How to Wash Your CarBy the end of the summer, most cars have probably accumulated a few extra layers of dirt and grime on their exteriors from road trips and other seasonal activities. Don't want to spend money on a car wash? Here are 5 DIY steps to make the outside of your car look like new.
1. Before applying any water, park your car on your lawn in the shade. Washing your car in these areas, respectively, helps prevent water spots from forming and prevents the dirt and soap from going down storm drains.
Related: Easy Car Overhauls
2. As you would pre-treat your laundry stains, pre-wash the sections that have dried on bugs and road tar with a cleaner formulated for these sticky messes, like Turtle Wax Bug & Tar Remover.
3. Spray your car down with cool water and wash with an automobile cleaner. Never use household cleaners, like hand dish soap. Not only will these products strip the wax off your car, but they need hot water to really cut through grease and grime.
4. Be sure to rinse your cloth/mitt before cleaning the next section of your vehicle. This will prevent accumulated dirt from scratching other parts. Better yet, have two cloths on hand - one for extremely dirty areas, like around the tire, and another for less soiled areas.
Related: How to Speed-Clean Your Car's Interior
5. Once clean, give your car a final rinse down and dry completely with a clean cloth.
Looking to reduce the amount of water used to wash your car? Try a waterless one, like Lucky Earth "Waterless" Car Wash.
How do you get your car to sparkle? Let me know in the comments!
- by Christina Peterson
More from Good Housekeeping:
