How to Deep Clean a Car Exterior

A deep clean can make your car look like new.

To clean your car, you could just rinse it off with the hose and maybe use a wet rag to clean a spot or two. But if you want to seriously deep clean your car's exterior, it's going to be a bit more complicated than that, and it's likely going to take a lot more time, especially if you haven't given your car a good cleaning in some time. For a deep clean, you won't just be using a hose and a rag. You'll be using actual car washing tools, such as a wash mitt, car wash shampoo and microfiber drying towels.

Things You'll Need

• 2 buckets
• Water
• Hose
• Car wash shampoo
• Wash mitt
• Wheel cleaner
• Microfiber drying towel

Instructions

1. Park your car in the shade and allow the exterior to cool down a bit if it was in the sun before you start washing. This will keep the soapy water from evaporating quickly and leaving spots.

2. Prepare the cleaning solution. Add car wash shampoo to a bucket of warm water. You can use any brand, but follow the manufacturer's instruction on the container for best results.

3. Clean the wheels of your car first. They will likely have more oil and dirt on them than the rest of your car. Spray the wheels with your hose to get it wet and then spray the wheels directly with wheel cleaner. Let the cleaner sit for about a minute. Use a car wash mitt and the cleaning solution you prepared to wipe off the cleaner and to remove any additional dirt.

4. Hose down your car and get all the surfaces wet. Create a new bucket of cleaning solution before you continue.

5. Wash each section one at a time using your cleaning solution and a new wash mitt. Rinse the wash mitt in a bucket of clean water before placing it back in your cleaning solution. Once you clean a section, such as the hood or a door, rinse it with your hose to prevent soap spots.

6. Dry your car using a microfiber drying towel to protect all surfaces and to prevent water spots. If it's a very hot or sunny day or if you could not park your vehicle in the shade, you may have to use this towel to dry each section as you wash and rinse it.

References

• Autopia Car Care: Washing and Drying Your Car
• Proper Auto Care: How to Properly Wash Your Car