The Best Way to Clean a Car Prior to Waxing

Use a lot of soapy water and rinse well.

Detail cleaning a car is the best way to clean the car prior to waxing. A deep, detailed cleaning removes dirt and dust that can scratch the paint on the car when waxing.

Things You'll Need

• Hose with spray nozzle
• Bucket
• Car wash soap
• Car wash mitt or soft cloth
• Chamois or dry soft cloths

Instructions

1. Wet the entire car with water from the hose. Spray off as much soil as possible prior to washing. Use a stream of water in the wheel wells and under the chassis.

2. Fill the bucket with car wash soap and water.

3. Wash the car from the top to the bottom. Start with the roof. Spray the roof with clear water. Soap the roof with the car wash mitt or a soft cloth saturated with soapy water. Re-saturate the mitt or cloth as needed to keep plenty of soapy water in the mitt or cloth. Rinse immediately so the soap does not dry on the roof, which will leave streaks or water marks.

4. Wet the window areas with the hose. Soap each section and rinse before moving to the next section. Re-rinse the roof if any soap overlapped the roof section.

5. Wet the center portion of the car, the hood and the trunk. Wash each section and rinse well. Overlap the window section while rinsing to remove all of the soap.

6. Wet the bottom section of the car with the hose. Wash with soapy water and rinse well. Pour out the remaining soapy water and rinse the bucket. Refill with car wash soap and water. Re-wash the bottom section to be sure all soil has been removed.

7. Open the trunk, hood and doors. Rinse the mitt, dampen with soapy water and wipe out the door jams, hood edges, trunk edges and the metal areas in the engine and trunk compartments. Rinse the mitt with the hose and wipe the areas with clean water to remove soap residue.

8. Dry the car completely from top to bottom with a chamois or dry soft cloth.

Tips & Warnings

• Wash the car in the shade when there is minimal wind to prevent streaks and water spots.

• Do not use a regular sponge when cleaning a car. Common sponges can dull the finish on a car.

References

• Autotopia: How to Wash Your Car
• Detail Your Car: Exterior Cleaning