I’m aware of how stupid this makes me look…but have at it anyhow!
Seriously though how do you wash your car and leave no streaks or spots? I usually just hit the “best” drive through wash and get the wax treatment (which does not last) but this afternoon employed the 6 year old and we got to work on both vehicles. Long story short: wet both, scrub with hand brushes soaked with wash gel mixed with water, rinse off, and air dry (it’s like 95 freedom degrees and dry as a bone).
End result - streaky and with soap rings…though technically cleaner.
I’m aware that I could probably rinse more but what else am I missing? Shitty car wash soap? Get off my ass and manually dry? Weak elbows and wrists? Low T? Need to find a new 6 year old to help?
Granted I’m in a 2008 Tacoma but still like to keep it clean since I find myself exploring a lot of backwoods roads for fly fishing/scouting. The wife however has a much newer 4Runner and I’d like to clean it up for her as best I can.
You will never, ever, get completely streak free by air drying. Your water has minerals in it that will be left behind.
If you really want to do it “right,” then you need a power washer and foam cannon.
Rinse off car with just water.
Foam cannon the car. Sit for 1 minute. Foam cannon the car again. Use high quality auto soap.
NOTE: There are multiple types of wash. Some are made to strip all the wax off your car. Some will not strip the wax. Only use the stripper if you intend to wax the car.
5 gallon bucket of clean water. Just clean water. Car cleaning mitt. Soak mitt in water and scrub the car that is covered in foam. Rinse mitt in bucket frequently.
Using power washer, remove the soap. It takes a lot of water to remove the soap. When you think you are done, you likely have to repeat.
Use a chamois or a car drying towel. You run the towel over the wet car. You are not rubbing. You are not going in a circle. You are running the towel over the car. It will pick up the water.
If you did all that and used quality soap, you will have no spots or streaks.
I just let me daughters wash mine. They are only 5 and 2 so basically the lower half gets somewhat clean. Upper half, nothing. Best part is its easy 2-3 hours of entertainment for em.
Never air dry. left to dry on its own water leaves behind the suspended minerals (water spots)
start with a cool (temperature) car. so best to wash first thing in the morning before the sun is too high in the sky. if your paint is hot your detergent will just bake on.
Brushes? huh? soft cloths (rags, t-shirts). if you car is really dirty use many many soft cloths, otherwise the dirt gets embedded in the cloth and now you’re scratching your car with little teeny dirt rocks while you wash it.
if your paint is already screwed, start polishing (not waxing). once its polished enough that you cant lean on it because you’re sliding off, then put wax on. this may take several weeks of polishing every weekend depending on how your paint is.
bonus points if you can get the local college girls to do all this for you in bikinis .
There are tons of good YouTube videos that may help. There are also tons of good vehicle forums. Find a forum for your specific vehicle and then search for wash or detailing tips.
Generally, Use two buckets, microfiber, decent soap and morning or evening wash times will go a long way.
Squeegee and hand dry. Pay attention to the edges. Brushes are for rims. Don’t skimp on the water. Keep the whole car wet until your ready to dry the whole thing. Do it out of the sun.
Use a chamois or a car drying towel. You run the towel over the wet car. You are not rubbing. You are not going in a circle. You are running the towel over the car. It will pick up the water.
I keep separate towels for drying that only get used on the cars. Make sure they are clean in between washes. They can pick up debris that will actually scratch the cars surface.
For bonus points make sure you open all the doors and clean the pillars.
I try to keep my car fairly clean as I wear suits to work and if it’s dirty and I brush against the car it sucks.
Cleaned my wife’s 4 runner yesterday and I hate cleaning that thing. Her car I take through the car wash.
You will never, ever, get completely streak free by air drying. Your water has minerals in it that will be left behind.
If you really want to do it “right,” then you need a power washer and foam cannon.
Rinse off car with just water.
Foam cannon the car. Sit for 1 minute. Foam cannon the car again. Use high quality auto soap.
NOTE: There are multiple types of wash. Some are made to strip all the wax off your car. Some will not strip the wax. Only use the stripper if you intend to wax the car.
5 gallon bucket of clean water. Just clean water. Car cleaning mitt. Soak mitt in water and scrub the car that is covered in foam. Rinse mitt in bucket frequently.
Using power washer, remove the soap. It takes a lot of water to remove the soap. When you think you are done, you likely have to repeat.
Use a chamois or a car drying towel. You run the towel over the wet car. You are not rubbing. You are not going in a circle. You are running the towel over the car. It will pick up the water.
If you did all that and used quality soap, you will have no spots or streaks.
Got it. I should clarify that we were using washing mits. Not sure I’m ready to go the full power washer/foam cannon but the rest of the tips here are really helpful.
JSA covered everything, but a pressure washer is not completely necessary. Most likely your issue was doing it in the hot sun and letting it air dry. Cool car in the shade morning or late evening is the time to wash a car. When the car is hot and/or has direct sunlight on it, it is much harder to get it to come out decent.
JSA covered everything, but a pressure washer is not completely necessary. Most likely your issue was doing it in the hot sun and letting it air dry. Cool car in the shade morning or late evening is the time to wash a car. When the car is hot and/or has direct sunlight on it, it is much harder to get it to come out decent.
I think you’re right. At 90f+, low humidity, and in the full sun we had to constantly run around the cars just to keep them wet. Next time around I’ll be doing in in the early AM and out of the sun. That and all the advice above should help a ton.
Wash with dawn, only once cuz dawn rips everything off your car and removes any wax. It’s concentrated, only a few drops. Use a bone sponge at the auto store and a bucket. When done washing, rinse with garden hose. Not a pressure washer.
Next, use a clay bar and dip it into the soapy water bucket and rip on car continuing to turn the clay bar into new spots. When done, your car should feel ultra smooth as it removes anything in the paint.
Rinse the car again until it looks perfectly clean and no Dawn. It’s concentrated, so it can continue to suds up easily.
Dry with a chamois.
Next, get Zaino car wax at zainobros.com
In the shade, put on Zaino car wax. Up and down motion on sides of car and top of car go back and forth. It goes on easily. Don’t do Daniel Son circles. Straight lines when applying. Let dry. Wipe off with cotton terry cloth towel.
Wait 24 hrs and repeat second coat.
After this, maintenance is easy. Dirt washes off easily. Wax last a really long time. Repeat once or twice a year with clay bar (if needed) and wax (polish).
After washing the car, I wipe all the excess water with a chamois and a hand squeege. Then take some towels and wipe all the extra water off the car. No water marks.
