How Often Should You Wash Your Car?

If you love to show off your clean and shiny car, you need to know how often you should wash your car and when it’s too much.

If you’re a believer in Murphy’s Law, you know that the weather will turn to rain as soon as you’re done washing and waxing your ride. On the other hand, if you’ve got a little more positive attitude, you can imagine the places you’ll go to show off your clean and fresh ride that you’ve just made look great and ready to show off. You might never get your car as clean as you want, but there are some things you should know about car care.

Answering the Question

You should wash your car about once every two weeks to answer the question asked. Some people try and do this once a week, but our busy lives make it hard to accomplish this task every weekend. The best way to clean your vehicle is by hand, but sometimes you’ll want to experience a commercial wash facility and let them handle the job for you. Make sure the facility you visit meets your standard of care and excellence.

Do You Need to Wash Your Ride More Often

There are instances when you need to complete a quick or extremely soon car wash. When you run into these situations, you’ll want to head to the wash station or get your materials out and start cleaning your vehicle. These events include:

• Road salt on your vehicle
• Animal droppings
• Bugs and insects all over the front of the car
• Dirt and mud from a time on the trails
• Pollen season
• Rain -although you might need to wait a bit for this one
• Tree sap on your car – this can be a big problem
• Fresh tar and road grime on your vehicle
• Stagnant water
• Brake dust collecting on the wheels

Some of these events are minor, but others could lead to problems. Road salt is one of the worst things for your car, and if you drive in the winter on salted roads, you need to wash your car regularly. At least take it to a wash location and have the underside cleaned so that it doesn’t rust and give you problems in the future. You want your car to last long, and taking care of the bottom is part of that.

How Should You Get Wash Done?

If you’re going to clean your vehicle on your own, you need t get the right tools and items to give your paint job and exterior elements the desired shine. Some of the things you need when you want to spend a little time outdoors washing a vehicle include:

• Water hose
• Two buckets
• Two dirt traps
• Microfiber car wash mitt
• Microfiber towels
• Car wash soap
• Wheel brush
• Car window cleaner

Before you begin, make sure you’re not violating any rules of the place you live. Some apartment complexes don’t allow vehicle washing on their property.

How Much Will These do Items Cost?

If you’re going to hand wash your vehicle, you can find a complete kit for about $25. If you want to spend more, you certainly can with some professional kits costing as much as $100. It’s always advisable to hand wash your vehicle, but if you need to use an automatic car wash, you must make sure it’s in a touchless location. You don’t want the swirls and marks left by the heavy brushes used at some locations.

Some Things to Be Aware of Before You Begin

Now you have all the materials needed to wash your car and give it the clean and fresh feeling you want. Before you start, some tips can help you enjoy the process and gain the best results. The Drive offers this list of pro tips to help you get started the right way:

• Wear clothes with soft surfaces – if you have any metal or harsh items on your clothes, they can damage your car when you reach the roof to get it clean
• Park and wash in the shade – if you don’t have shade, make it or find some. The sun can dry out your chemicals and leave streaks on your car
• Pay attention to your wheels and underside – even if you’re not facing road salt, other items can end up underneath your car. Make sure you spray out the wheels and bottom to get them clean
• Don’t use an automatic car wash – this should only be a last resort and touchless version. Dirt, rocks, and other items often end up on the brushes of some of these washes
• Remember the details – open the car doors and clean the sills; this is often a forgotten area of your car
• Use car window cleaner – this is the right product to clean your car windows. Windex is for your home windows, not your car

Car Wash Steps

There is a proper procedure for washing your car to ensure you have the cleanest-looking vehicle. Here are the steps to help you have a clean car that you can be proud of when you drive.

• 1. Place dirt traps at the bottom of the buckets and fill both buckets with water and soap

 

• 2. Rinse the car, top, body, and underside, in that order, with a hose

 

• 3. Using a lathered-up mitt, start washing your car from the top and proceed downward

 

• 4. Wash and rinse the car in quarters for the best results; this helps avoid streaking and water spots

 

• 5. Wash the wheels with a brush and then rinse. This should be the last part of your car washing

 

• 6. Rinse the entire vehicle again

 

• 7. Use one towel to soak up most of the water on the car

 

8. Use the second towel to dry the car completely

Now that you’ve washed your car, it’s time to take a ride and show off your clean vehicle around town. A clean car can make you feel great about how it looks and shows off, especially if it’s a sports car that turns heads when you drive past onlookers.