If you decide that you would like to start washing your own car, you may be ready to go with whatever you have laying around your house. However, if you want to have a nice finish when you are done, make sure you avoid the mistakes below when washing your car.
Placing Your Car in Direct Sunlight
One misconception that you may have is that you need to put your car in direct sunlight while you are washing it. You may believe that doing so will dry the car faster and minimize the number of water spots left behind.
While washing your car in direct sunlight will dry the vehicle faster, doing so will make it dry too fast. Not only will the water you rinse with dry quickly but so will the soap that you are using.
You will end up with a foggy, streaky finish as the soap dries on the paint. And, even if you do manage to rinse the soap off quickly, allowing the water to dry in the sun will lead to more water spots, not fewer. Instead, you should use a microfiber towel to dry the paint while you are washing your car in the shade.
Using Dish Detergent to Clean Your Car
Another mistake you want to avoid is using dish detergent to clean your car. You may think that it is gentle enough to use on your car since you use it for the dishes off of which you eat.
However, the finish on dishes is a lot more durable than the paint on your car. The chemicals found in dish detergent are too harsh to put on paint.
The detergent can strip away the protective coating and eat away at the paint. If you continuously use it to wash your car, you will eventually find permanent streaks and lines.
Instead of using dish detergent, find a cleaner that is specifically designed for use on auto paint. These cleaners have gentler cleaners that will not harm your paint job, and they are less likely to leave behind a streaky residue.
Avoiding the above mistakes while washing your car can help you obtain the clean, shiny finish that you desire. However, if you decide that washing your own car is too much work, or you are having trouble getting the results you want, consider taking your car to a professional car wash and auto detailing service.
