Car washing basics for a numpty!

[jamesgarbett]

Assume I am a numpty who has only ever washed a car with a bucket and a sponge and as an occasional special treat used a chammy to dry it

Take me through a simple routine as to how I should be doing it and what equipment do I need?

 

[tomscott]

Youtube is your friend.

Have a look at Ammo NYC

 

[Doddsy]

+1 for Larry’s Ammo NYC channel.

You can end up going down a rabbit hole though so try and keep things simple.

For me I try and give it a good detail and paint correction once a year. As for normal wash I normally do it maybe twice a month.

I start with rinsing it down and then snow foaming with bilt hamber auto foam and letting it dwell for about 5 minutes and rinsing before it drys up.

Next up I clean the wheels and arch liners with a wheel brush and an older microfibre towel.

Then I jump to a two bucket method wash. I tend to use Meguiars gold class car shampoo. Sometimes I’ll even put the shampoo in the snow foam bottle to make sure the car is well lubed. Wash one panel at a time and rinse the wash mitt (instead of a sponge) after each panel starting from top to bottom, leaving the side skirts and bumpers until last. Try not to wash in circular motions but in straight lines.

Then around all the badges and grills with a detailing brush to clean the dirt out of the hard to reach places to. And rinse again.

Dry off with a drying towel not forgetting to open the doors,boot, bonnet and fuel flap to dry the bits where water will sit.

Once dry go around with a detailing spray to finish.

 

[CryptoWhale]

Here's what I generally do when I give the car a standard clean;

1. Start with the alloys / tyres / arch liner - spray with product and agitate with a brush, jet wash off
2. Spray car with citrus pre-wash, let it stand for a few minutes, agitate awkward areas with a detailing brush, jet wash off
3. Shampoo the car using the two bucket method and a wash mitt, jet wash off - I do this twice sometimes
4. Dry the car with a drying towel
5. Go over the car with a quick detailer (autoglym is great) - apply with microfiber cloth and buff with another one
6. Tyre dressings, apply Rainx to windows, polish exhaust etc