Contrary to regular belief car washing is not as simple as most make it out to seem. Most people tend to overlook the small details or do processes that can damage a car pretty severely. 

We aren’t sure about you but we prefer to avoid these things from happening and love to see our cars looking new as often as we can. Hand-washing is the best solution when you are seeking to restore your car back to new like condition. Many car enthusiasts will see hand washing a car as something to look forward too, it can even be therapeutic process for many car enthusiasts. 

Compared to other forms of car washing such as automatic car washes, we have no doubt in our minds that hand washing is the best form and option when looking to make the best impact on your car. Not only do these benefits bring you a better clean but hadn’t washing is also the best type of washing to prevent any damage to your car during the process. 

With that being said there are still many area an owner should watch out for in order to conduct a damage free car wash, this blog will detail all those areas. By the end of this blog our goal is to help make you confident I your car & fleet washing and detailing skills, if you have any questions or recommendations you can always shoot us an email or a text!

Are You Waiting For A Reason To Wash Your Car?

Throughout all the informative detailing blogs we post we always stress one very important thing if you want to maintain and keep your car in tip top shape, that point is that you need consistency when it comes to detailing you car. 

Waiting for your car to become dirty before washing it is not recommended because many other contaminants can take away at your car, bird feces, bug guts, acid rain and other contaminants can begin to damage your paint without you taking any notice. Compounds and applicants such as PPF, ceramic pro and glassparency can help prevent this from happening but shouldn’t prevent you from following a consistent washing schedule.

Consistent washing should be done weekly if you are looking to prolong the life of your vehicles paint, the longer you wait for your car to dirt can allow contaminants like salt to cause irreparable damage on your car. When washing your car this frequently it is very smart to ensure that wax layers are being applied throughout the year as they can be worn down through frequent washing. 

Are You Choosing The Right Car Detailing Products?

Using products from home may be tempting when you begin detailing but this should be avoided at all costs because it can cause significant damage as these products are not made for that purpose. Dish soaps, toilet cleaners, detergents and glass cleaners are all products that we have seen used on cars, they contain chemicals made for their specific purpose and should not be used on your car unless the instructions recommend it.

These chemicals are infamous in the detailing world for causing scratches and can be extremely powerful in the removal of that precious wax we apply to protect your car. Don’t cheap out when it comes to buying the appropriate products for car washing. Ensure you’re buying the right chemicals for the job, evaluate your cars paint condition and decide which areas need attention and go find those chemicals, If your rims need shining go look for some great tyre shine and rim cleaner. When buying chemicals be sure to read the instructions on the back of the bottle and follow them to the tee, using the chemicals and not following the proper guidelines can result in damage to your cars exterior. Some of the tips we give our clients are using less chemical is better than overusing chemicals and to apply the chemicals onto a clothe and not directly to the exterior or interior in most cases (follow the application process listed on the bottle). 

You’ve finished applying chemicals and washing your car, now it’s time to dry your car. What clothes are you using? Is it the same old clothe form the last wash or is it a new one? Using clothes with hard materials or using dirtied clothes can result in scratches and swirls on your vehicles paint. A pack of 50 Microfibres from Costco is much cheaper than paying for a paint correction so don’t cheap out when it comes to buying the right tools and chemicals.

A guide on what chemicals to use and some standard detailing processes can be found when you visit this complete detailing guide, it was assembled by our Calgary NE detailing group so you can be sure it will be great.

Allow Your Car To Cool Down Before A Car Wash

Warm weather generally makes people more willing to wash their cars as it can be less challenging but it also comes with its own array of issues. You should always wait till a car is cool (move it into a garage or into the shade to cool it down) in order to prevent the chemicals and applicants from drying quickly, soap and water will dry much quicker on a hot surface over a cold one. Applying pressurized water and chemicals onto your car and its parts when they are hot can also lead to damage due to the rapid temperature change.

Take the time to allow your car to cool or park it in shaded areas before completing a wash, clay bar or when applying waxes and other chemicals, it may take extra time but will make the car wash much less challenging. 

Are You Drying Your Vehicle After The Car Wash

Taking the time to hand dry your car after a thorough and complete wash can prevent you from having any water stains or left over chemicals from staying on the paint of your car. When drying be sure to use the right type of clothe and to switch them out frequently to prevent the spreading of dirt and creation of scratches. We recommend buying a 50 pack of microfibres from Costco, you can click here to learn more.

After reading this car wash guide we are sure that you are well equipped with some basic guidelines on what to look out for when washing your car, these guidelines can be simple to follow and can keep your car looking pristine. If you feel that you have some questions that are still unanswered you can always contact us to  get your questions answered. If you’d like to simply book a detail you can call our specialists or book now!