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Writer's pictureRyan Desrochers

Washing your car while caring for your paint

Updated: Jul 16

As a detailer, I understand the delicacies that come with washing a car. The truth is, not everybody does and that's ok! I'm not here to shame you or even try to change how you're currently washing your car. However, I felt the need to share some of the little I know with the hope that you could get more life out of the look of your pride and joy through this easy to follow guide.


What You Need:

  1. Soft Sponge, microfiber mitt or cloth

  2. Hose or water source, 2 buckets with dirt traps

  3. Eco Wash or a PH Neutral soap

  4. Pressure washer with foam cannon/foam blaster (optional)

  5. Chamois, non-abrasive, clean dry towel or leaf blower

Step 1 - Spray your car down with an emulsifier like eco-wash or a 1/5 dilution of simple green. Let it soak for about 3-7 minutes. The emulsifiers will lift the dirt and debris off the surface of the paint and suspend it.



Washing your car
How emulsifiers work

Step 2 - Using medium to high-pressure, rinse your vehicle thoroughly. What we're trying to do is blast off as much dirt and debris as possible. This reduces the chance for scratches and marring.


Step 3 - Take your foam cannon, or bucket 1 and fill it with the eco wash or PH neutral soap. Fill the bucket or the cannon. If using the bucket, make sure there's lots of bubbles. Take your wash mitt from bucket 1 and drip the soapy water onto the vehicles panels without touching them yet. Soap the car down with the soapy water or foam cannon. Take your wash mitt, load it with soapy water from bucket 1, and following the panels of your car front to back of the vehicle, do a single pass with each side of the mitt and then rinse your mitt in bucket 2 which you will fill with clean water.


Here's what we would clean in a comprehensive wash:

  • Body Panels \ Bumpers

  • Headlights \ Tail Lights

  • Glass

  • Tires

  • Rims \ Barrels

  • Wheel wells

  • Calipers

  • Tail Pipes

  • Door Jams

Step 4 - Rinse the vehicle with medium to high pressure water and blast off all the soap!


Step 5 - Gently, just using the weight of the drying towel, dry your vehicle off. Or a leaf blower is great too!


Step 6 - Now we're ready to inspect and protect!


Apply a quick detailer if your paint is looking dry or doesn't feel smooth. Think about skin, do we put moisturizer on our hands if they're dry and cracking? Same idea here, our paint needs love too!


Rubber, Tires, Trims, Plastics should all be coated with a UV blocking dressing which should restore depth of color and shine. Use less product if you don't like that really shiny look, use more product if you do!


Glass should always be wiped down with a glass cleaner and I personally always hit it with a ceramic coating like Hydro View.


Step 7 - Share this article with a friend and go for a rip in your clean ride!



Washing your car





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