Washing Your Cars Bodywork
Before you begin washing the paintwork on your car, ensure you have followed the preparation tips and thoroughly cleaned your wheels.
Take your selected car shampoo and add a single measure to a bucket of clean luke warm water (you can use cold water but this is just a preference of mine). Make sure that the shampoo has mixed well with the water so that there are plenty of suds in the bucket.
TIP: I like to use what is known as the 2 bucket method when cleaning my car. This involves getting a second bucket and filling it with cold water. You then use the first (soapy) bucket to clean the car and the second to rinse your wash mitt. This helps to reduce the risk of contaminating the clean soapy water thus reduces the risk of causing swirl marks and scratches.
Just before you begin, it is wise to hose down your car to remove any loose particles that could cause damage to your paintwork. I would also suggest not washing your car under a tree if at all possible as fresh contaminants may fall onto your car during the washing cycle. Do not worry too much if this is not possible though, just be aware and keep your eyes open.
Now you can begin, take your Wash Mitt and soak it in the soapy bucket. I generally work from the top of the car downwards as the dirty water does not come into contact with the clean surfaces as much. Use a circular motion and work on a single panel at a time. Don't forget to rinse your wash mitt frequently in the second bucket.
If the paint seems to be drying off before you finish, you may need to spray the car part way through with the hose to prevent the soap baking onto the paint.
Once you have completely finished, rinse the car without any nozzle on the hose. Just direct the flow of water onto each surface starting from the top and working down. This is more affective than spraying as the water sheets off the paintwork rather than bobbling up. This removes more water and helps when it comes to drying.
Once you are sure that there is no more soapy water left on the bodywork, it is time to start drying your car.
