Keeping your car clean can get expensive pretty quick if you’re not careful.
To avoid spending more on a car wash and wax than you should, try learning how to hand wash a car yourself!
If you take pride in your vehicle, this is a great way to mind all the details about your car that you’ve come to love. Make sure you don’t miss a spot!
Keep reading to learn how.
Work From the Top Down
First and foremost, you’ll want to hand wash a car by working from the top down. And working from the top down is easy.
Like it implies, to wash a car from the top down is to wash the roof first and work your way down to the ground. Doing so will help your car come out as clean as possible.
You wouldn’t rinse your washed hair with dirty water, would you? The same logic applies to washing a car.
If you start at the bottom and work your way up, you’ll spread the dirt and grime from the bottom of the car to the top. This can even damage paint and clear coats if you’re not careful.
You want to limit the amount of friction between the washcloth and the surface to keep the wax looking shiny and fresh. Working from the top down is an excellent way to minimize the amount of wear.
Soak
To begin, spray your car with water until it’s thoroughly soaked. If your car has a good amount of dust or dirt on it, you’ll be able to see it dripping off your car along with the water.
Keep spraying and soaking your car until the majority of the dirt and grime has been removed. Sometimes it will come off easily, other times you’ll have to scrub. But wetting the surface of your car before washing will help ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible.
Soap
Now it’s time to add the soap. Mix your car soap of choice with water and then lather up your car.
Again, you’ll want to work your way from the top down. This will keep the surfaces you just cleaned away from the grime on other areas of the car.
Go over the entire exterior of the vehicle a couple times to ensure you didn’t miss a spot. Also, be sure to rinse out the cloth between applications.
Rinse
Now that you’ve scrubbed most of the grime away, it’s time to rinse. Spray the top of the car first and let the water run down the sides. Work your way down slowly to make sure you get everything.
Minding the Details
Now that your car is shining again, inspect it for any areas you might have missed.
This is also a good time to detail your car with wheel and tire shine.
Hand Wash a Car the Right Way
Use these tips to hand wash a car the right way every time. It might take some time and a little bit of elbow grease, but it will ultimately save you money in the long run.
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