No machine wash, no matter how good, in a modern car wash can compare to a good car wash by hand. When talking about hand washing, in most cases one means caring for the vehicle with a mild shampoo, a large bucket of warm water and a soft sponge or washing mitt. Today we also want to give tips on car care when it comes to hand washing.
Car care tips - hand wash
You should never tackle the paintwork of an automobile or even a sports car with the usual detergents. These have a very strong fat-dissolving effect and can damage the seal of a vehicle even after repeated use. Furthermore, these bleach the plastic parts.
Lather the vehicle with a soft wash mitt or sponge. The use of insect sponges should be avoided as much as possible. These will scratch the paint. A handy insect remover helps with stubborn insect residues. The good old daily newspaper is still the best way to get rid of stubborn insects. Spread over the affected area over as wide an area as possible and then water the newspaper. Let it take effect for a while and the residues will dissolve in it.
Change the sponge often
The sponge should always be dripping wet and washed out as often as possible. If the sponge or wash mitt falls on the floor, it must be changed immediately. Because even the smallest grains can cause micro-scratches in the paintwork.
Rims should never be cleaned with the same sponge as the paint. Brake residue that accumulates on the rims acts like sandpaper on the vehicle's paintwork.
At the end of the manual vehicle wash, the vehicle must be rinsed with sufficient water. The vehicle is now to be dried with a fluffy microfiber cloth. Compared to a leather cloth, this absorbs more dirt particles that may be present. Before use, the microfiber cloth must be completely moistened and wrung out. Then paint over the entire paint. The most efficient way is to sweep the entire car once. Do not forget to wring out the cloth! This procedure has to be repeated several times. However, at high temperatures and in the blazing sun, drying off in this way should be avoided. This could cause unwelcome water stains on the paint surface.