First, it is important to park your car in a shady spot out of the drying heat of the sun. Let the body surface of the car cool down if it has been sitting in the sun's heat. If you try to wash the car while the surface is still hot, the soap suds will dry faster than you can rinse them off, and that will create a problem for you.
While the body surface of the car is cooling, you can do two things in the mean time. One is to gather together the tools you will need to accomplish your car washing task. You will need a bucket, a soft brush, a good car washing detergent that is specifically made for cars-(do not use dishwashing detergent or other household cleaner as these are too harsh for the car's surface)-an absorbent sponge designed for car washing, or soft towel, chamois towels, a water hose, and a good tire cleaner. Again, do not use a harmful abrasive cleanser. Use a cleaner that is designed for use on car tires.
The second thing you can do is to follow the manufacturer's directions and use the tire cleaner. This type of cleaner is usually a spray foam that you apply to the car's tires and let it soak for a certain amount of time. The tires are then rinsed clean with water. If the first cleaning didn't completely remove the accumulated road grime, you should try applying the product again. This time, though, gently use the soft brush to clean the tires, rims, wheel covers,etc. Let the product soak again and then rinse the tires thoroughly with clean water.
Now you can begin to wash the car by first spraying off the entire surface of the car using the water hose. Try to spray off as much of the dirt, grime, bugs, bird droppings, etc. that you can by using the pressure of the water. Also, spray the wheel wells in order to remove accumulated mud, dirt, and grime. A good pre-wash should take anywhere from 10-15 minutes.
Follow the manufacturer's directions for the car washing detergent and mix it with water in the bucket. Now you are ready to begin.
Start by washing the roof of the car. Move the sponge or towel in wide, swirling motions, making sure to cover every inch of the car's surface. (Be sure to keep your sponge or towel wet throughout the entire washing by dunking it in the bucket often.)
Next, move down to the windshield. Car wash detergents are not harmful to glass, and will effectively remove road dirt and grime that has accumulated on the glass surfaces. Be carefulwhen you lift the windshield wipers up to clean underneath them, so as not to break or otherwise damage them. Then, move onto the hood and was it using the same wide circular motions. Finally, wash the trunk area, then thoroughly rinse the entire top area of the car's body surface with clean water.
Now that the top is cleaned, empty out the dirty water in the bucket and replace it with clean water and car washing detergent. Now, start with the back of the car,below the trunk, and wash this section using wide circular motions. Wash all areas of the bumper well. Be careful washing around the license plates as they can be sharp and skin cuts can occur. Move onto the sides of the car and wash each side well. Make sure to wash door handles, mirrors, lights, etc. Then move onto and wash the front bumper.
If you don't read anything in this, at least read this! Here's the secret. When it comes time to rinse off all the the newly-washed areas, take the nozzle off your hose and wash it with free-falling water. You'll notice a tremendous difference in the way the water falls. It will come off in sheets and not beads and give your car a remarkable "clean" look you wouldn't normally get, plus it greatly decreases your chance for water spots.
Your nest step is to dry the car's surface. Using the chamois towels or t-shirts, gently wipe up the water on the car's surface. Start at the top and work your way down and then around the entire car. Don't forget to open the doors, hood, etc., and wipe up any water that dripped in.
Finally, use a good glass cleaner and absorbent paper towels, or soft, clean towels to spray and wash all of the windows and mirrors. You may use this to shine-up the chrome enhancements of the car also, or you may choose to use a commercial chrome cleaner.
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