Why You, and Only You, Should Wash Your Car by Hand.

 We are the most auto-mobile people on the planet and washing our cars is the simplest and most effective way to protect our investment. And, if we are smart like Elon Musk, the environment too.

Unless you do the job right you risk harming the finish of your fine car. Here are the real directions on how to “wash your car by hand”:

Rinse your car completely with clean water before washing.
This will start removing acid rain, road silt, bug tar and other nasty materials that cling to your car which scratch the finish when the car is being washed.

Don’t wash the car while it’s hot after baking in the sun.
Cool wash water will cause the car’s metal to contract faster than the paint, resulting in tiny cracks, fissures and damage to the paint.

Always use naturally derived soaps – not detergents.
Natural soaps are gentle, detergents are chemically too strong.

Use closed-cell synthetic sponges – not natural sponges or mitts that trap sand.
The trapped sand will score and scratch your paint right under the soap bubbles.

Do not scrub the surface.
“A gentle by-hand treatment with the right wash soap will get all of the dirt” says Chuck Bennett CEO of Zymöl. “and just as fast without scratches or abrasions”.

Avoid high-pressure air and water systems.
These ‘pressure washers’ can actually lift the paint with the dirt.

Don’t dry the car by open-air driving.
Soap and hard water residue may leave stains. Push the water off with a clean English Cod Tanned Chamois or good Synthetic Chamois then towel or Microwipe dry for the best results.

Wash your car often.
Protect your investment by washing frequently, at least once a week, to maintain your car’s original paint.

The finish of your car is the result of a long process of preparing the metal, rust proofing it, applying the base coat, several paint color coats and a clear-coat. It’s a very expensive manufacturing process designed to keep your car looking new even when it isn’t so choose the best products for your car. Caring is a lot less work and expense than repairing.