Car Car, Car cleaning schedule and free 7 Step guide for a clean car.

Car Care

Keeping you car in tip top condition for the road is essential for trouble free motoring and can also save you money in the long run by sustaining residual selling prices at the maximum. There are a number of different products out there to help keep your car gleaming and I will cover these later in the article. But for now I'm going to run through the different steps I aim to cover for my own schedule.

First of all keeping the car clean is a essential, by actually keeping on top of it and even waxing the body work a few times a Year will make your job easier. Contaminates caused by pollutes can easily start to eat into your paint work, these range from road tar, insect and bugs, tree sap and even bird muck.

So by following a good cleaning schedule, you will not only have a smart and presentable car. But also make savings on your investment. Even giving the car a good work over can easily put value onto the vehicle at the time of sale and the difference will surprise you. aste. These are normally acidic and eat int the top layers of the paint over time, causing stains and sometimes permanent paint damage.

7 Steps for a Clean Car.

1. Start of by hosing or ideally jet washing the car off, this will take off the grit and lose grime of the car. Work from the top down and if possible out of direct sunlight for best results, as smear will result otherwise. The more muck and grime you get of now, the easier the other stages are later on. I normally lift window wipers prior to this stage of the process.

2. The next step would be to put some kind of wheel cleaner on, as brake dust will eat into alloy wheels. There are a lots of products on the market which are specially designed for this job, but I have on occasions used a foam based oven cleaner product and had good results (this works out cheaper if the main product isn't available). Also try to use a small brush to work the alloys, I have again used inspiration from the kitchen and opted for a washing up brush. Don't use this bush for any other areas of the car as it will be contaminated, save it for next time. But as with all tools there are dedicated products out there.

3. The next step is to use a bucket and sponge or a wool mitt, with a good quality car shampoo (wax free if possible). Do not ever use washing up liquid as this will damage and dry out the paint work (because of the salt content). Try to work on the roof and windows first, then along the car panels. But pay special attention to leave the wheels and lower body parts to last. This will most likely be the most dirty areas and also have the highest risk of grit and grime. A small fragment on the sponge being wiped across the paintwork will result in scratches. So pay close attention to step one. Also if possible use warm to hot water for this stage, as this aids to break up the greases and grime. Investing in a bucket with a small grate could be beneficial, as small stones or other particles naturally fall to the bottom of the bucket (likewise not going too deep into the bucket on rinses).

4. Ok time to get rid of all that soapy water, ideally you need a pressure or jet washer at this stage, but a good flow of water is the main criteria. Work from the roof and windows going round the car, then paying special attention to wheels and lower body work areas. In the winter or Autumn, it would be a good time to also try and work the wheel arches for build up of mud and dirt deposits ( due to the wet roads). Bear in mind it is quite easy to get a face full of muck looking into the arches with a pressure/ jet washer (the saying of mud on your face comes to mind). But this is essential to eradicate these build ups as this will aid in the development of rust otherwise.

5. We are getting close to the finish now, but depending on your overall aim you will have a couple of options here. If you now want to wax the vehicle you could apply a liquid wax and hose it off (similar to the wet wax used in automated car washes), ready to proceed to step 6. If you prefer to apply a hand wax or had enough of cleaning now proceed to step 6.

6. You have yet another set of options here, to use a leather chamois leather or high quality synthetic one. There is a slight difference of opinon on this subject but which ever is your preference, proceed with. I would ideally use a rubber blade in the first instants to get rid of most of the water in the first instants. Then finish off with the slightly dampened Chamois or synthetic leather (making sure it grit and dirt free for best results). Work from the top of the car down, paying most of the attention to the windows. Also remember to wring the access water in between sections. Try to leave the lower body work to last, then followed by the wheels ( these will be the most contaminated areas). I personally try to blast off the leather at this stage with the pressure or jet washer. Or rinse it at least, so it is ready for the next time you want to use it ( leave it to air naturally). Tip: Also it is possible on a well looked after car ( in between washes) to quickly just hose off the car. Blade off the water and or leather for a quick clean (lazy but effective for a date or picking up the parents).

7. So by this stage we have a clean car ready to be waxed, but you could skip this part and go to the interior, depending on the last time it was done. Note that we could include the door sills, boot sills at this stage to be dried off. Just like the wheel arches this is best to be blasted off first and then leather off. Depending on the wax selection or state of the paintwork, normally you apply the wax to a section at a time with a soft clean cloth, leaving for the wax to dry and buffing off to a shine. Best to follow the manufacturer's instructions for best effects.

A few tips:

Park your car in the shade and under cover to avoid contaminants and UV degradation.
Avoid parking near trees. Tree sap mist is the most prevalent bonded contaminant on car finishes, destroying slickness and gloss.
Avoid the use of rubbing compounds and all other abrasive products.
To achieve maximum gloss and protection, use a detailing clay or clear coat-safe paint cleaner to make your paint as smooth as glass before you wax your car.
Wash your car regularly to remove contaminants before they have time to bond and etch into your paint finish.
Try to Jet wash of any Bird Mess as quick as possible, the waste matter is very acidic and eats into paint work.
Never Wash your Car in Washing up liquid, the chemical compound contains salts which dry up the paint work and with a combination of UV light will lead to cracks in the paint work. They might be good for your hands and dishes, by play havoc on the paint's condition.