How to Properly Clean the Exterior of Your Car at Home
Introduction
Nearly every person has one, a dirty car. Not only is a dirty car an eyesore to the owner and those around it, it can impede and endanger the driver and bystanders by obstructing viewpoints and cause premature wear and tear to delicate finishes and vital mechanical parts. Cleaning a car is simple but the correct procedure must be followed to prevent injury to your vehicle or yourself.
Tools and Equipment
To wash your car at your home you will need the following:
· Water Source
· (2) Buckets
· (2) Sponges
· (1) Semi-soft Brush
· Car Wash Solution
· Tire/Wheel Cleaning Solution
· Towels
Procedure for Cleaning Body Panels
A dirty car is obvious to spot. If after a rainy day or driving down dusty roads you find that your car has a coat or film or some foreign substance resting on it whether it be dust or urban grime you should was your car. Cars are expensive and their exteriors say a lot about the person you are. Proper maintenance and care for your car will ensure you are always sending the right message while being safe.
WARNING: DO NOT WASH YOUR CAR AROUND ELECTRICAL
EQUIPMENT. ALSO DO NOT WASH IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT.
1. Park the car to be cleaned on a level surface. This is preferable but not necessary.
2. Walk around the car, inspecting for any large deposits of dirt, mud, grime or anything that does not belong on your car.
3. Remove any found foreign debris and ensure all doors as well as hood and trunk are secured and water tight.
4. Fill both buckets with warm water, adding car wash solution by manufacturers specifications to only (1) bucket.
***NOTE: (1) bucket will contain car wash solution, known as the wash bucket, (1) bucket will contain warm water, known as the rinse bucket for dirty sponges.
5. To begin the washing process, lie on the ground looking at the underside of the car and spray every mechanical part that moves with normal vehicle operation. Take special care when spraying around the engine so as to not harm wiring and electrical components.
6. After spraying the underside of the car, spray the exterior panels of the car in a roof to ground fashion. This “pre-soak” will help loosen any remaining debris on your car.
7. Place the sponges in the wash bucket
***NOTE: To prevent contaminating cleaned sections of the car, always wash and rinse in a top to bottom manner.
8. Start with the roof panel; make sure it is wet and ready to wash.
9. Remove sponge from wash bucket.
10. Apply sponge soaked in clean solution to roof, refreshing the sponge with clean solution for each half of the roof.
11. Scrub lightly with sponge and apply pressure only to spots that are difficult to remove with normal scrubbing. *Scrubbing too vigorously could possibly damage your paint finish, take care.
12. After scrubbing the roof, wring the used sponge out on the ground and rinse it in the rinse bucket. This will ensure the removal of the particles picked up by the sponge.
13. Replace rinsed sponge in the wash container.
14. Rinse the roof with the water source free of any remaining soap and particles.
***NOTE: Following the top to bottom style, the windows should be cleaned next.
15. Make sure all windows such as windshield, door windows, and rear glass are all properly wet before scrubbing.
16. Remove sponge from wash bucket.
17. Apply sponge soaked in clean solution to all windows, refreshing the sponge with clean solution every other window.
18. Scrub lightly with sponge and apply pressure only to spots that are difficult to remove with normal scrubbing. *Scrubbing too vigorously could possibly scratch your windows, take care.
19. After scrubbing the windows, wring the sponge out on the ground and rinse it in the rinse bucket.
20. Replace rinsed sponge in the wash container.
21. Rinse the windows with the water source free of any remaining soap and particles.
***NOTE: The hood, trunk, and bumpers should be cleaned next.
22. Make sure the hood, trunk, and bumpers are all properly wet before scrubbing.
23. Remove sponge from wash bucket.
24. Apply sponge soaked in clean solution to hood, trunk, and bumpers. Refreshing the sponge with clean solution for each panel.
25. Scrub lightly with sponge and apply pressure only to spots that are difficult to remove with normal scrubbing.
WARNING: The front bumper may be the most difficult piece of the car to clean. It is the leading edge of the car and thus picks up many things such as tar, bugs, and sometimes animals. Take your time and scrub vigorously only when necessary.
26. After scrubbing the hood, trunk, and bumpers, wring the sponge out on the ground and rinse it in the rinse bucket.
27. Replace the rinsed sponge in the wash container.
28. Rinse the hood, trunk, and bumpers with the water source free of any remaining soap and particles.
***NOTE: Finally both driver and passenger side panels such as the fender, door(s), and quarter panels can be cleaned, one side at a time.
29. Make sure the side panels are all properly wet before scrubbing.
30. Remove sponge from wash bucket.
31. Apply sponge soaked in clean solution to the panels, refreshing the sponge with clean solution for each panel.
32. Scrub lightly with the sponge and apply pressure only to spots that are difficult to remove with normal scrubbing.
33. After scrubbing the side panels, wring the sponge out on the ground and rinse it in the rinse bucket.
34. Replace the rinsed sponge in the wash container.
35. Rinse the side panels with the water source free of any remaining soap and particles.
36. After the entire car has been cleaned walk around it and spray with the water source from top to bottom. This final spray down will ensure nothing remains on your car for the drying period.
37. Dry the car from top to bottom using clean towels that are free of any supplemental fabric softener or fragrance. (2) Towels should dry most cars sufficiently.
Procedure for Cleaning Wheels and Tires
Tires are your only contact with the road surface. Ensuring that they are cleaned often will increase their longevity and performance.
WARNING: Some of the chemicals used for this process could be dangerous to your health if misused or an accident occurs. Always read the manufacturers safety labels and warnings affixed to these products.
***NOTE: Clean only (1) wheel and tire at a time. Also some wheels are made from special or exotic metals which can be damaged if the wrong product is used. Always take care to use the correct product for your application.
1. Using the tire cleaning solution, follow the manufacturers’ suggested use for their product.
2. After applying the product by following the manufacturers’ instructions use the semi-soft scrub brush to scrub the wheel and tire. Scrubbing will remove brake dust, dirt, grease and old rubber from the tire and wheel, producing a lasting shine.
3. Rinse the tire and wheel free of all remaining cleaning agent. Taking care to not allow the agent to penetrate the rubber for extended periods of time as this will cause fading.
Conclusion
Most people who follow the procedure correctly are able to clean their car in a safe and most efficient manner, and with practice find it to be the easiest way to wash a car completely. The only problems that might occur are contamination of clean panels from run-off water and dirty sponges. A dirty sponge will ruin a paint job very fast so use caution and clean frequently. Also, you don’t want to be counter-productive by allowing run-off water to dirty and area you just cleaned so always rinse and clean top to bottom.
