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Car Cleaning

We all want to have the shiniest car on the road. The Parts-King wants to share his car washing tips with you. Below are easy steps for you to have professional detailing results inside and out of your car. 

 

 

Parts you'll need:

Helpful products:
  • 3/8 or ½ socket set
  • Dual Action 6-in Polisher
  • Paste Wax (ie. Meguiar’s)
  • Car Wash & Wax
  • Carnauba Wax Liquid (ie. Mother’s)
  • Tire Shine
  • Interior Protectant Spray (Armor Ail)
  • Rich Leather Cleaner
  • Metal Polish
  • Pressure Washer
  • Microfibre Mitt
  • Brush
  • Hard Sponge or Scrub Pad
  • Synthetic or Leather Chamois
  • A Little Elbow Grease

 

 

Cleaning the outside of your car

  1. Rinse & wet the car with standard tap water. A pressure washer is best for this but a standard hose with a strong jet setting will also do the trick.

  2. Make sure loose grit is removed. The rest of the dirt will start to loosen as the water gets into it. IMPORTANT - DO NOT use a sponge. It will pick up grit and you'll be rubbing the grit around like sandpaper.

  3. To allow time for the water to start dissolving the dirt, it's a good time to clean out the inside of the car.

 

Cleaning the inside of your car

  1. Remove any loose papers from the seats, floors and dashboard. For best results, remove the floor mats before vacuuming.
  2. Vacuum the inside, using a Shop Vac instead of a standard Hoover as Shop Vacs have better suction power and can pick-up water.
  3. Wipe-down the dashboard and sides of the doors with a damp cloth. Avoid using paper products such as napkins or paper towels; they leave residue. A clean damp rag or chamois works best.
  4. Once everything is wiped down, you can use an interior protectant spray to help protect and shine plastic surfaces. Spray product onto a rag or chamois and wipe the surface. Don't spray the surface directly. Use the spray sparingly to avoid a greasy finish.

 

Back to the outside of your car

  1. The car should still be wet. Hose it over one more time to get ready for the pre wash.
  2. Using professional car wash soap with a soft sponge or microfibre mitt, very gently wipe over the entire car to remove the remaining grit particles. Start at the top of the car and work your way down rinsing the mitt frequently.
  3. Wipe-down the dashboard and sides of the doors with a damp cloth. Avoid using paper products such as napkins or paper towels; they leave residue. A clean damp rag or chamois works best.
  4. Using the above technique, clean one side of the car, rinse completely and then proceed to the other side. 
  5. Avoid washing your car in direct sunlight. This may leave soap residue. If you have no choice, rinse the car periodically during your washing to avoid this from happening. Use a bug & tar remover for heavily soiled areas.

 

Cleaning your wheels and tires

  1. Start by cleaning your wheels and tires off with a brush.
  2. After the brush, use a hard sponge or scrub pad to remove any grit and dirt.
  3. Since brake dust is hard to remove with elbow grease, you can use a chemical brake dust and alloy wheel cleaner.

 

Dry your car

Dry the car off by using a slightly damp synthetic or a genuine leather chamois.
Remember that a Chamois is not a towel. It works more like a wiper blade to create a thin film of water and then evaporate. 
Be Patient. This process takes time and rushing it will sell your car's beauty short.

 

Polish your car

Once your car is all nice and clean, examine the surface area of the car for any scratches or blemishes. Use a good polishing compound on visible hairline scratches. Try the Turtle Wax polish compound. Always read the label carefully before using. If all you need is a quick high-finish polish, try the new Turtle Liquid Wax. This is a new revolutionary product that can be applied in direct sunlight…and doesn't leave a white residue! 

IMPORTANT - Small dents and deep scratches will require actual body work.

 

 

Tips

  • Make sure not to cross-contaminate surfaces. Microfiber towels should not be mixed between products or surfaces – even after they have been washed. Also make sure you have plenty of them.
  • If you are going hardcore use painter’s tape to mask off trim to avoid getting wax and sealant on it. Most waxes don’t play well with plastics and rubbers. This is specially useful if you are layering wax using an orbital buffer since you can’t be as precise around the edges as you can by hand.

Don't forget to share these tips and tricks on your favorite car forum or your blog. You can also share to your favoriate social media networks.