On The Road With Curtis
A Beginner’s Guide to Washing Your Car Safely Between Detailing
Come on the road with me and experience my passion for cars and people, along with a few sayings and tips that have built my business and sustained my love of detailing. This month, we are starting with the basics.
I have detailed cars for over 30 years and have valuable maintenance knowledge. Cars are a significant investment, and in my interactions, clients genuinely care about their cars but may not understand how to care for them over time. Washing a car sounds simple, but if you are new to it, a few small details can make the difference between a safe wash and one that quietly wears down your paint.
Washing your car at home is one of the easiest ways to take care of it — and once you know a few simple habits, it’s hard to get wrong. Here’s a beginner-friendly system that keeps your paint looking great, wash after wash.
A Few Habits That Make a Big Difference
Use car-specific soap: Regular dish soap is designed to cut grease, which sounds useful, but it also strips away your paint’s protective wax. A pH-neutral car wash soap cleans just as well without stripping that protection, so your paint stays shielded longer.
Wash with two buckets: One bucket for soapy water, one for rinsing your mitt. This keeps the dirt you have already removed from getting reloaded onto your mitt, so every pass stays clean and gentle on the paint. It is a small change that makes a noticeable difference.
Dry with a microfiber towel: Letting your car air-dry is tempting, but a quick towel-dry gives a cleaner, spot-free finish. A soft microfiber towel dries the paint safely and leaves it smooth and streak-free.
Gather your supplies
- pH-neutral car wash soap
- Two buckets with grit guards
- A microfiber wash mitt
- A microfiber drying towel
Quick Tip:Â For the tires and wheels, use a different set of supplies!