The Ritual that is the Car Wash

Earlier this week, I dropped a nice size of change on some cleaning chemicals for my car. I was hoping to treat my car (and myself) to a nice wash, polish and wax early Friday night. Well, I guess that’s not happening.  

Thanks, Andrea.

While cruising through car-related forums online, it’s clear that everyone has his or her own way of maintaining the shiny side of his or her car — from the techniques, to the tools, to the chemicals. For some people, washing their car is like ritual, passed down … like learning how to throw a baseball from dad. And, of course, there are some people who just add a couple of drops of Dawn to their cars’ roofs when it’s raining.

I usually do a pretty good job of maintaining the paint on my car — and it doesn’t hurt that my last four cars were all some shade of gray, a color that is easy to keep looking clean — but I’m always open to tips and suggestions.

Here’s a bit of my routine:

Outside

I usually quickly hose down my car, grab whatever car shampoo says it’s environmentally friendly, grab three buckets (one for the top of the car, one for the extra dirty side skirts and bumpers, and one for the incredibly filthy wheels), get two washing mitts and some microfiber rags, take off my belt and go to town. (Really, don’t forget to take off the belt.)

After hosing off, I remove excess water with a water blade (if you don’t have one, get one, as it will save so much drying time), and then I dry my car with a microfiber towel, moving front to back. No circles … beware the swirl.

Next, time permitting, I break out the magic that is the clay bar … which is really just a piece of clay teamed up with a spray cleaner. Who knew a grade school staple could be so good at getting rid of junk left on a car’s paint?  After the clay bar, I hand polish and wax the car in the shade. Lately I’ve been using Meguiar’s or Mothers polish and wax. They both do a good job.

My car also has black plastic trim in the middle of the doors and around the bumpers, which has been fading. I’ve been using Mothers Back-to-Black to restore the blackness; it works, creating a nice contrast between the paint, but the results are temporary, lasting maybe a month or so. And my car’s 10-year-old headlamp lenses are a bit hazy, so I’ve been using Meguiar’s PlastX to restore them. Again, the results are temporary.  

I maintain the shine with a mop duster throughout the week, though I usually try to dust my car discreetly to avoid the sometimes-audible eye rolls from people walking by.

Wheels

I try to stay away from spraying chemicals near my brake calipers, so I usually just stick to suds and high-pressure water … and plenty of patience, as cleaning 20-spoke wheels caked in brake dust will take half of an eternity.  

Inside

I keep it simple on the inside. For the dash and all the surfaces I use 303 Aerospace Protectant. It’s expensive, but it protects the surfaces from UV rays and doesn’t leave behind a glossy sheen ... a look that went out of style years ago, along with fuzzy dice and crown-shaped air-fresheners. When I had leather seats, I used Lexol’s leather conditioner, which smelled great. And be sure to wipe down the doorsills with a wet rag (you don’t want your pant cuffs getting dirty). After a vacuum, the inside should be looking spiffy.  

Engine bay

I usually wipe down the plastic valve cover and the intake manifold with a damp rag, as I’m hesitant to get the engine wet.

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If you’ve got any tips you’d like to share about your car washing ritual — methods, different chemicals or tools — hit up the comments section below.

Here’s to nicer weather next week.