The Correct Way to Wash a Car

Washing cars is an art that has lost its form. Most people that wash cars themselves use improper technique and products that do more harm than good.

What if someone promised you that your paint would be in worst condition after they wash it then than before? You would not want them to lay a hand on your car. Often times, that is the opposite of what many car owners do.

Many of the drive-thru and fast car washes damage your paint more than they help it.

Here are some tips on how to properly wash your car or have your car washed:

Always Wash From Top to Bottom

This is probably one of the most important tips of all. Think about this. What parts of your car tend to get the dirtiest? The bottom and lower panels from dirt kicking up on them. Conversely, the areas that tend to be the cleanest are the top portions. With that being said, would it make sense to wash the bottom or dirtiest panels first and then wash the top of the car? Not at all.

The proper way to wash a car is from the top to bottom. That way you aren’t trapping dirt in your towel from the bottom of the car and dragging it to the top. Also, because of gravity water drips down. So if you wash the bottom of the car and then wash the top, the dirt that runs from the top of the car will recontaminate the bottom of the car.

Washing your car from the top-down will ensure you remove the most dirt from your car without scratching your vehicles paint.

Wash The Car Using Front to Back and Not Circular Motions

The beloved circular motion. Often adopted from the famous Karate Kid movie, “wax on, wax off.” The truth is, using circular motions for anything involving your cars paint is often times a bad idea. Your car’s paint is sensitive, so when dirt particles are trapped in your towel, using circular motions will scratch your paint with circular patterns. Conversely, if you wash the car from front to back, when you inflict scratches on the paint, the scratch will be a line from the front to back and not circular, appearing less obvious.

Ok, so enough of the nerdy car washing details. Here are some straight forward tips you can use right now to start washing your car correctly.

Don’t use soap detergent to wash your car as it is aggressive and will strip any wax protection you have on the car. Use a dedicated car wash solution instead.
Here is a great wash solution >>click here<<

If you can, always try to use soft microfibers towels to wash the car.
Here are some great microfiber towels >>click here<<

Never use the same towel you used on the wheels on the cars paint.

Fold you microfiber towel into four sides, flipping each side when it appears to be dirty.

Hopefully you can start using some of these tips immediately to ensure your car stays in great condition for a long time!