Let’s talk about how to clean a car in a very basic step by step way. You will need car cleaning products like a wax stripping soap, car wash scrubbing brush, toothbrush and a spray bottle. Park the car in a shady spot or garage so the paint can cool down. A hot clear coating is a soft clear coating and that equals scratches.

When the surface is only a little warm it is a great time to rinse the car it with cold water. By rinsing the car, you cool the paint down and also soften up hard dirt. If you quickly wash the car without rinsing it first, the dirt you remove can scratch the car’s surface. Never use microfiber towels at this step and do not let the car air dry from this point forward.

Use toothbrushes on car exterior trim panels. Get dirt out from nooks and crannies, especially around door moldings and window trim.

If you don’t clean thoroughly, the buffer’s vibrations will loosen dirt from small spaces. These small spaces can include a car mirror or emblem. If dirt falls on your buffer pad while using it, it can create swirls or scratches on the paint.

You can remove tough dirt by using a cleaning solution and power washing. However, you need to be careful not to get too close and accidentally remove paint.

You can wash the car by hand if you don’t want to use a power washer. Microfiber cloths or a washing mitt are great inexpensive tools. You don’t need a car wash sponge or cleaning foam.

Spray warm, soapy water on the paint. Rub a clay bar back and forth while spraying with the spray bottle. Keep it very sudsy and wet to reduce car scratches. We also have an article to teach you about how to clay bar rub a car without scratching the paint. Read our article clay bars and how to get tar off a car and how clay bar is used to remove tree sap from a car and finally how clay bar is used to remove dead bugs from car paint.

Clean the vehicle again after using the clay bar to ensure complete removal of all wax and silicone. If there is wax or silicone on the painted surface, it will clog the buffer pads and make them flat quickly. This will result in irregular cut marks resembling a daisy flower pattern that are challenging to eliminate later. People refer to this as ‘milk’ because it simultaneously gives the car’s finish a shiny and milky appearance.

If your pad is flat, it’s better to blow it out or replace it with a new one. Then, wash the car again. This time be more purposeful in the wax stripping that you are doing, and a couple dozen passes with the brush. Use clean cloths, do it by hand and do it the right way and you will never regret it. Washing the car rims is part of this process and more importantly you can find details on cleaning rims here in our blog as well as more details on how to clean car glass the right way.

You can find more information about addressing pollution spots on our blog. These spots can include tar, road paint, or stubborn dead bugs and more. If your car has any of these issues, visit our blog for help. You can also find more info there, like how to clean leather and care for plastic car door panels in our everything about car detailing library.