Most people love having a sparkling clean car, however don’t always want to spend the money to have it washed and cleaned on a regular basis. However there is more to cleaning a car than just throwing some soapy water on it and scrubbing it down. With summer at our door we wanted to put together some tips to help your car keep looking clean through this upcoming season and into the following seasons as well.

How frequently should I wash my car? We know it’s hard finding time to wash your car with a busy schedule but we recommend once a week or once every two weeks, however the more you wash your car the quicker it will become, leading to a process which may take no longer than twenty minutes. And most importantly do not fall into the myth of “ washing your car when it looks dirty enough that it needs a wash”. Leaving dirt dust and everything else on your car for long periods of time can be very damaging to your cars paint coat.

What should I look for? Keep your eyes peeled for things such as sap and animal droppings or dead bugs, as the acidic chemicals from these items can burn through your cars finish and paint coat. Also if you live in an area where it frequent rains you may notice hard water spots on your car.

What should I use to clean and wash my car? For washing it is best to use a special car washing soap. However you should read the instructions specific to the soap to dilute it so the chemicals from the soap do not harm the cars coat. Any general auto store should have a soap that would work great. For a mitt we recommend a soft natural sponge or lambs wool mitt. Also do not scrub too hard as aggressive scrubbing can leave scratches. You should use a separate special mitt or brush specific to wheels and tires as these will frequently pick up dirt you do not want to track all over the car. Use again either mild soap and water or a special tire wheel cleaner for this area. For drying we prefer to use a Shammy which helps absorb the water and can be wrung out to help speed up the drying process.

How Should I wash my car? You should start by rinsing of your car very thoroughly to ensure that damaging debris is generally removed. Always start scrubbing from top to bottom as typically the lower areas of the car are a lot dirtier than the uppers, and you do not wish to track that dirt to the upper areas. Also starting at the top will allow gravity to pull the grime down as you go. Focusing on small areas at a time is crucial. Rinsing, washing, and rinsing again are the best way to go about doing this. Make sure you work slowly so that you don’t miss any spots as these ”missed spots” will show up after your car has dried and it is definitely a letdown to go back and redo this after you finished. After you have rinsed the car for the final time take a shammy or clean soft towel and thoroughly dry the car. Often times people believe that driving the car around after it is wet will air dry it, however in reality this can leave hard water-spots all over your car and turn your hard work back into a “dirty looking car”.

We hope these tips will help you get your car looking clean for a beautiful summer!