Top collision shops know how to keep your car looking great. Here are some tips from Barry’s Auto Body on Staten Island.
How to wash your car:
- Always wash your car in the shade so that the heat of the sun doesn’t bake on the soap and dirt while you are washing.
- Always use a liquid soap to wash your vehicle. Don’t use gritty laundry detergents because they can scratch the finish. Collision shops recommend using a car shampoo.
- Use two 5 gallon buckets with grit guards in both to keep large particles of debris from falling back into your wash pail. Using a wash pail saves on water but if you don’t keep that water free of grit while washing, you will just be reapplying dirt to your vehicle’s exterior. Using two separate pails with two separate sponges for washing and rinsing will ensure a thorough cleaning.
- Use a soft cloth or micro-fiber wash mitt for scrubbing. It is important that you use soft shammies or sheep skin to avoid scratching the finish. They grab dirt while protecting your cars finish. Open the hood and the trunk and remove any dirt, leaves, seeds and grime that gets stuck in the lip.
- Use a low pressure hose nozzle to give your car a final rinse. You may be tempted to use a hard spray to be sure that all the soap and grime is rinsed from your car, but high pressure nozzles can be hard on the paint. To be sure that you get a good rinse without causing damage, use a low pressure nozzle to slowly rinse your car. Start at the top and work your way down. Be sure to get into the wheel wells and around the rims.
- Dry your car using clean, dry shammies. Be sure you have several clean, dry shammies on hand to dry your finish to a high sheen. Soft shammies will suck up the water quickly.
As one of Staten Island’s top collision shops, we offer our customers a professional for a gentle, hand wash and detailing, call us at 718 948-8585 to schedule an appointment.