It is safe to say we all love our cars and want to keep them in the best shape possible. Any minor or major imperfections can bother us and we’ll do what we can to avoid them. However, it seems that no matter how we decide to go about washing our car, it always ends up with some scratches or marks. Hand car wash or an automated one, the results are pretty much the same – swirl marks and scratches. The problem is that not many of us know how to properly wash our car. It’s usually the most overlooked part of car maintenance. Machine car washes and bucket and sponge technique can often be inadequate and leave us unsatisfied. So, what are the best ways to wash your precious vehicle?
Dust and dirt particles can scratch your car during the wash leaving marks that seem to radiate outward from the light reflection on the car. These are the swirl marks that we all hate so much but can’t get rid of. What causes them are improper washing and drying techniques. These marks are typically most noticeable on black and dark colored vehicles.
Now that we know that swirl marks are created by dirt particles scratching the paint, it’s clear that we should try and remove as much of the dirt as possible before physically touching the car. For that reason, snow foam and pre wash are perfect for washing the car, while blowers are perfect for drying. There are numerous different blowers on the market to suit everyone’s needs and budget. They will remove the dirt from the car without leaving marks. You can easily find the ones that are lightweight, powerful, and don’t take too long to charge. You should visit this website and learn more about what types of blowers there are on the market before opting for one.
As far as snow foam and pre wash are concerned, they are applied before the wash and left to sit for several minutes. What they do is they soften and surround the dirt particles that will then simply slide off of the car leaving no marks behind. After the dirt, grit, insects, and bird droppings are gone, you can rinse off the snow foam. Snow foam and pre wash technically do the same thing, so which one you should buy depends solely on your preferences and budget.
While both products soften and remove the dirt particles, the difference is that the snow foam creates a thick foam while pre wash is simply sprayed on the car without creating the foam.
Another technique includes just two buckets of clean water. The idea is to keep the dirt in one bucket of water and prevent it from ending up on your car again. Using just one bucket means adding the dirt back on your car and scratching it. Also, you should refrain from using dishwasher detergent as it is a degreaser and will strip the wax or other kind of protection coat from your car. The car-wash solution is the safest option.
Every product that touches the car needs to be as soft as possible. The best choice would be a high-quality, gentle microfiber towel. It will absorb much more water than a regular towel and it can collect the dirt without scratching the car. While drying the car, you also want to stick with microfiber towels. The way you use it matters as well. In order to make sure you’re not dragging any dirt over the paint you should tap the car with the towel allowing it to absorb water.