If there is a single maintenance activity that offers the biggest benefit to your car's appearance, it's keeping your car clean through regular car washing.  Washing is the process of removing loose dirt and road film from your car's exterior surfaces.  That means more than just a good hosing.  You have to scrub it with car wash shampoo and a sponge or wash mitt.

A proper wash starts with proper was car wash products.  Your choice of wash mitt, wash shampoo and drying towels is very important.  Poor quality car wash products will clean and dry your car, but they won't pamper the finish.  Over time these inexpensive products will create swirl marks and dull the paint finish. We offer this complete Sonus Wash Kit for an easy car washing solution that will please even the most ardent car enthusiast.

Car washing can be a double-edged sword, though, as even the mildest soaps can remove the protection from your car's paint, causing premature oxidation.  Detergents can dull your car's finish even faster.  For many years, BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari and many other fine-automobile makers recommended using only pure water to wash your car.

The high-quality car wash shampoos made today are very gentle on paint, plastic and rubber.  A good car wash shampoo provides lubrication to prevent scratching and conditioners to maintain the shine.  Be sure to select a quality product that's not counterproductive to your detailing efforts.

As well as a good shampoo, it takes a variety of car wash products and tools to correctly wash a car.  I like using car wash brushes to clean hard-to-reach areas, such as between body panels.  I also like using brushes on lower body panels, where road grease and tar collect.

Make sure your brushes are paint-safe, such as this brush from Carrand.  It is exceptionally soft and safe.

CAR WASH & DRY TOOLS

A towel is a towel, right?  Unfortunately, no. Most bath towels use a backing material that contains heavy polyester thread.  The edges of the towel are stitched with polyester thread, too.  Pound for pound, polyester is stronger than steel.  This is great for long-lasting bath towels, but it's not so good for your car's paint.   Traditional polyester and polyester blend thread scratches automotive paint finishes.  Use paint-safe microfiber or 100% cotton detailing towels.

Your choice of car wash tools is important, too.  You should find a wash tool that is comfortable for you to use, but take a few things into consideration.  First, your wash tool should hold a lot of soapy water.  The more it holds, the more soapy water you can get on your car.   This is important for lubrication.  The lubrication created by soapy water is what prevents dirt from scratching the paint.

I like genuine wool wash mitts because they release dirt a grit easily.  While they may not last as long as a sponge, they also don't put swirls in your paint. A great alternative to the wool wash mitt is the Sonus Der Wunder Wash Mitt, made with a plush chenille microfiber material.

Use a wash tool that cleans easily.  If it does not easily release dirt and grit, it's not safe.  I like car wash tools with a lot of fibers, like a lamb's wool mitt or a cotton-chenille-covered sponge.  Contrary to many beliefs, the natural sea sponge and the boar's hair brush are not good car wash tools.  Modern wash tools make these relics things of the past.  A safe wash brush can be used on the lower body panels, but should not be used above the bottom-of-the-door line.

The recent popularity of microfiber has created a large number of microfiber products, including microfiber wash mitts.  In my own testing I have concluded that many of the microfiber wash mitts are not paint safe.  If the fibers have hooked or split ends, designed for dry cleaning and dusting, the cloth will not be free-rinsing.  This means that the cloth will retain dirt until it is heavily agitated in a washing machine.  The retained dirt particles may scratch your paint.

For drying, a combination of tools may be necessary.  The sheepskin chamois towel has been used for centuries as a towel for drying.  This naturally soft leather is very absorbent.  All-natural chamois are still a good choice, but they are not as effective or as easy to use as modern drying towels and synthetic chamois.

If you like to dry in a hurry, there are paint-safe squeegees available that will quickly remove 80% of the water from your car with just a few strokes.  Follow up with a good towel, and you're done.  If you use a paint-safe squeegee, be careful.  It only takes one small dirt particle between the blade and your car to create a scratch.

A paint-safe squeegee makes drying much faster.  Use only a  paint-safe squeegee on a wet surface.  One pass is enough to remove the surface water for fast drying.

CAR WASHING & DRYING SUMMARY

Regular car washing is very important to maintaining your car's appearance.  Most people forget some of the simple, quick steps that can keep a new car looking new.  Take just a few extra minutes when you wash to wipe down the engine, door jambs and trunk.  Keeping these areas clean prevents a bigger cleanup job later.  To make your job easier and more enjoyable, invest in a few good car wash products.  Quality car wash tools make a huge difference.