A proper wash and dry could mean the difference between your paint shining or your paint dying. It is best to wash your car on a weekly basis. Why? Because over time road contaminants can build up on your paint surface, and the longer you go without washing the more contaminants and deeper into your paint they get. some of these contaminants include bird droppings, bugs, and brake dust. These contaminants also tend to be corrosive, so the longer you leave them on your paint, the more damage you are causing. Using the proper tools will help you to get the job done right the first time.

Sponges and mitts:
Pick a sponge or mitt that has deep pockets or inlays. Denser sponges and mitt's tend to be more harmful to the paint because they hold the particles closer to the surface, rather than trapping them deeper in the sponge or mitt and holding them away from the paint surface.

Car wash solutions:
Using the proper car wash solution will help save you time while fully removing contaminants from your car. A dish detergent is NOT an ideal choice for washing your car. Dish detergents will actually remove protective layers from your cars finish making your paint more vulnerable. A good car wash will not remove protective layers and will fully lubricate contaminates on your car so they easily slide off.

Wash Bucket:
In order to get the best finish out of your wash every time, it is ideal to use two separate buckets. Fill one bucket with your wash solution and use the other as a rinse bucket. as you wash, you collect particles in your mitt or sponge. If you use one bucket you are recycling those particles into your wash solution. In using a separate bucket for rinsing the particles are then deposited into a separate bucket leaving your mitt or sponge free and clear of grit.

Drying tools:
Properly drying your car will help to bring out its shine and prevent the etching of mineral deposits left behind from water. There are many different tools that can be used to dry your car. The most common of these tool is the chamois. Weather using a genuine or synthetic chamois is your choice. A genuine chamois will hold more water and is a softer cloth on your paint surface, however it will not last as long as a synthetic chamois. Using a large Microfiber cloth is also acceptable. Microfiber cloths are great at grabbing water, but will not hold as much as a good chamois. Another usefull tool in drying your car is a California water blade. like a large squeegee, the water blade will push the water off the surface of the car, however, unlike a squeegee, the water blade is made from silicone so it is paint safe. the water blade will remove most of the water in a timely fashion, but you will need to go over the paint surface with either a chamois or microfiber cloth afterward to remove any water left behind.

Wheel and tire care:
When choosing a wheel and tire cleaner be sure to choose a non-corrosive, water based cleaner. this will prevent damaging the paint finish in the even of over spray. Use a medium stiffness brush to agitate dirt particles from the wheel and tire surface.


Having the right tools is only half the battle. using them properly will help you achieve the awesome shine you have been looking for.

Start in a cool shady area, do not wash in a sunny area. Start with your wheels and tires first. This way any particles that may stray onto your paint can be washed off when we wash the rest of the car. Using your non-corrosive cleaning agent and medium brush, spray your wheels and tires, agitate any tough grit with your brush, you may need to use a microfiber towel to get the wheels nice and clean. Thoroughly rinse.

Rinse your car with a steady stream of water, there is no need to blast your car with a high pressure stream. A good rinse will remove any of the larger particles. Using your two buckets fill one with clean, plain water, and use the other for you car wash mix. start at the top of the vehicle working your way downward. Rinse your sponge often to remove particles, this will help prevent swirl marks in your paint. there will be more particles on the lower body panels so it will be necessary to rinse more often on the lower panels. Rinse the remaining soap solution from your car with a steady stream of water as necessary.

The trick in getting a good wash comes with drying. the longer the rinse water sits on the vehicle, the more mineral deposits will appear. Start with your windows and mirrors and move to the body of the car. To remove water the quickest I suggest using a water blade to remove most of the water quickly, then finishing up with a good quality chamois. This will help bring out the shine and stop the etching of mineral deposits. Using a seperate towel, dry your door jambs, hood and trunk jambs. then using annother separate towel, dry your wheels and tires.

Good post. the only problem i see is the chamois. chamois hold dirt that can scratch. mothers recommends a micro fiber cloth. i like a leaf blower

Same here. I use a m/f waffle weave and it absorbs everything. Chamois do a good job too but the risk for scratching is a lot higher. I'd use a leaf blower if I had one though. Haha my neighbors would really think I'm nuts

it's good for light snow too

Leaf blower sounds like a wise idea. I may have to try that sometime in the future.

Thank you for posting that write-up, Brandon!

good post man

MF waffle is the best way to go, leafblower not bad but can be a PITA if leaves or something get blown onto the still wet surface of the car.

One thing I will add is with the 2 bucket method, DO NOT use a sponge, use only a good microfiber wash mitt, and a product called the "Grit Guard" in your 2nd (clean water) bucket. It's a ilttle platform that helps to keep the dirt at the bottom of the bucket so it doesn't redeposit on the mitt.

Also, for the love of god, DO NOT USE DISH SOAP!!!! Unless, in an extreme case, you are actually intending to strip some old layers of wax or products, and planning to IMMEDIATELY reapply wax or other sealant, find yourself a good automotive shampoo. Personally, when I was tight on cash, i bought this stuff called purple passion at autozone for like 5 bucks for a gallon or so. Worked amazingly well, super cheap, and won't harm your paint.

Eagle 1 all wheel and tire cleaner is a super good product, gets the crap off your wheels but also the grime off your tires so that your tire shine (i recommend eagle 1 tire gel) will apply more evenly, look better, and last longer.

seems like sonic has a good grip on this stuff, but I will just let everyone know that I'm a detailer (as in I do it for money on the side), so if you have questions or want product recommendations, or even want to get your name down for once the better weather comes (I will be offering discounts for rekless members) just shoot me a PM. I'm on just about every day and will respond most times within hours

i know it might sound stupid but if your going to use a leaf blower make sure its cleaned. i know someone who used the one he used for landscaping in his bike and pitted the shit out of it cause the filter was bad and rocks were caught inside!! good post brandon, maybe it should be a sticky!!

I use an electric leaf blower all the time on my black car...neighbors definitely think I've lost it.
Any yeah, I would take Eric's advice, watch out for debris in the blower.

very nice

Good find Brandon....that water blade thingy should not be used on nice cars ....if fine grit gets under the blade you'll drag it and have miro scratches.....

Being a detailer i find MicoFiber is the best on car paint, but it dont hold a lot of water and takes 2 to 3 times londer to dry, A Natural chamois whould be better with the waffle texture for the person who cleans their daily driver and not a 75k car with a 10k paint job.

I would hope that it would be common sense to check to make sure the leafblower was clear of debris before using it on paint

As for drying clothes. I like my microfibers. Yea they take a little longer to dry the vehicle but its worth the time then risking scratching the paint.