How do you wash a car?
The best way to wash your car is to first remove all rubbish, clean the rubber mats, rinse the bodywork at an approved washing site, and then wash it with Soapa and a soft car sponge. Avoid strong chemicals—a superfatty soap goes a long way and is gentle on both the car and the environment.
How to wash your car step by step – environmentally friendly and effectively:
1. Empty the car
Start by removing all rubbish, old packaging, and loose items. Sort and recycle wherever possible.
2. Clean the rubber mats
Remove the mats and scrub them with a soft brush and superfatty all-purpose soap. Rinse thoroughly and leave them to dry.
3. Rinse the car
Always wash your car at a car wash or at a location with an approved drain. Washing it at home on the driveway can spread heavy metals into nature. Rinse gently with low pressure to remove dirt and grit.
4. Wash with a car sponge and soap
Use a soft car sponge and lukewarm water with superfatty soap. It also works as a natural degreaser—strong chemicals are not necessary.
5. Rinse and dry the car
Rinse thoroughly and dry the car with a microfiber cloth or similar to prevent water spots.
The rule is to wash the car—don’t scrub it!
Paintwork is scratched more easily than you might think, so be careful. The water should be lukewarm, and remember never to use more than three-quarters of the water in the bucket. The last quarter is dirty, as each rinse releases dirt from the sponge, so change the water when one-quarter remains. The sponge should be rinsed in the bucket frequently—better once too often than once too little!
– Rinse the car and let it dry.
If you were planning to wax the car, now is the time! If you do not have time but still need a little extra shine, there is a “household tip” / shortcut at the end of the video connected to this blog post. Exterior plastic details will look much better with the soap; the fat in the soap makes them clean, shiny, and attractive.
Household tip for the car – Windshield wipers should be replaced as soon as they deteriorate; worn wiper blades are a traffic hazard. But if you urgently need to “freshen them up” a little, apply some hand sanitizer and rub it in—they will get a little new life!
( Another tip is to choose more practical clothes if you are not going to take photos for a blog 😉 )
How do you remove insects stuck to the front of the car?
Insects are a problem and can become firmly stuck to the front of the car. Work up a foam with the soap and let it work for a while; then simply wipe and rinse.
Wheels, the jewels of the car!
The wheels are often called the jewels of the car. These jewels, the wheels, often get tar spots, so you need to brush them with a wheel brush and soap.
The same principle applies here: grease dissolves grease. Tar is greasy, so the soap will dissolve the tar spots if you let it work for a little while.
Note that using a wheel brush is important because you need to clean the entire wheel. If you miss anything inside the wheel, it can cause an imbalance, which you will feel when you drive.
Rinse the car and wheels, and you are done!
If you want to wax the car, that is of course fine—choose a good product, read the ingredients list, and ask in the store. If you want a little shortcut… a “household trick”, you will find it at the end of the video!
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Questions and answers
- Why is it important to remove all loose dust and grit before you start washing the car?
Removing loose dust and grit first reduces the risk of scratching the paint during the washing process, which is particularly important because water can act as an abrasive surface.