You're Washing Your Car Wrong: 15 Mistakes to Avoid

Washing your car is a simple task, right? Well, what if I told you that you were doing it wrong? Here are 15 mistakes to avoid when washing your car.

You Skip the Pre-Wash Stage

black bmw car with yellow and green light — Photo by Nikola Tasic

Pre-washing your car is important, but what exactly does that entail? To get off dirt and debris, you should rinse your car with water before you start washing. This will get some of that stuff off the car and will help prevent scratches.

You Use the Wrong Cleaning Products

person holding yellow plastic spray bottle — Photo by JESHOOTS.COM

Make sure the products you are using are specifically for cars. If you use household cleaning products, the chemicals could damage your car. No one wants the paint to peel or scratches to occur because they used the wrong cleaning products.

You Use Household Glass Cleaner on Car Windows

Household glass cleaners can sometimes cause streaks when they are cleaning. That is something you don’t want to occur when you are cleaning your car window because you need to see out of it. Car glass cleaners are made for, well, cars and won’t leave streaks, making it a seamless clean.

You Neglect Headlight Restoration

a close up of the front of a car — Photo by Eyosias G

Headlights help you see at night, but sometimes they become cloudy. This will reduce the visibility you have and is not very aesthetically pleasing. There are kits you can get that restore headlights to their former glory.

You Use One Bucket for Washing

Green plastic bucket on stones — Photo by Jeff Kingma

If you use one bucket, there is a chance you are just wiping the dirt back onto your car. Using two buckets will decrease your chance of getting an outcome that is less than desirable. Use one bucket for rinsing and one bucket for soapy water. You’ll be glad you did!

You Improperly Dry Your Car

a blue and white car — Photo by Brian Lundquist

Letting your car air dry or wiping it with a bathroom towel are both improper ways to dry it. It is best to use microfiber towels to dry off your car. This will result in less water spots and less potential damage to your car.

You Ignore the Importance of Microfiber Cleaning Cloths

Microfiber cleaning cloths should be the only type of towel you use when cleaning your car. They are gentle, so they don’t scratch paint. Other types of towels, not so much.

You Skip the Clay Bar Treatment

A clay bar treatment is when detailing clay is used to remove dirt, debris, dust, and more from your car. The clay bar is soft, making it the best thing to use for detailing because it won’t scratch your paint.

You Use a Dirty Sponge

A sponge and a sponge on a white surface — Photo by matsushita kouki

Using a dirty sponge is the worst thing you can do when washing your car! You can get scratches from the sponge on the paint of your car. You can also just keep adding the same dirt back to your car that you are trying to wash off.

You Apply Wax or Polish in Direct Sunlight

a man washing a car with a sponge — Photo by Nik

If you want your car to have streaks, then wax or polish it in direct sunlight. If you would rather it have a nice finish; then it is probably best to wax or polish in the shade or during a cooler part of the day. This way the wax won’t dry quickly causing cosmetic issues.

You Neglect the Wheels and Tires

person washing vehicle tire — Photo by Elly Johnson

The wheels and tires are a part of your car, so they should get the proper wash care. There are special cleaners for wheels and tires that you shouldn’t sleep on. Your tires will match the cleanliness of your car and that’s always a plus!

You Forget About the Undercarriage

grayscale photo of black car — Photo by Clément M.

The undercarriage is just as important as the rest of the car. You shouldn’t ignore this area because it gets dirt and debris, just like the rest of the car. The main difference is that the undercarriage can rust from lack of cleaning, so make sure you are cleaning it.

You Skip Interior Detailing

black bmw car steering wheel — Photo by Philipp Katzenberger

The interior is important to clean because it also collects dust and debris. There could be stains on your seats, too, that should be taken care of. Lack of cleaning of the interior can cause your car to smell bad, and nobody wants that.

You Polish Improperly

a red car parked in a parking lot next to a building — Photo by Kreit

Polishing improperly will give your car a bad look, literally. There will be swirls and possible uneven surfaces. The key to polishing is to have the right polish and use the right tools to make sure your car shines and looks good.

You Skip the Final Inspection

a man washing a red sports car in a garage — Photo by Francis Painchaud

To make sure your car is squeaky clean, it is good to do a final inspection to see if there were any areas you missed. This will make sure that you got every inch of your car clean and will have it looking perfect!