DIY, at-home, Car Wash Tips from a Professional Detailer
DIY Hand Wash at home.
We give you our exact checklist we would use at home for a brilliant shine, and easy maintenance. You’ll look like a pro in no time.
Most car wash guides skip the details that actually protect your paint. Here’s exactly how we’d wash our own vehicle at home.
DIY CAR WASH GUIDE
Step 1: Make Sure Vehicle Is Cool Or In The Shade
Caution: Applying wash chemicals to a hot vehicle can cause damage. Use caution, and a high quality ph-neutral car wash soap for the safest, and best results.
Step 2: Pre-Fill Buckets, Get Wash Mitts, Drying Towels And Brushes Pre-staged
Pre-stage everything close-by, for an easy and enjoyable wash process. Remember, prior preparation prevents poor performance.(make sure windows and sunroof are not open)
Step 3: Foam Cannon Pre-Treatment
Foam apply your high quality, ph-neutral, car shampoo onto the surface and cover the vehicle thoroughly. Remember, the soap is working for us too, let it dwell if possible, do not let products dry. Foam the wheels, tires, and body of the vehicle.
Step 4: Rinse Vehicle
Rinse the vehicle from Top to Bottom with hose or pressure washer. (More than 1200PSI on a pressure washer, is not recommended for washing vehicles. Keep nozzle more than 12 inches from vehicle and ONLY USE the 40 degree through 20 degree nozzles for best efficiency and safety. No power jet nozzle.
Step 5: Foam Cannon Again
Foam apply your high quality, ph-neutral, car shampoo onto the surface and cover the vehicle. Foam the wheels, tires, and body of the vehicle again to provide extra lubrication during contact wash.
Step 6: Hand Wash From Top To Bottom
Using clean microfiber wash mitts, dunked in clean bucket with water and car wash soap, wash the vehicle starting with the roof, front and back glass, hood, front fender and around the vehicle. Revisit wash buckets with mitt often. (Pro-Tip: We leave the bottom lowest part above the rocker and bugs on front clip for last, as it’s the dirtiest and most potential for scratching.)
Step 7: Final Rinse
Rinse the vehicle from Top to Bottom again with a hose, or pressure washer until all soap residue is gone. Make sure to flush wheels, wheel wells, and brakes too. (More than 1200PSI on a pressure washer is not recommended for washing vehicles. Keep nozzle more than 12 inches from vehicle and ONLY USE the 40 degree through 20 degree nozzles for best efficiency and safety. No power jet nozzle.
Step 8: Dry Vehicle
Use electric leaf blower, or clean compressed air, if available, to quickly blow water out of all cracks and crevices to avoid big water run stains. (We recommend spraying a rinse-less wash/drying aid product on the vehicle, to make towel drying the vehicle as scratch free as possible, and add some extra protection while you dry the vehicle.)
Follow these steps consistently and your paint will thank you. If you’d rather hand it off to us, we’re always here.
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