The Secrets to Cleaning Your Car Effectively and Efficiently

Car cleaning secrets revealed!

Have you ever wondered what the most effective and efficient way to wash your car is? Let me give you my two cent's worth based on my own experience back when I used to clean my car myself. I no longer do that now and pay someone else to do the job, but hey, it's still great to know how to do it right!

You must follow my instructions precisely to obtain excellent results. There are two main parts to doing this, the first of which is what I like to call the "Primary Car Wash." This step is necessary and is only required once a (week-month-year) -it depends on how well you perform the second step, which is the everyday car cleaning and wiping.

If your car is primarily clean and you want to find out how to keep it daily, skip this part and move on to the next. 

Part 1) The Primary Car Wash: 

1) First of all, you need to wash your car thoroughly if it is dirty. This is called the primary wash because you will clean the car based on this wash later.  

2) Wash your car under the shade and avoid washing it under the sun. Also, avoid washing it under trees with dropping leaves. 

3) You must ensure all your windows and doors are closed. We don't want water seeping into the windows and soaking the fabric or leather seats now, do you?

4) Every man needs the right equipment to get the job done. To get you started, you need the following:

Items Needed: 

From left to right: Car Sponge (usually double-sided for extra effectiveness), Tire foam, Car wash concentrate, two dry pieces of cloth or rags (preferably 100% cotton, because Nylon and/or other materials do not fully absorb water), and bucket(s) filled with water. 

You can still wash your car without these items, but do use them to get the best results. 

5) Next, pour some car wash concentrate into a bucket (half filled with warm water) and mix. The amount depends on how dirty your car is; you can add more if the car is filthy. My favorite brand is Armor All; I've been using it for a long time, and perhaps it's the best. Make sure you use car wash concentrate or car soap and NOT dish soap because - just like what Armor All says on the back of its product, "Your car's delicate finish is too important to trust to household products like dish soaps, which may contain harsh surfactants that can strip your vehicle's wax protection."

6) Work your way from top to bottom, and apply water everywhere, including the underside of your car, to remove dirt and dust. Splashing water onto the car's surface using buckets instead of hosing can save a lot of water (a.k.a bills, lol). Wash away any dirt or dust, starting from the roof at the top and then working down. This will cause you to refill the buckets constantly if you are not hosing. 

7) Lather the sponge in the half-filled bucket of water that is mixed with the car soap and sponge the roof of the car. Once finished, wash away all the soap with clean water.

8) Sponge the windows and doors and wash one side at a time. Don't proceed to the next side until you finish working on the previous one. Once you finish a side, rinse the sponge thoroughly in the bucket again and move on to the next side. Each side includes washing windows, doors, and fenders. You can sponge all four sides at once, but I prefer to work on one side at a time and wash away the soap. This will prevent the soap from drying up during the process. 

9) Next, sponge the hood and wash away the soap. Make sure you thoroughly clean the metal or chrome parts for ultra shininess. 10) Repeat the previous step for the trunk and rear parts. 

11) Wash away excess soap from all sides of the car. Keep splashing or hosing until all soap is washed away.

11) Now, you need to wash the tires. Designate another sponge for this process and Lather it in soapy water again to clean the rims. You don't need special products to clean the rims because no matter how grimy, greasy, or dirty they are, they can still be cleaned with car soap and even water alone. These products (Rim cleaners) are full of hype. Use the sponge to clean the sidewalls of the tires.

12) According to Armor All, "Spray the tire foam onto the sidewalls of the tires in a circular and sweeping motion and avoid spraying the treads or brakes." 

13) Wash away excess soap from all sides of the car. Keep splashing or hosing until all soap is washed away. 

14) Finally, dry the car thoroughly by using the two rags. The first one is used to dry the vehicle, and the second comes to pick up any water spots. Make sure all parts of the car are dried. 

Part 2) Everyday Car Cleaning and Wiping 

Attention: You cannot proceed to this part unless the previous one is done. This part is the key to getting a shimmering clean car every day and is essential to the whole process. I like to clean the car early in the morning, precisely at dawn. It is straightforward and contains my unique method of cleaning the car quickly, effortlessly, and effectively:

1) First, wipe the windows with a dry cloth or rag to remove dust. Then wipe the doors, hood, and trunk. 2) This is the special secret you can use to get great results: Use a spray bottle (yes, spray bottle) to clean the entire car! It's unbelievable how it works; the best part is that you don't have to waste more than 1 liter of water and don't have to lug around buckets or hoses!

3) After you've wiped the dusty windows with a dry cloth, spray some water on the window and wipe it clean with another cloth. Set the cloth on the surface, and then drag it in any way you like. The idea is to thoroughly dry the water on the surface and ensure you don't miss any water spots.

4) Just like the primary wash, you should work on one side at a time, but it is preferable that you finish spraying and wiping all windows first and then move on to cleaning the doors. Repeat the same steps with windows; spray water onto the door and then dry it immediately with the two rags.

5) Next, spray the hood with water and wipe it clean.

6) Spray the headlights thoroughly and wipe clean to get that shiny look!

7) Spray all the other front parts, including metal, chrome, bumpers, and fog lights, and wipe clean.

8) Next, spray the trunk and rear lights and wipe clean. You could even spray the number plate and clean it. Don't forget the rear bumpers and fenders. 

9) Now, you need to clean the interior. I keep an extra rag in the car to clean the dashboard, stereo, plastic, and windows from the inside. Ensure you don't spray water on sensitive electronic parts like LCD screens or sensors.

10) Spray and clean all plastic parts, chrome handles, and mirrors. Your car should be clean from the inside out!

Once you're done, you can start the car and drive, confident that your car looks shiny and attractive!

Caution: Separate the rags used for cleaning the rims from the rags used for cleaning the windows and body of the car. This is because dirt, grease, and grim can spoil your car's delicate finish.

Extra Secret Tips: - As you may have noticed, cleaning the car by spraying it and then wiping it with a cloth makes the cloth dirty. Make sure you don't clean any part of the car with a grimy cloth; the trick is to fold it all the time until all sides of the cloth become dirty! You can even flip it inside out and use it again!! - Another great tip is that you don't need to waste many rags to clean your car daily. Simply wash the rags once you're finished in the washing machine and use them again the next day!! - This tip is from Armor All: For stubborn soils like bugs and tar, pour some undiluted car wash concentrate directly on the spot and let it soak for a bit. - Always keep some water in the spray bottle. You'll never know when you might need to clean the car again. 

Enjoy your clean car! 

Results may vary depending on how well you followed the instructions. The primary car wash is necessary because later on, you can't clean the car (as described above) without it.