How to Wash a car by hand
I enjoy washing my car. It's a no-brainer activity that takes my mind off death and taxes, it gets me off the sofa, and the kids like to help.
1.Park the car out of direct sunlight. This prevents premature drying, which can leave splotches on the paint.
2.Set everything you will need near the car.
3.Fill a bucket with water and add car wash soap in the quantity directed on its bottle.
4.Fill another bucket with plain water
5.Hose off the car to loosen the dirt. Don't use a strong jet, as this can rub grit over the paint and scratch it
6.Soak a large sponge in the soapy water, being certain to wash out any dirt in it, and begin
applying it to the car
7.Wash the car section by section, beginning with the front and moving backwards
8.When the sponge becomes dirty, rinse it in the bucket with plain water. This should be done at least once per painted panel
9.After one section is washed, rinse it with the hose before moving on. You don't want the soap to dry on the paint and leave a dull haze
10.As you progess, keep the entire car wet, as this will prevent droplets from drying on the paint and leaving water-spots. You want to be able to dry the car with towels before it air-dries.
11.Scrub the dirtiest parts of the car last (the rear, the lower body, the wheels). Use a long, skinny wheel-brush for cleaning the openings of the wheels. Use steel-wool soap-pads on the tires, one or two per wheel; they get filthy. It's also a good idea to use a seperate sponge for the bottom 6" or so of the car's body, as this gets especially gritty.
12.Dry the vehicle with fresh towels.
13.If bug or tar or sap residue remain, remove it using the procedure to: [Remove Bugs, Tar, and Sap from Your Car].
14.After washing the car, its paint can be waxed and it's tires dressed with a product that makes them look like new.
.Warnings for basic car TIPS:
Don't use dish-soap to wash your car. It'll strip off the wax and dry out Plastic parts and rubber ( rubber has oil in it and dishsoap removes it)
Make sure you start from the top of the car and work your way to the bottom, cleaner to dirtier
( if you dont you could get grim on the rag and scratch the paint).
Polymer Products ( turtle wax clear)
Wax (or one of the newer polymer products) protects the paint from the sun so it doesn't fade or deteriorate, and from the flying grit being kicked up by the vehicles in front of yours on the highway. Polymer products wear longer than wax. And the ones purchased at auto supply stores are just as durable as the ones the car dealers charge $450 to apply.
Microfiber towels
Microfiber towels work the best on all of a car's surfaces. When you're finished using them, toss them in the washing machine. And don't use fabric softener. It can leach out of the towels and leave a residue on surfaces. These towells are so cheap now you can toss them every one or two car washes and spend 5 dollars to get another set of 5.
Keep a Microfiber towel in a ziplock and spray bottle of filtered water!
Bird droppings and bugs can damage the car's paint. Get them off as soon as possible with a damp rag or when washing the car. Sooner the better!
Small spots embedded in paint? Clay BAR Treatment!
If after washing the car, you can feel particles imbedded in the paint when you run your hand over it, you can use a clay bar system to remove the contaminants before waxing.
More on Car care : diycarcare.blogspot.com
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