Ever wonder why your car just refuses to look as clean and shiny as it should despite what you believe are your best efforts? That could be because all this time you have been making the very mistakes that lead to the unsatisfactory results of your car washing efforts.
Here are the 5 car washing mistakes you may be currently making:
1. Using hard water
Frustrated that despite a great wash technique your car still doesn’t end up looking like the gleaming machine you imagined? Hard water may be to blame.
Hard water spots are essentially impurities that have dried and then ended up in water (e.g., calcium, magnesium). They can sometimes take on the appearance of white powder, especially in severe cases. These spots can be a real chore to remove once they’re dry. To avoid this frustrating task, use air dryers, or towels to remove the water beads before they can dry.
If you think your car looks dirty because of hard water, you can get a portable water deionizer to remove the hard water spots, which can cause serious damage to your paint job in the long run.
2. Using dirty, contaminated wash mitts and wheel brushes
Using dirty, contaminated wash mitts and wheel brushes is something a lot of people are guilty of. However, it’s easy to avoid this:
Don’t put your wash mitt in the same bucket as your wheel brush
Don’t dip a wheel brush in your wash bucket
Do rinse off your wash mitt after it has been used on your car
Of course, the bucket will accumulate dirt eventually, but as long as your mitt is generously covered with suds, your car should look fine after the wash.
3. Washing with insufficient soap
Are you using enough soap when washing your car? Generally, it gets harder to get suds towards the end of the wash, often partly because of the amount of dirt that’s already in the bucket.
Be sure to clean your bucket out regularly, especially if you have a large vehicle. Remember that dirt sinks to the bottom, and as it does, it can eat up the remaining suds and make it hard to generate fresh suds with the hose.
It may be inconvenient to replace the water in your bucket, especially if you’re just about done, but if you want the best result, it’s best to rinse out your bucket and refill it with more soap if needed.
If you’re wondering if you have an alternative, a foam gun or cannon to wash might just be what works for you.
4. Using dried soap
Avoid washing your car under the sun. The heat on your vehicle will dry the soap almost as soon as it touches your car.
A hot surface will make it practically impossible for you to thoroughly rinse off the dirty suds, unless you simultaneously use foam and water.
The solution? Wash your car in the shade, or early or later in the day.
5. Getting your car washed at an automatic car wash
Car washes are often not your best option for cleaning dirt off of your vehicle. Older car washes that are still using flappers and brushes, which can get pretty filthy, are especially places you should avoid if you can.
Car washes typically use alkaline soap, which is great at removing oils but not great when it comes to dust.
How you wash your car and the tools and products you use can help greatly in preserving your paint job and keep your car looking brand-new for a long time. That means you get to avoid spending for paint job repairs/modifications.
To avoid spending for unavoidable repairs, explore your options for a vehicle service contract as soon as you can. Check out your options with EverCare Protection.