| Proper Washing Tips You would be surprised how much good you can do your car's finish just by washing it. Aside from maintaining the oil and keeping a coat of wax or sealant on the surface, routine washing is the most beneficial treatment you can give your vehicle. Armed with a bucket and hose, here are the proper steps to make car washing easier: 1. If possible, work in the shade, out of direct sunlight. Elevated paint temperatures cause the wash and rinse water to evaporate too quickly, increasing the likelihood of water spotting. 2. Start by preparing a bucket with a car wash shampoo and wash the wheels first. This prevents you from splattering cleaners, dirt and brake dust on already cleaned panels. In addition to oily, road grime, wheels get coated with black, metallic, dust particles every time you brake. Car wash shampoos alone may not have the power to remove this baked-on combination. Many inexpensive wheel cleaners use an acid or petroleum solvent to dissolve this bonded contamination but these cleaners can stain alloy and anodized wheels. |