AutoAnything's Basic Guide to Washing and Waxing
They're two of the most important steps in caring for your auto: washing and waxing. Every owner should have a regular car care routine for each step. Here's a basic rule of thumb: wash weekly and wax at least every six months. Take a good look at our guide below. Learn it. Know it. Live it.
A weekly wash routine is essential for protecting the appearance and value of your ride. Taking time now to set a cleaning schedule pays off down the line with a finish that lasts longer and looks sharper. Here are some car care tips on forming a basic wash routine at home.
(Already have your washing technique down? Head for our basic waxing guide below or our other articles on advanced finish care for good info on getting a show-quality shine.)
Before you turn that hose on full and start blasting, there are a few things you need to do to make sure your car wash is a success:
- Gather your materials
Get everything ready to go before you start. Having everything you need ready to go cuts down on washing and drying time. The car wash products you'll need: car-specific wash soap, a wash mitt, a separate mitt or brush for the wheels and several cotton terry or microfiber drying towels. And, no car wash is complete without a trusty bucket for holding your suds.
- Pick the right spot and time
Always aim for doing your car care—especially washing—in low heat conditions out of direct sunlight. Pick a shady spot and wash either in the early morning or late afternoon/early evening. Find the right place and time to wash, and you're more likely to end up with a satisfying result.
It's time to liberate your paint from the evil forces of dirt. Follow these steps for the smoothest car wash possible.
- Blast the dirt off first
Use your hose to blast off loose dirt and mud. This will keep your wash mitt cleaner, cut down on work, and prevent larger particles that cause small scratches or swirl marks from being worked into your paint.
- Start washing at the wheels with a separate brush
Wheels and tires are generally the dirtiest part of your vehicle, which is why you need to get this grime off first. Use a separate brush, mitt or sponge for your wheels and tires to keep from mucking-up the one you'll use on the paint. You don't want tire grime rubbed all over the rest of your paint. For optimal results, use a special brush or motorized washer to put a mean sheen on your wheels.
- Go to the roof next, then work your way down
The rest of your vehicle should be washed from the top down. Start with the roof, using plenty of soap and water on your wash mitt. Clean in small areas and rinse-off the soap when each area is completed. Quickly go back over each area with water to prevent water spots.
- Thoroughly rinse-off
When completely done washing each area, rinse your vehicle again with cool water. Once again, start with the wheels, move to the roof, then rinse from the top down.
Now start drying your vehicle—but use the right techniques. Believe it or not, drying usually determines just how good your wash job is.
- Dry the right way with proper cloths
Use soft cotton terry towels or microfiber drying towels for absorbing the water. Resist the temptation to wipe—use a blotting technique instead. Wiping can cause swirl marks in your finish, while blotting virtually eliminates the chance of swirl marks. Only use clean towels—dirty ones mar your paint with trapped particles.
Chamois cloths are also popular for drying cars, as they absorb incredible amounts of water without making micro abrasions in the surface. The only drawback to chamois: it's difficult to clean for the next use.
- Start with the areas most vulnerable to water spots
Dry your roof first, then the hood and grille detail, trunk lid or truck bed next, and finish with the sides. Move up in priority any areas of the vehicle exposed to minor heat or sunlight.
- Other ways to dry
Auto-specific squeegees cut your drying time by as much as two-thirds by wicking excess water away before you use your towels. Driving dry is a popular technique, but it's prone to water spots and imbedded dirt (in short, it doesn't work). Air drying is another popular method. But, unless the heat and sunlight conditions are just right, you'll get spots, lines or sheet marks—even with soft water.
- Hit the hidden places to prevent spotting
Go a little further than just what you can see is wet. Be sure to mop-up inside the door wells, around side-view mirrors and along seams. This will prevent water spots in unsightly places.
Advanced tip: watch for trickles of water draining from your door handles, mirrors and other crevices. They're the leading cause of streaking and spotting after you think you're done.
Waxing your car is a bit above and beyond basic car care, but it's not all about shine and flash. Waxing is a basic part of car care and paint preservation. Learn these steps to make a basic wax job as painless as possible. Get to it, Daniel-san!
There are a few things to do before you wax. If you've just finished a wash and dry, you're most of the way prepped for your wax job.
- Wash and dry first
Wash and dry your vehicle completely before waxing it. This will ensure no dirt particles or contaminants are trapped beneath your wax, and helps achieve maximum clarity and shine when you wax. Always wax right after a wash and dry—never wax a dirty vehicle!
- Park in the right place for waxing
Just like washing and drying, waxing should only be done in a cool spot in the shade. Since you've likely just finished the wash, you can probably stay put. But, if the daytime sun is getting more intense or the clouds have parted, move to a more sheltered spot for waxing. Moving into your garage or carport is the perfect idea. Canopy tents make an excellent place to park for plenty of shade during your waxing session.
- Inspect your paint
With clean hands, run your palm and fingers over your newly-washed vehicle. If the surface feels smooth as glass, you're ready to wax. If it feels gritty, you may have to re-wash. If you detect larger particles in the paint surface, you may need to use detailing clay to lift larger contaminants.
- Gather your materials
Pick out a wax and a disposable foam or washable cloth buffing towels. For buffing, microfiber polishing cloths or soft terry cotton towels are the best option for a scratch-free shine. Use 3 or 4 cloths total. Use different towels than the ones used to dry your vehicle—these rags may have picked up stray dirt, tiny rocks or other abrasives.
If you're a waxing newbie, it's best to start with hand waxing and graduate to machine waxing later. Follow these steps for a basic wax job.
- Apply the wax section by section
Using your applicator pad, spread a moderately thin layer of wax over the sections of your paint. Start wherever you want, but remember where you applied the wax first. That's where you'll start buffing.
- Begin buffing the wax out
Lightly buff the now dried wax off your paint surface, revealing a deep shine beneath. Go section by section to remove the wax in the same order it was applied. Shake off your buff towel periodically to get excess wax out of the way.
- Inspect your finish for an uninterrupted shine
Search your finish for inconsistencies in the wax job. Look for areas that require more buffing, places where there's still dry wax, and any other streaks/swirls left in the finish. Buff these areas again to reveal a consistent shine.
Electric polishers and buffers can cut your waxing time dramatically. But, it's also possible to cause damage if you're not sure how to use a buffer right. In fact, you can burn your paint. It's best to start with hand waxing then graduate to the next level once you're experienced at finish care and have long since graduated from this guide.