You know that you want your car to be clean and shiny–but you may not know that you’re making some rookie mistakes when it comes to taking care of your vehicle. Here, YouTube car expert ChrisFix explains how to avoid common mistakes when cleaning your car.
What are some common mistakes when it comes to cleaning a car?
Rookie mistakes while cleaning your car include washing in a swirl direction, using paper towels or old T-shirts to wash, and using a power washer to blast dirt and grime off of your car.
ChrisFix explains his top ten car cleaning mistakes in the above video. Here, we’ve broken down what he has to say into a convenient readable format, making it easy for you to reference before you get to work making your car shine.
Top Ten Car Cleaning Mistakes
- Taking your car to a car wash can be a big mistake — there’s no question that your car will get scratched. The water pressure is often too high and can scratch your car. If you don’t care about the paint on your car (for example, it’s already a little beat up), a car wash is fine.
- Cleaning your car in direct sunlight or when it’s really hot outside can cause the water you’re using to wash your car to evaporate immediately, leaving spots. It’s better to wash your car when it’s cooler, such as in the evening hours.
- Don’t use Dawn or other kitchen soap to degrease or clean your car — it’ll strip the wax, and could damage your clear coat. Use an automotive soap instead. Always clean out your bucket. You don’t want any residue left behind that could scratch your car’s paint.
- Use a lubricant (like spray wax) when you’re cleaning your car, especially if you’re cleaning animal waste off of it, or make sure that your car is completely wet and that you have a soap-saturated cloth to clean your car.
- Don’t use a paper towel, old T-shirt, household towel, or sponge on your car. Use a soft microfiber towel instead.
- Clean from the top to the bottom of the car, allowing any dirt to fall down toward the ground. One exception: It’s OK to clean your rims before the rest of your car, as long as you change out your towel before moving onto the paint of your car. Snap out your towel before using it to ensure that any loose residue or dust is removed before you begin to wash your vehicle.
- You don’t want to clean in a swirl direction. Instead, go in one direction (such as front to back) and stick with it. Don’t just use one bucket to clean your car.
- Have a bucket for soapy water only, and a bucket for rinsing out your microfiber towel. Rinse your car carefully, and dry it with a microfiber towel. Dry in one direction with light pressure to avoid scratches.
- If you drop your towel on the ground, leave it there. Don’t re-use a dirty towel.
- Don’t put any chemicals on your brake pedal, steering wheel, or gear knob. These may make the interior of your car look shiny, but it can reduce your grip on vital components of your car, which can make driving dangerous.
Working Hard to Keep Your Car Looking Great?
If you’re going the extra mile to keep your car looking great and running smooth, check out Vehicle History. You’ll get driver-tested and expert-recommended tips to help you keep your car in tip-top condition for years to come.
