Car Washing Techniques/Equipment
Equipment
[edit | edit source]There are a number of items that aid in making car-washing an enjoyable and convenient practice. Old clothes and shoes are recommended in order to avoid soiling preferred clothing. If the weather feels hot then it is preferable to wait until later in the afternoon. The vehicle could also be relocated to a shaded area such as under a tree, but do not leave a clean vehicle under a tree overnight as a combination of tree sap, pollen [1], and fallen leaves may collect on it. If the weather is too cold, then the risk of contracting hypothermia (or simply experiencing discomfort) exists, and the water may freeze onto the car. Also, if rain is forecasted for when the vehicle is scheduled to be washed or for shortly after, then postpone until the threat of rain has passed. A fresh dose of rain can leave dirt and water spots — [2] grayish circles that form on the vehicle after a rainstorm.
The most common car-washing equipment:
- Two clean buckets. One bucket has the car-washing soap and the other bucket has water for rinsing the sponge in order to avoid washing your car with dirty water.
- A sponge or wash mitt made of thick soft foam (not a dishwashing sponge). Diapers, cloths, shirts, etc. are not recommended.
- Some car-washing soap. Never use dish detergents; they are far too harsh and will strip any applications of wax. Another reason to not use dish or laundry detergent is that they are harder to rinse off with cold water and may therefore leave soap scum behind.
- A water hose that is long enough to reach around the vehicle without having to be draped over the trunk or hood.
- A chamois, which is a super-absorbent cloth that does not leave lint on the vehicle.