How often to wash the car and with what
Useful tips for motorists

How often to wash the car and with what

Over the entire life of the body, the car is repeatedly washed, so even the slightest mistakes in this deceptively simple procedure accumulate and quickly lead to the loss of the car's presentation. It is very important to master the right technology and never deviate from it, even if different types of washing equipment and consumables are used.

How often to wash the car and with what

What to choose, contactless or contact car wash

The paintwork of the body (LCP) will be injured in any type of washing. The only task is to minimize this harm, which means to prefer contactless washing.

With contactless washing technology, a specialized shampoo is applied to the body, it is given time to work, after which it, together with the raised dirt, will be washed away by a stream of water. It remains to dry the body, which can also be done without contact with the surface, but soft wipes are more often used.

It is important to follow certain rules, without which either the coating will be at risk, or it will simply not wash off well:

  • The shampoo is applied from the bottom up, because this way he will have more time to work with the most polluted areas that are closer to the road;
  • Before applying, do not pour water on the car, it will create a certain barrier between the detergent and the body;
  • Lastly, the hood is covered, since a hot engine is located under it, the product can not only work out, which takes a minimum of time at high temperatures, but also dry, after which it will also have to be washed somehow;
  • It is impossible to supply water under very high pressure, otherwise it will penetrate deep into the microcracks of varnish and paint, significantly expanding them;
  • Even if you wipe the body dry in appearance, water will still remain in the microstructure of the paintwork, it is completely removed either during natural air drying or when blown with warm air.

Only special compositions for car washing should be used, no household products can replace them, but they can cause irreparable harm.

Car wash chemicals

All car shampoos are divided into compositions for manual or automatic washing, as well as for non-contact. The latter are more aggressive, because they are forced to work actively, enveloping the dirt and depriving it of its adhesion properties with the body. They usually have an alkaline composition.

It is impractical to keep them on the body for a long time, so there is not much difference whether they are used in the form of foam, passing through the foam generator or in the form of an emulsion. They will fulfill their task in any case, and the main quality of the foam - the ability to stay on vertical surfaces for a long time - is not used in this case.

How often to wash the car and with what

In the same way, it makes no sense to use strong agents in contact washing, manual or automatic. The dirt will still be removed mechanically, so it makes sense to protect the paintwork from the unnecessary influence of an alkaline environment. In addition, these compositions are devoid of anti-friction properties that provide sliding during manual washing.

The composition of car shampoos, in addition to surfactants, may include protective and water-repellent preservatives. There is no particular point in using them during the washing process, it is better to spend a little time and rub the body with a decorative preservative on a wax or other basis after drying.

Such a coating will become much better, last longer and perform better its functions of imparting shine, repelling water and dirt, as well as preserving the formed pores and microcracks.

How often to wash the car and with what

This is especially true if a contactless car wash with a fairly aggressive agent is used. It will not cause much harm to the varnish, and it will completely wash off the weak coating of the substances contained in the shampoo.

A high-quality protective composition, applied by hand, followed by manual polishing, withstands several contactless washes.

car wash process

Before washing the car, stock up on equipment and consumables. It is best to use machines that supply water under pressure, but without the use of particularly hard nozzles, such as a turbo cutter. They are not intended for this, they can only remove petrified dirt from the frame and chassis of SUVs.

Of the other accessories, it is desirable to have:

  • detergents - car shampoos;
  • brushes of different hardness for washing hard-to-reach places of the body, disks and wheel arches;
  • means for cleaning bituminous stains;
  • with a sponge or mitten for hand washing, several of them are required, an abrasive is quickly introduced into the soft material;
  • microfiber cloths for drying the body;
  • a large amount of water, if you save it when washing, then it’s better not to wash the car at all, the body will live longer.

The place for washing is chosen specialized, it is allowed to wash cars only where it is provided. But in any case, not in the sun and not in the cold.

Where to start

If manual washing with a mild shampoo is supposed, then coarse dirt must first be knocked off the machine with water under pressure.

Then a foamy shampoo is applied, preferably with a foam nozzle. After a short delay, it is washed off with plenty of water with a sponge or mitten.

How often to wash the car and with what

Do not rub with pressure in a circular motion, as this can cause too well-marked curved scratches. They form in any case, but are almost invisible, especially if they are straight and located along the car.

Karcher Foam Nozzle - Testing the LS3 Foam Nozzle on the Karcher K5 Compact

How to rub the body

The desired softness is best provided by a large foam sponge. It must be moistened abundantly, it is best to constantly rub under running water.

For heavily soiled areas, one sponge is used, which is then discarded. The rest of the body is washed with another, clean one, but it should not be reused either.

Most of all, you should be wary of abrasive particles from the dirt, which are actively retained in any material used when rubbing the body.

How often to wash the car and with what

Far from everywhere you can get a rag, sponge or mitten. In such cases, brushes with synthetic bristles are used. It is sold specifically for car washing; with an arbitrary choice, the polymer may turn out to be excessively hard.

How often to wash the car in winter and summer

There are no restrictions for summer washing, you can wash it at least daily, as long as you follow the rules and not cause mechanical damage to the paintwork. In winter, it is more difficult, frost causes the formation of tiny ice crystals in pores and cracks, which gradually destroys the coating.

But you still need to wash your car, because dirt tends to retain moisture and create exactly the same effect, but on a larger scale. In addition, it hides the corrosion processes that have begun, which must be stopped immediately.

How often to wash the car and with what

Therefore, in winter, you should wash a car that is used daily, at a frequency of about twice a month, but at a properly equipped car wash.

The main thing is that the car, after removing dirt and shampoo residues, be thoroughly dried first with microfiber cloths, and then with warm air under pressure. This will also save locks and other details from freezing.

The influence of car color on the frequency of washing

The worst cars in terms of body cleanliness are black. No better and other equally dark shades. Not only is any slightest dirt visible on them, but after washing it may turn out that it has changed to stains that look no better. Frequent washing will quickly lead to a network of scratches and the need for polishing, which will take away some of the varnish.

You need to think about this before purchasing a black car, but if this happens, then you need to wash it exclusively in a non-contact way with careful monitoring of compliance with the technology. It is best if it is done by professionals. But it is also worth watching them to see how well they use the available funds.

Light shades can be washed much less frequently, light dirt on such bodies is invisible. If you do not abuse this property of white cars, then the paint will last much longer than that of black ones, and even manual washing will bring less harm in total. Especially when applying a decorative preservative polish after every second wash.

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