Washing and polishing your vehicle is a fairly easy task if care is taken
to do the job properly. Here are some pointers for doing the best job in
minimum time with maximum results:
- Choose the right soap for washing the vehicle.
Household soap and detergents are not recommended since they contain harsh
abrasives and chemicals that can damage the paint on your vehicle. Use soap that is
specifically manufactured for vehicles only.
- Never wash a car in direct sunlight or while the motor is hot.
- Hose any excess dirt from the exterior. If possible, use a high-pressure
sprayer is best.
- Use a sponge or terrycloth towel to lather the vehicle, starting with
the roof, then rinse the soap off completely. Repeat this process with each side of
the vehicle. Washing one side of the car at a time will prevent soap from drying on
the car before it is completely washed.
- After all sides have been washed and rinsed, rinse the entire car again
beginning with the roof.
- Using a soft dry towel, dry the vehicle thoroughly, starting again with
the roof and doing all four sides one at a time. Extra dry towels may be needed for
this as towels become saturated with water.
- Clean windows inside and outside with window cleaner or a solution of
water and white vinegar.
Before beginning to polish the car, make sure to read the instructions
on the label of the product you have chosen. All waxes and polishes do not have the
same instructions for usage. Here are some general pointers that apply to most polishes:
- Always choose a shady area to polish a vehicle. This will prevent streaking.
- Only work on one small section of the car at a time.
- Use a soft terrycloth towel or purchase a piece of cloth for that specific
purpose and apply the polish.
- Apply the polish with a circular motion. Then allow polish to dry to
a haze.
- Using another dry towel or cloth of the same type, buff the polish.
- Adding extra layers of polish is not necessary since each layer added
removes the previous layer.
- If road tar stuck to any area of your vehicle, remove with a small amount
of WD-40 on a soft clean cloth. Wipe off quickly and wax the area again.
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