Your ride is your pride and joy. In fact, you even have a name for your car. And you’re not alone.
Research shows that about 60% of drivers view their vehicles as family members. And this same percentage of drivers seal these bonds by naming their wheels.
Lately, though, dust and grime have threatened to smear your car’s good name. Now, you’re left wondering how to clean the car exterior and restore her to her former glory.
Fortunately, we’ve compiled a guide on how to clean a car exterior like a pro.
Let’s jump in!
1. Pre-Cleaning
The first step in cleaning your car’s exterior like a pro involves pre-cleaning your vehicle. This involves removing all large debris and dirt pieces from your car’s paint to avoid scratching the paint as you do the full clean.
During the pre-cleaning stage, you’ll need to foam your car’s exterior using a hand frother or foam gun. This will get the dirt wet and thus loosen it from your car’s surface.
2. Washing
Once your vehicle is wet all the major pieces of dirt have been cleared from the paint, it’s time to fully wash the car. To do this, use sudsy water and a wash mitt made from microfiber to complete the cleaning.
Clean your car by moving the mitt from one side to the other. Start at the car’s roof, then go down to the windshield. Afterward, wash your vehicle’s hood and keep moving down the side of the car.
Next, rinse out your dirty mitt and apply fresh sudsy water to the mitt and the car to wash the vehicle one more time. During this process, be sure to move efficiently and quickly so that the soap and water don’t dry on your paint.
3. Drying
Once you’ve completed your car wash, remove the water from your car’s paint using a leaf blower. If you don’t have a leaf blower at your disposal, use a clean microfiber towel to dry off your vehicle’s exterior.
If you can purchase a big “guzzler” towel, this can be especially handy for your drying step, as it is designed to absorb a large amount of water quickly.
Be sure to also dry those nooks and crannies that can be easy to overlook. These areas, which can easily retain water, include your vehicle badging, spoilers, grills, and door sills.
Finally, consider getting a ceramic coating on your car’s exterior to give it that smooth, professional look following your wash. Find out more about ceramic coatings.
Master How to Clean a Car Exterior This Summer
After going for miles and miles, your car could use some TLC to give it a flawless finish. Unfortunately, if you’re not careful, you may end up damaging rather than enhancing your car’s surface.
The good news is that cleaning your car’s exterior doesn’t have to be complicated. Follow the above-listed tips on how to clean a car exterior to keep your ride looking fly this summer and beyond.
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