It may seem like an easy thing to do washing your car, but if you want to protect the finish of your car you must know how to do it properly.  Anyone with a driveway or yard can take a bucket, sponge and hose and wash the car, but will you do more harm than good?

Using improper products can be abrasive to the finish and damage the paint.  If you don’t wash the car often enough you also run the risk of harming the vehicle.

Removing salt and other winter chemicals from the body of the car, undercarriage and tires is very important.  Leaving bird droppings on your car can actually invade the paint.  Everyone likes a clean car so that they can see out of the windows, but not as many people realize the real importance of keeping their car clean.

The proper way to wash the car would be to use a product that is designed to be used on the painted surface.  If you use dish soap on your vehicle you will find that the wax will not last as long.  The ingredients in dish soap will erode the wax.  If you use a quality car wash product you won’t have to use a lot to get the job done.  You may like a granular product over a liquid, but make sure that it dissolves so that you don’t scratch the car’s surface.  Using tepid or cool water will protect the wax better, so you may wish to avoid hot water.

While sometimes you don’t have a lot of time to wash your car it shouldn’t be hurried.  You don’t want the soap to dry on the painted surface.  Always start at the top of the vehicle with a gentle spray from the hose.  Power washing could cause dirt and grime to scratch the paint.  Once you have wet the top wash that portion.  When you have cleaned it then rinse it right away.  Continue working down the vehicle.

Move on to the hood with the spray, then the wash and finally rinsing.  If you take a section of the vehicle and wash it in this manner you will find that you can minimize any chance of damaging the finish.

Items that can be used to wash the car are mitts, sponge or pad.  A wash mitt seems to be the easiest and less likely to trap dirt under it.  Always take time to swirl the washing item in the bucket to loosen dirt particles before you use it on the next section.  If the car is extremely dirty you may have to empty the dirty water more frequently.

Towels made of 100 percent cotton are the best ones for drying the vehicle.  Again start at the top and work your way down, leaving the sides last as the water naturally is shed from this part of the car.  Blotting is the best way to dry the car.  Keeping a quality wax on the vehicle will help protect the finish. Usually twice a year is sufficient if the car is washed properly.  If you must take your car to a car wash, look for a hand wash facility.