How to wash a car

Have you just fallen in love with your new or used car? Or are you looking to maintain your investment for the future resale of your current car? Whatever your situation, we all want the best result from a car wash. What we quite often don’t factor into car care is the cost of a professional car wash – which can be hundreds of dollars each and every time.

In this article, we will share our top car care tips, covering car washing essentials such as items required to wash your car, the correct method to wash your car, tricks and products to make washing your car easier, the benefits of hand washing your car, and why you will see greater value when on-selling.

What you’ll need to wash your car

Firstly it is important to invest in a few basic items if you’re washing your car at home. A standard hose pipe will be fine, along with two buckets, a few sponges, and a good quality car wash soap with a wax. Having car wash soap with wax forms a layer of polish on your paintwork, giving your car a longer lasting shine. Tyre shine (non silicon would be preferred) and finally a perforated Chamois completes your home kit set up.

How to properly wash your car

1. Step one: Preferably find a shaded area out of the sun. Connect your hose and make sure you have good pressure. Using the 2 buckets, put a cap lid full of the car wash in each (as per instructions), then half fill the buckets with water.
   • Note: use one bucket to wash the body of the car and the second bucket can then be used for wheels and any low parts of the car that has grit or grime on it. Do not mix the sponges or buckets.
2. Step two: Thoroughly hose the vehicle down, starting with the roof and making your way right around the car and finishing with the wheels.
3. Step Three: Using bucket one to sponge the paintwork (working from the top, roof, glass work, bonnet, boot and sides of your car), hose the car again working from the top-down. Working from top to bottom ensures a clean finish each time.
4. Step Four: Using the second bucket, sponge the wheels and the very lower parts of the car, then hose off.
5. Step Five: Pick up the Chamois, making sure you have pre-wet and wrung it out so it is able to absorb the water off the car. There is an art to a good Chamois – always work from the roof down, pulling the Chamois and ringing out when full of absorbed water. Complete this step across the rest of the car, opening the bonnet, doors and boot until completely dry.
6. Step Six: Applying tyre shine is the finishing touch. Apply to a cloth or applicator and wipe around the tyres to get the desired shine.

How to detail your car

Now you have made your pride and joy perfect on the outside, let’s take a look at ways to protect and maintain the interior. We always recommend floor mats in cars – they can save you lots of time when vacuuming and protect the fabric like new (great for resale). We also recommend using non-silicon products on the interior surfaces – they will give it a natural new look, not slimy or too “over shiny”.

Knowing the quality of your paintwork and maintaining its shine and look will guarantee you future value when selling or trading. Car dealers can easily spot a car that has not been loved or maintained by its owner, paying you more for your car when looked after.

Just remember, by hand washing your car at home opposed to a mechanical car wash, you create a cleaner, more professional detailing finish. Though the mechanical car wash may seem more convenient, it can often leave mechanical swirls on your precious paintwork. But how often should you wash your car? We recommend setting aside time each week, or every other week, to give your car a professional look and maintain your investment.

If you are thinking about selling your car now or in the future, or would just simply like to find out what the value of your car is, be sure to check out Cars Brisbane for all the information you need to schedule in an obligation free valuation of your car.