Car Wash

Since childhood, I have been washing our cars, helping my dad. It was simple then, using running water from a hose and wash cloth. I personally washed our cars till today. I moved from using car shampoo to using water alone. I have the cars cleaned at any car wash service if I am in the rush. I used cloth to sponge to apply my car shampoo... and there you go, scratches and swirl marks.  Don't you just hate to seem them whenever lights or the sun shines on your car paint. It irritates me. 

I did quite sometime reading thru the internet about it and from there I made my car wash regimen around the two-bucket system. Mind you, I have little swirls and scratches on my cars. In fact, I once had my car washed at Big Bert's in Ortigas and they were amazed on the rarerity of swirls and scratches.

video reference c/o youtube

Wash Materials:

1. Microtex Wash Mitt ~ 329.75Pesos @ sulit.com.ph

2. 3M microfiber towel ~ 249Pesos @ aceharware SM

3. 3M chamois ~ 240Pesos @ sulit.com.ph

4. Polyglaze car wash and wax ~ 500Pesos @ acehardware SM

5. gritt guard ~ ordered from the US @ 10USD 

6. 2 x large plastic pale

7. foam

The microtex wash mitt is the cheapest but still you would get quality in applying the shampoo and removing dirt and grime. The 3M chamois is lasting and has good water absorbing versus the others I used. The 3M microfiber towel is very good is drying the car after washing as it absorbs the water and that it feels soft while rubbing on the car paint.

Procedure:

1. Wet the car use water from the hose to loosen/remove dirt.

2. Put the guard gritt in one plastic pale and fill to the full with water.

3. Put 1 cover cup of polyglaze car wash and wax on the other pale. Fill this pale to half level. 

(My mix is usually diluted with water. The amount of car wash shampoo will depend on how dirty your car is.)

4. I usually start with the hood and pour car shampoo first  from the wash mitt and let it stay for awhile. Then wipe the hood and the bumpers with wash mitt. Turn over the wash mitt as you wipe so dirt that clings to it will not scratch the paint. Minimize wiping in circles as this will result to swirl marks. I usually wipe in straight direction.

5.. Clean the wash mitt in the pale of water with gritt guard. Sud the wash mitt with the shampoo mix.

6. Shampoo the car windows and pillars. Clean the wash mitt.

7. Shampoo the roof. Clean the wash mitt. 

8. Shampoo the rear. Clean the wash mitt.

9. Waterhose the shampooed areas.

10. Shampoo the each side of the car. Make sure the wash mitt is cleaned. 

11. Waterhose the car.

12. Dry the car using the 3M chamois. Clean the chamois occasionally with water.  It is best that you don't dry the car using a rubbing/wiping/swirling action. Dry it by just patting the chamois over the water remains. This is same as some who wipe dirt/sweat from their face not by rubbing cloth but just patting on the face. This is to prevent scratching.

13. Wet the 3M microfiber towel and squeeze to remove excess water.

14. Wipe the car with the 3M microfiber towel occasionally in straight directions, turning the cloth. Clean the towel with water and then continue to wipe until the car is completely dry.

Last things:
I like the polyglaze car wash and wax because it makes really the cars very shiny and the smell is very good.
Als hHardly you can find in MetroManila a car wash service using two bucket method. If I have my car washed outside, I only go to Big Bert's in Ortigas and that's it. I personally do my car washes twice a week doing two cars. I stick to this regimen car wash and schedule to the dot regardless if it rains. It is part of my physically exercise weekly.