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Caring For Your Car Year Round
This page attempts to inform those interested in taking the best possible care of their vehicles how to do so. I have years of experience in automotive detailing, maintenance and repair including working for a BMW dealer as a master detailer. I know the hows and whys of caring for an automobile and hope to provide those looking for good, honest free advice on the subject with the best possible answers.
WASHING YOUR CAR AT HOME
You'll need the following:
Bucket (5-10 gallons)
Washing Mitt (lambs wool or similar)
Wheel brush (find one that suit's your wheels; i.e. if your wheels have small holes that need to be cleaned, you'll need a small brush, large ones usually won't clean in tight spaces)
Large Brush (for grill and lower edge of car)
Carwashing soap (My favorite is the golden Rain-X soap because it does not leave spots and does remove wax and polish, yet cleans exceptionally well)
Wheel cleaner (most brands work well but it is important to read their bottles since certain acid-type cleaners will damage unpainted alloy wheels. Make sure the cleaner that you purchase works for your wheels!)
Chamois (their are several types of chamois: real, cloth and sponge. Real ones are most expensive, cloth are the least expensive, Sponge are the best choice because they cleanup well, last and last, and are fairly inexpensive)
Step 1. Fill 3/4 bucket with water (use warm water on cool or cold days. This will keep your hands warm!)
Step 2. Pour about 1/4 cup soap into water and mix by filling bucket the rest of the way with hose.
Step 3. Drop brushes and wash mitt into water.
Step 4. Spray wheel cleaner on wheels, scrub with wheel brush, and rinse.
Step 5. Wet top of car with hose, wash with mitt, and rinse soap with hose.
Step 6. Continue step 5 first on hood and trunk and front and rear glass, then front, back, and shady side. Finish with sunny side. Remember to use a brush on the front grill and on the lowest part of the car.
Step 7. After entire car has been washed and rinsed, chamois entire car dry starting with the glass. (Do not chamois tires!)
Tips: Try to always wash car in the shade. Droplets of water in the sun are like magnifying glasses held over your paint. This will burn spot on your paint. The darkest colors are the most vulnerable.
As you wash your car, your mitt and brushes and rags etc. will become soiled. Clean them with the hose before you dip them back in your water. This not only keeps your soapy water fresh, but it also keeps grit trapped in your mitt, brushes, and rags from scratching your car's paint.
Have a spare bucket of warm water to keep your chamois soaking in. When your ready for your chamois, ring it out and its ready to use. A completely dry chamois does not work as well as one that is moist. Store your moist chamois in a sealable plastic bag when you finish with it. This keeps it ready for next time.
Lowrider Euro
Send E-Mail to: sladky7@yahoo.com
Copyright © 2007 Daniel Pascoe. All Rights Reserved