  6. Once you’re done washing, rinse off the car with the hose. You never want soap to dry directly on the paint. 
  7. Dry the car with clean microfiber towels. Once you use them one time, put them in the washing machine and clean them before using them again. 

Take Care of Your Car with Maven Motors 

Maven Motors auto body shop is dedicated to serving every customer with honesty and integrity. From auto painting to dent removal, we can fully meet all of your auto body repair needs. We pride ourselves on honesty and integrity and always doing what is right for our customers. Learn more about our services by contacting us online, calling (410) 358-1114 or visiting our Baltimore auto body shop


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