Washing Your Vehicle
It's summer and many car owners will take a Saturday to wash the family vehicle. Proper washing is one of the most overlooked and misunderstood areas of auto care, and sadly improper washing damages and dulls your vehicle's finish over time. Take a look at these tips from Bill Black Chevrolet to learn more.
Always Wash Your Car in the Shade
This will keep your car wash shampoo solution from drying on the car before it is rinsed off.
Use a Car Wash Shampoo
Car wash shampoos have come a long way since their introduction to the automotive detailing market. There was a time when we all just grabbed dish soap and went to work but those days are long gone. Dish soap is designed to eat away grease and food and while it works great for dishes we need to keep it in the kitchen! High quality car wash shampoos will clean a car's surface, enhance the gloss and leave the car wax, paint protectant or paint sealant intact.
When washing your vehicle remember to always go from top to bottom, never the opposite. Generally the dirtiest parts of your vehicle are those parts closest to the ground. Wheel wells, rocker panels and bumpers tend to have the largest accumulation of grime and you don't want to bring that junk back onto the paint surface and risk scratching it.
Use a Soft Car Wash Mitt
Wash mitts can be made of long or short nap microfiber, sponge material or sheepskin that can be either synthetic or genuine. You want to avoid using shop rags, old t-shirts, and beach towels as the nap, or thickness of these items is so small that you can easily exert too much force onto the paint and inadvertently push surface dirt around instilling washing swirls. If you are washing a larger vehicle such as a truck, RV or boat, or simply prefer using a brush instead of a wash mitt, then stay clear of brushes with nylon brushes that will quickly damage, dull, and scratch paint.
Drying Your Vehicle
Two of the most popular options for drying your vehicle are waffle weave microfiber towels or an air blower.
Waffle weave microfiber towels are very soft, safe and effective. The waffle weave fibers act like little pockets and absorb tons of water and when used properly are extremely gentle on your vehicle's delicate surfaces. Leather Chamois or PVA Synthetic Chamois are another option for drying your vehicle, however these towels are not as soft or gentle as the above products and are going to be much more likely to leave some swirling in your paint.
