If you own a high-quality watch, you want to keep it in very good condition for as long as possible. However, if the car is used regularly, one or the other small scratch and of course stubborn dirt cannot be avoided. If you clean the car thoroughly at certain intervals and then even polish and wax it, it will look almost as good as new again afterwards.
Washing a car the right way
If you want to use the car wash as infrequently as possible to preserve the paint, then you should still visit it at least twice a year. Especially after winter it is important to clean the car from all sides from dirt and road salt. it works better in the car wash than when cleaning by hand, because the water jet reaches even the hidden places.
A car wash is better than its reputation – picture: kroner / GTu
With the hand wash you should make sure that you use utensils that are as gentle as possible. Sponges can scratch the paint, while soft cotton cloths and microfiber cloths used properly will not harm the car. Different colored cloths should be used for windows, paint and rims. Two buckets, one with the detergent and one to wash out the cloths, should be provided. In the trade there are special cleaners that do not attack the wax layer of the car. These are preferable to a conventional household detergent. You have to work systematically from top to bottom when washing the car.
Provided you have a high-pressure cleaner If you own a car, you can use it to clean not only the body, but also the rims, from coarse dirt and dust beforehand. Due to the strong pressure, even dried dirt is loosened and the whole thing works without the addition of chemical agents. But when using a pressure washer, be careful not to aim the jet directly at the paint, but to keep a certain distance from it. What else is important in smart car care, you can read here.
At the latest, when it comes to cleaning the windows, you should no longer dispense with cleaning agents. Special window cleaners ensure that you not only have a full view again, but that the windows also remain clean for a long time. High-quality cleaners ensure that water beads off and no streaks appear. There are also special cleaners for aluminum rims that you should use. In addition, a soft toothbrush can help get the dirt out of the cracks and grooves as well.
For the sake of the environment, however, it should be clarified beforehand whether you are allowed to wash your car in front of your own door at all!
When washing by hand, you should take your time. – image: pixabay©sasint (CC0 1.0)
For the perfect high gloss: polishing the car
Ordinary car paint has one main purpose: to protect the delicate bodywork from various environmental influences, such as rain, snow and dirt. In addition, for many gifted car owners it has a completely different advantage. It gives the car its chic exterior and ensures more individuality on the roads. Over time, however, the paint can dull and the overall appearance suffers from the dull, matte surface.
If you want the paint and thus the whole car to shine again in new splendor, then you should polish the car regularly. However, before you buy a new polishing machine, you should inform yourself sufficiently about the necessary steps. Otherwise, improper use of this equipment can quickly cause damage to the paint.
Polishing a car by hand is very time-consuming, but you have everything under control. – picture: kfztech.De
This is how you proceed with the polishing
Before you polish the paint, it must be adequately prepared. Clean the car thoroughly and make sure that the polishing is done soon after the car wash. If you wait too long between these two steps, you risk getting dirt trapped again. This can negatively influence the result of the polish.
If you are polishing the car for the very first time, you can start right away with a professional machine start. This is much faster and more comfortable than polishing by hand. Handling the machine is not necessarily easy. For beginners, it is therefore advisable to first practice with the polishing paste and a sponge in order to get to know the texture of the paint and the process as such.
It is important to choose the right polishing agent, depending on the condition of the paintwork. For the polish by hand if you put some polishing paste on a sponge that is included in the delivery or on a separate sponge. As an alternative to a soft, fine-pored sponge, you can use so-called polishing absorbent cotton. This is particularly gentle on the paint. Never apply the polishing paste directly to the paint, but always to the sponge or absorbent cotton first!
Make either small, circular movements or alternating vertical and horizontal movements. Make sure that only a very slight pressure is applied so that not too much paint is removed. If you have polished an area, the excess paste is removed with a soft dry cloth. Afterwards, examine the result and rework if necessary. For this purpose, be sure to place your car in daylight so that you can see everything clearly. The following video of a professional shows the process very clearly.
car polishing by hand | practice car polishing | lvl 1 – for beginners
Polishing a car with a machine
Should you want to polish right away with the polishing machine, that is also possible. However, you must exercise the necessary caution here. Because the machine works much more efficiently, damage to the paint can occur more quickly.
Before polishing, adjacent plastic parts, door handles, strips, etc. should be removed.Taped off are. Once you are familiar with the machine, apply a little polish to the rotation area. Then go over an area with little pressure to first distribute the agent on the surface. Depending on the need, the rotation point can be moistened with a little water, so that the device runs even more smoothly and there is less resistance.
Once you feel comfortable using the machine, run it crosswise over all surfaces to be polished. This movement is carried out first in the vertical direction, then in the horizontal direction. When they are finished, the paste is removed with a soft cloth and re-polished. The video shows the exact procedure of polishing for advanced users with the eccentric polishing machine.
car polishing with the eccentric polisher | practice car polishing | lvl 2 – for advanced users
Waxing the car – the alternative to polishing
If the paint is not badly damaged, you do not necessarily have to polish in many cases. sometimes it is enough to wax the car to give it a fresh shine. Waxing not only serves as an alternative to polishing, but can also be done as an after-treatment. The wax protects a freshly painted, polished or washed car from harmful environmental influences such as bird droppings, dirt or aggressive road salt.
Theoretically, you can treat the car after a thorough wash with a special wax. In this way the car will look longer like freshly washed. you also save a lot of work for cleaning, because the dirt and various liquids roll off. The video shows what waxing is all about.
waxing your car properly / how to wax your car
How to wax the car
If you have the car washed in the car wash, hot waxing is part of certain washing programs offered by many suppliers. If you wax the car by hand, however, the result will be more even and last longer. The prerequisite for this is to be particularly thorough. Take your time and wax the car in a quiet minute.
Before the application, the car is washed thoroughly. Then the wax is applied with a cloth specially designed for this purpose or with a soft foam sponge. The wax is worked in with light, circular movements. Do not use the wax too sparingly, but use enough so that the residue is still visible to the naked eye immediately after application.
If the whole car was treated, you have to wait until the wax is dry. Certain components evaporate and as a result the car shines in new splendor. It can take between one and three hours for the volatile ingredients to evaporate completely, depending on the product and the weather conditions.
