Our cars work hard for us—taking us to work, the shops, visiting family and friends (when it’s safe to do so), and so on. Many drivers often take their car to the car wash, but in these pandemic times why not save your money and prioritise your health by washing it yourself?
Here’s what we recommend…
Level one—the super express clean
A pressure washer is the best tool for this job. But if you don’t have one, a garden hose with a spray gun attachment will do the job nicely. Other equipment needed includes two buckets, a washing mitt or glove, car shampoo and a microfiber cloth.
Give yourself an hour to carry out the clean and check the weather forecast before you start. No point doing this job in the rain! It’s also a good idea to clean your car in the shade.
Pre-rinse the car to start. Rinse the loose dirt from the body and between the car panel gaps. Power wash the wheel arches and alloy wheels. Removing dirt this way minimizes your chances of scratching the paintwork with the mitt.
Next, fill one bucket with clean water and the other with soapy stuff. Put on the washing mitt and dip in the soapy water, and use toe remove the reaming dust and dirt from the paintwork. Be very gentle, using a side to side movement rather than circular as this will result in fewer swirl marks and ensure consistent application of the soap.
Stubborn stains or marks may need a bit more work.
Rinse the mitt in the clean water every time before dipping back in the soapy water.
Next, use the hose or pressure washer to rinse the car properly. Once all the soap has been removed, use the microfiber cloth to dry the car. These cloths are less likely to damage your paintwork, and they will get rid of smears. Again, use a soft touch and a side to side movement to dry your car.
Level two—the deluxe wash
Want to give your car a more thorough cleaning? Follow the pre-rinse, wash and try method above and then add some extras.
For the more extensive clean, you will need more microfiber clothes, a bush or portable vacuum cleaner and a specialist cleaning product designed for car interiors.
Clean outside of the glass. Over time, grime builds up on the outside glass, which can restrict your vision when driving at night or into direct sunlight.
Apply specialist glass cleaner to half the window screen and wipe off using the microfiber cloth. This time use circular motions that overlap to ensure you cover the entire surface.
When the windscreen is clean and free of streaks, tackle the side and back windows. This can take time, so be patient. Along with neat paintwork, streak-free, clean glass will make your car look brand new.
Following the outside clean, move onto the inside. Cover the dashboard with old towels to catch any drips from the cleaner and use the same method as above for the interior windows. If you check from the outside, you will spot any smears on the inside.
Include the rear-view mirrors and the mirrors in the sun visor.
For the rest of the car’s interior, use a damp microfiber cloth to clean the leather, vinyl and plastic surfaces. You can also use a specialist cleaner here, though do not use these on the steering wheel, gearstick or pedals.
Remove the floor mats and brush away the dirt. Give the door handles and sills a wipe the microfiber cloth. Finally, finish off with a thorough vacuum clean of the seats and floors.
And there you have it! A very clean car.
Here at Budget Maids we provide cleaning services in Olney, a maid service in Potomac or cleaning services in Columbia and surrounds (i.e. VA and most of Maryland). Why not give us a call today and let us help you all your interior cleaning needs?
