pro detail
10-22-2008, 06:31 PM
While washing a vehicle isn't exactly rocket science, there are tools and techniques that can greatly reduce car wash induced swirl marks and scratches. These microscopic scratches take away from the clarity and depth that makes your paint finish stand out.
There are many good methods of washing a vehicle, but the approach is the same. Your goal is to "gently lift" the dirt and grime rather than "scrubbing" it off the car. So often I hear about someone who meant well but really did more harm than good by using a scouring pad or even steel wool to remove bugs, road tar or tree sap from their vehicle's delicate paint finish. These may seem like tough cleaning jobs to tackle but with the proper products, tools and techniques, you will be able to clean your car safely, effectively and most importantly with the confidence that you're doing the job right.
1. Make sure you have a shaded area to work and your paint surface is cool to the touch. Direct sunlight can cause you're car wash soap to dry too fast or soften the painted surface allowing for scratches to occur.
2. Prepare your two 5 gallon buckets. Fill one half way with your car wash solution and the other three quarters full with plain rinse water. Go ahead and place your mitt or pad in the soapy bucket, this allows it to saturate and soften before you begin using.
3. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly. Using a garden hose with an adjustable spray nozzle, thoroughly rinse your car starting at the top and working your way down. Pre-rinsing is an important step and should not be skipped.
4. Dunk your wash mitt into the soapy car wash solution and gently glide the mitt over the vehicle. Be sure to start at the top and work your way down. This is important to prevent transferring dirt from the grimier lower areas up to the rest of the vehicle. DO NOT SCRUB. Allow the soap solution to do it's job.
5. Dunk your wash mitt vigorously into the clean water rinse bucket. This cleans the mitt and removes any dirt and contaminants that were removed from the vehicle's surface.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 around the entire vehicle and then rinse thoroughly.
There are many good methods of washing a vehicle, but the approach is the same. Your goal is to "gently lift" the dirt and grime rather than "scrubbing" it off the car. So often I hear about someone who meant well but really did more harm than good by using a scouring pad or even steel wool to remove bugs, road tar or tree sap from their vehicle's delicate paint finish. These may seem like tough cleaning jobs to tackle but with the proper products, tools and techniques, you will be able to clean your car safely, effectively and most importantly with the confidence that you're doing the job right.
1. Make sure you have a shaded area to work and your paint surface is cool to the touch. Direct sunlight can cause you're car wash soap to dry too fast or soften the painted surface allowing for scratches to occur.
2. Prepare your two 5 gallon buckets. Fill one half way with your car wash solution and the other three quarters full with plain rinse water. Go ahead and place your mitt or pad in the soapy bucket, this allows it to saturate and soften before you begin using.
3. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly. Using a garden hose with an adjustable spray nozzle, thoroughly rinse your car starting at the top and working your way down. Pre-rinsing is an important step and should not be skipped.
4. Dunk your wash mitt into the soapy car wash solution and gently glide the mitt over the vehicle. Be sure to start at the top and work your way down. This is important to prevent transferring dirt from the grimier lower areas up to the rest of the vehicle. DO NOT SCRUB. Allow the soap solution to do it's job.
5. Dunk your wash mitt vigorously into the clean water rinse bucket. This cleans the mitt and removes any dirt and contaminants that were removed from the vehicle's surface.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 around the entire vehicle and then rinse thoroughly.