Washing your car, we've been doing it since basically birth. It's easy right? Soap, bucket, old sponge, beach towel and pow! It's underwhelming but it's clean, sort of... Believe it or not this is how 90% of people wash their car at home and sometimes never outgrow it. Does it get the job done? Well, you're here for a reason and I'm guessing the old way isn't cutting it and you need to outshine your next door neighbor, or maybe you're starting a new detail business. Either way, find everything you need to know about Washing Your Car 101 here:
Here I'm going to open your car wash world and introduce you to new chemicals, techniques and most importantly, how to keep your ride looking better than ever. Detailing is all about minimizing potential hazards.
***IMPORTANT, THIS POST DOES NOT INCLUDE BODILY INJURY INSURANCE***
- We are not responsible if your car looks so good it breaks the necks of other drivers -
The Space
There are a few important things to keep in mind when it comes to where you wash your car. The average person washes their car place in a driveway or street. With that in mind, let's address how to set up your space.
Think of this. Outside = elements. Wind. Sun. Dust. These things impact your process. During your next car wash, try this:
Dust Control - Think of this, there's dust everywhere outside. The wind blows it in and there it sits until you wash your car. The next time you wash your car spray water onto your car wash space and surrounding area. The moisture will stick to the dust and keep it on the ground, preventing it from getting onto your car during your wash. Remember, the goal is to minimize hazards. The more unnecessary dust we can remove from the wash environment, the less chance we have for scratching.
Temperature - You've probably seen the ads, "...this pH-neutral soap is safe to wash your car in the sun!". Safe to wash in the sun? Yes. Safe to wash in 100+ degree direct sunlight? Not a good idea. No matter how 'safe' a company says the product is you should never let any chemical completely dry onto your paint that is not specified to do so. (this goes for soaps, all purpose cleaners, wheel cleaners, etc.) When it's hot enough outside to evaporate the water from your car and 'bake' the soap left behind, it will take you some unnecessary elbow grease and time to remove, potentially marring/staining your paint. But there is a trick if this happens to you. Spray the panel again with fresh water, allow the water to absorb and rehydrate the soap. Wipe and rinse again before it has time to evaporate. The solution? It's simple. Wash your car in the coolest parts of the day. Morning, evening, or even better, a nice spot in your garage or under a canopy. Doing this will save you lots of time and effort.
Cleanliness - I see detailers overlook this step way too often. Cleanliness and organization are the two largest factors in achieving a higher level detail. After you wash your car take the time to rinse and dry your brushes and wash your used wash mitts and microfibers. I'll say this loud for the people in the back, "You cannot clean a vehicle with dirty tools, mitts and towels".
Lighting - If you can't see it, you can't clean it. Adequate lighting is crucial for not only properly washing your car but for your safety as well.
The Setup
Buckets - It is highly recommended to use at least two buckets to wash your car. And a third bucket dedicated for wheels (Clean, Rinse, Wheels). If you haven't used the Two Bucket Method before, we will take a deep dive in our next blog. We use two 5 gallon Grit Guard Kit buckets, each equipped with the Grit Guard dirt trap insert and air tight twisty lids. The insert keeps dirt at the bottom of your bucket so it doesn't contaminate your wash mitt. The air tight lid allows your buckets to stay clean by not allowing dust and dirt in and you can safely store brushes, mitts, etc. in between washes, if you so choose.
Tools - This category can get extensive but since we're focusing here on the basic car wash you're going to need a wash mitt (microfiber recommended), water access, microfiber drying towel or air blower, hand and eye protection, potentially an exterior brush for grille, emblem and trim areas.
Chemicals - There are three types of foam soaps to choose from (alkaline, pH-neutral, acidic). Each having a place in your car wash arsenal.
- Alkaline foam soap does amazing at removing organic and oil based material from the pores of your paint, trim and glass. If you need to remove bugs, oils, tree sap or old wax and sealant, a good alkaline foam soap will remove all of these contaminants while you wash.
- Acidic foam soap does amazing at removing calcium and mineral buildup (aka water spots) from the pores of your paint, trim and glass. A good acidic foam soap can remove months of hard water spots all while you wash.
- pH-neutral foam soap is neither acidic or alkaline making it the 'safest' soap you can use on your car and usually is the most cost effective. This soap will not remove heavy water spots or chemically remove any wax, sealant, ceramic coating or otherwise. This is a great regular maintenance wash soap.
Next you will need a wheel cleaner. They range from good to bad just like anything else, but get something with a decent reputation. The Plus Soap Wheel Cleaner is a high concentrate non-acidic foaming solution that does an amazing job at getting the grime off.
Lastly it's recommended to have some sort of drying aid paired with the drying towel for optimal safe drying. 90% of paint swirls come from improper washing AND drying. Not many people guess that drying your car can cause scratching. So when you're drying, don't forget the lube. A high quality lubricant will pull double duty and apply a thin layer of protective sealant while you dry, prolonging shine, repel water and make your car stay cleaner for longer. Check out Plus Soap Active Coat and make drying your car a breeze.
The Wash
Wheels - After you have the Space and the Setup figured out, it's time to get the show on the road. When you wash your car always start with cleaning the wheels. You don't want to run the risk of metal brake dust splashing onto your paint and have those particles embed into your wash mitt and scratch your entire car. Sounds crazy but it happens. After you fill your Wheels bucket with water and cleaner, about 3 gallons of water is usually all you need, mist your wheels with wheel cleaner and/or iron remover, then use a dedicated wheel mitt and/or brush to clean. Most common brushes are stiff tire brush, barrel brush and pencil style brush for tight areas. These three types are enough to clean your entire wheel, no matter what style you have. It's crucial to stay organized during any part of a detail, with wheels pick a spot to start (usually the very top) and work your way across the rest of the wheel. Being organized will ensure you don't waste time going over spots already done, and you won't miss any spots thinking you've been there already. I like working from the top down. Some detailers pick the valve stem as their place to start. Use what works best for you.
Wash - As mentioned above, pick your style of soap and fill your Clean and Rinse buckets with about 3.5 gallons of water and a few ounces of the preferred soap. If you have any stubborn bug guts on your front bumper, mist a good all purpose cleaner and allow it to soak while you're filling the buckets. Pre-rinse your car with water or pre-rinse soap. Choose your method of soap application (wash mitt, foam soaker or foam cannon) and apply to all exterior surfaces. Grab a soft wash mitt and wash your car starting at the top and work your way down in back and forth motions. You want to have the mentality of pushing the dirt off the car, not scrubbing it in. After each panel, or when necessary, dip your dirty wash mitt into the Rinse bucket and back into the Clean bucket and onto your next panel.