  Proper Washing, Drying Technique and Car Wash Tips
Are you washing your car, or just damaging the paint?
Most of the swirl marks that disfigure your vehicle are likely caused by poor washing techniques. Thorough weekly washes and careful hand-drying can be the best care you can give your vehicle. Improper techniques will cause unsightly swirls and scratches in the paint, requiring compounding or polishing at the very least. You can eliminate these problems and save yourself extra work by following a few simple tips when washing and drying your vehicle.
Are you washing weekly or weakly?
Weekly washing is best because some contaminants quickly do serious long term damage to paint if they are allowed to remain. Two such organic compounds are bug splatter and bird droppings. These bio-hazards contain complex proteins that bond to the surface and nourish biological processes and organic acids that penetrate and break down the surface eating into your clear coat if not removed promptly. Weak spots in the clear coat make your vehicle susceptible to corrosion and discoloration.
Another problem contaminant is brake dust. It contains metal shavings from the rotors and adhesives used in the production of brake pads. Try to picture the dirty plume of brake dust and roadway chemicals that travels along with a moving vehicle. This fog of chemicals showers the lower portion of your vehicle with a clinging, nearly invisible mist. Brake dust itself, is highly corrosive and very sticky. Washing your vehicle once a week will remove these contaminants before they have the opportunity to do unsightly permanent damage.
Wash Tools
First Never wash in direct sunlight. Pick a shady spot. Second it’s very important to choose tools that are gentle on the paint, yet still effective at removing contamination. As a rule of thumb, sponges and mitts that are plush or have a deep nap are better than flat weave towels or dense sponges. For example, a Natural Sea Sponge has numerous deep compartments where dirt and debris can accumulate. The natural fibers themselves will not scratch the paint and they will essentially pull contamination into the sponge’s openings, away from the paint. Always use the softer side of the sponge for washing. Rinse new sea sponges thoroughly before use to remove any shell fragments or sand.
 Another option is a Sheepskin Wash Mitt. Sheepskin is extremely soft and plush. The fibers are gentle on the paint while the nap is deep enough to accommodate loose dirt and sand so they do not rub against the vehicle. Because sheepskin is natural, it does not last as long as a Microfiber mitts. However, for luxurious softness, you can’t beat the texture of sheepskin.
Cotton chenille pads and mitts are also good choices because they clean easily and they last longer than sheepskin or natural sea sponges.
Boar’s Hair Brushes are another option that enthusiasts are raving about. These paint-safe brushes are made with real boar’s hair! They hold a tremendous amount of soapy water and they provide excellent scrubbing ability. Plus, the hairs release dirt back into the wash water easily, so it doesn’t wind up back on your vehicle.
Proper Washing
- Wash the wheels and tires first. If you splash wheel cleaners or dirt onto your vehicle, you can simply wash it off as you wash your vehicle. Use a cleaner that is safe for all wheels, like Wolfgang Tire & Wheel Cleaner.It is water-based and has no corrosive chemicals, which is safer for coated wheels and rubber. Agitate with an OXO Wheel Brush or
New England Wheel Brushto clean wheels without scratching. Wash each wheel and tire one at a time and rinse thoroughly before moving on to the next one. NOW EMPTY AND RINSE ALL CLEANING MATERIALS including your Wolfgang Complete Wash System with Dolly.
- Now you’re ready to wash. Let’s start with clean water and a freshly rinsed container and The Bone by Cobra Wash Sponge.
It’s important to use a car wash that is rich in lubricants. The purpose of the car wash is to remove contaminants and lubricate them so they do not scratch the paint as they slide off the vehicle. Dish detergents are not ideal because they remove protective coatings.
Wolfgang Auto Bathe is a fantastic choice. This non-alkaline shampoo does not remove wax and provides ample lubrication of gritty particles.
 - How do you prevent swirl marks? Use two buckets. Fill one bucket with soapy water and fill the other with clean water. Each time you’re ready to reload your sponge with soapy water, dip it in the clean water first, to rinse out the grit and contamination you’ve just removed from your vehicle. Then dip it in the soapy water and continue washing.
An even better option is the Grit Guard. This plastic grid sits in the bottom of a
5-gallon wash bucket and stabilizes the water. Contamination and particles settle to the bottom of the bucket and the clean wash water remains at the top. A Girt Guard is included in the Wolfgang Complete Wash System with Dolly.
 Always rinse your vehicle thoroughly before you begin washing in order to remove loose debris. Then begin washing at the top of the vehicle. Wash down the vehicle as opposed to front to back. Remember that the lower panels are dirtiest. You want to clean the windows and the upper panels before cleaning the lower half of the vehicle so that you don’t transfer grit to the top half of the vehicle. Rinse and reload your sponge often to prevent cross-contamination. Rinse your vehicle frequently as you work, especially in hot weather.
- When rinsing, you don’t have to blast your car clean with the water hose. Free-flowing water (no nozzle) will allow the water to sheet off of your vehicle for a more thorough rinsing.
Drying
Never skip drying! Drying your vehicle after washing is necessary to prevent water spots. Water spots are caused by mineral deposits that etch the outline of a drop of water into your vehicle’s paint. All water has minerals, whether it’s from the hose or the sky. As the water evaporates, the minerals remain on the surface and they will eventually, invariably create water spots.
You can dry your vehicle in a variety of ways, but you want to make sure you do it quickly.
The Ultimate Guzzler is a large 28" x 54" Microfiber towels come in a number of sizes and they can be altered for a specific purpose. For example, the Cobra Waffle-Weave Glass Towel will clean and dry glass without streaks. Microfiber is more absorbent than terry cloth or chamois, and it lasts longer.
Terry cloth towels are not recommended because the fibers can become matted and hard after repeated uses. They shed lint. They increase the chance of swirls. Compared to microfiber, they are not as absorbent and they don’t last as long. Never use bath towels that have been discarded from the house. They are probably not soft or paint safe. All Cobra Microfiber Towels are engineered
to be LINT-FREE! and ultra-safe on your vehicle!
You may also use a genuine or synthetic chamois. The
Prince of Wales Chamois is 100% leather and it’s extremely soft. Its luxurious texture makes it a pleasure to use, but it will not last as long as a synthetic chamois. Discontinue using it after it becomes hard. The
Pittards Dry-Soft Chamois is another option. It is real leather, but it dries soft. Chamois are gentle on paint and they are more absorbent than terry cloth.
Drying Tips
- Dry the windows and mirrors first.
- Use the large The Supreme Guzzler to remove the majority of water from your vehicle. This towel measures 20”x 40” and it absorbs seven times its own weight in moisture. Go back over the vehicle with a smaller towel, like the
The Guzzler(16”x 24”) to catch any water the large towel may have missed. This quick two-step process will leave your vehicle bone-dry and ready for wax.
 - Once the outside is dry, wipe down all your door jambs and sills. Open the trunk and hood to wipe the jambs. Our Cobra Microfiber Starter Kit will give you a good selection of microfiber towels and tools to jumpstart your microfiber collection.
- Dry your wheels using a towel or chamois that is designated just for this purpose. Don’t use this towel on your paint to avoid cross-contamination. You may also use this towel to wipe off surfaces under the hood. Wash this towel before you use it again.
The Finishing Touch
Use a spray wax or spray sealant like
Wolfgang Deep Gloss Spritz Sealant to rejuvenate the shine of your existing wax. Skip this step if you are going to apply another coat of wax. The ultimate in finishing detail kits is the Wolfgang Deep Gloss Total Concours Kit; this 12 piece kit will bring out the best in your vehicle’s finish!
The Foam Gun Option
If the mitt and bucket method doesn’t do it for you, there’s always the foam gun option. The Wolfgang Foamaster Foam Wash Gun drenches your vehicle in suds to provide maximum lubrication between your wash mitt and your vehicle.
The Foamaster works by mixing a controlled amount of water and shampoo together inside a specially shaped nozzle. The solution is forced through the nozzle by the shear water pressure of your hose. It immediately mixes with air as it exits the nozzle and –behold! – lots and lots of foam.
 The Foamaster enables you to cover your vehicle in an even layer of suds. This alone won’t guarantee a swirl-free wash but, with a clean wash mitt or sponge, it will drastically improve your odds. You will still need to rinse your mitt frequently as you wash to get out all the grit.
Some people use the Foamaster to presoak the vehicle, which helps to loosen dirt. Others like to spray with one hand and wash with the other. Either way, you should wash from the top down and rinse the mitt often in clean water.
Clean Water Makes for a Clean Car
If you’re taking all the precautions every time you wash your vehicle and you’re still getting spots and swirls, the problem may be the water.
 No water is pure. All water has minerals and most has some form of sediment. If your car shampoo (or hair shampoo) doesn’t lather well and your faucets and fixtures tend to turn green, you’ve got hard water. If water will not sheet off your vehicle and you’re constantly battling water spots, you’ve got hard water. Hard water is mainly caused by calcium and magnesium, which can be removed with a water softener.
Sediment is another common enemy of any paint finish. Sediment is actually dirt and rust in the water line. Water treatment plants filter out sediment but more sediment can enter the pipes between the plant and your home. This is why household faucets have screens in them. If you have well water, beware. You most likely have sediment and hard water.
A Clear Inline Hose Filter will clean and soften the water before it reaches your vehicle. Connect it to any standard garden hose hooked up to an exterior spigot. Insert a 5 micron sediment filter or a water softener cartridge to address your specific water problem. The filter is easy to install and its cost is nominal compared to amount of time and money you’ll save on paint care.
If you’ve got both water problems, get two hose filters so you can filter out sediment and soften the water before it exits the hose. The Deluxe Filter System includes everything you need to set up this simple, two-step filtration system. With a little preventative maintenance, your vehicle will rinse clean and have less water-related micro-marring.
Check out all the great tools and products we have to clean your vehicle right on our Sponges, Mitts & Wash Tools page!
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Always rinse your vehicle thoroughly before you begin washing in order to remove loose debris. Then begin washing at the top of the vehicle. Wash down the vehicle as opposed to front to back. Remember that the lower panels are dirtiest. You want to clean the windows and the upper panels before cleaning the lower half of the vehicle so that you don’t transfer grit to the top half of the vehicle. Rinse and reload your sponge often to prevent cross-contamination. Rinse your vehicle frequently as you work, especially in hot weather.
The Foamaster enables you to cover your vehicle in an even layer of suds. This alone won’t guarantee a swirl-free wash but, with a clean wash mitt or sponge, it will drastically improve your odds. You will still need to rinse your mitt frequently as you wash to get out all the grit.
No water is pure. All water has minerals and most has some form of sediment. If your car shampoo (or hair shampoo) doesn’t lather well and your faucets and fixtures tend to turn green, you’ve got hard water. If water will not sheet off your vehicle and you’re constantly battling water spots, you’ve got hard water. Hard water is mainly caused by calcium and magnesium, which can be removed with a water softener.
