Harrier

I thought I told you what steps to take; perhaps I wasn't clear.

Well, first douse your car in water (make sure not to use super cold water when the metal on your car is super hot, i. e. wash in the morning (10AM) or midafternoon/early evening (6PM).

Sponge wash the roof and glass (windshield, windows and rear windshield) with soap. Rinse AND dry. You can do the roof first, then windows after if you're worried about waterspots (drops of water that are dried up by the sun or wind). Be sure to avoid waterspots, as the only way to get rid of them properly is by washing with soap again.

Next, move on to the hood. Douse, soap, rinse then dry.

Now, wrap around the car, starting with the grill and front bumper and wrap counter clockwise around the car. Be sure to douse, soap, rinse then dry each section. Here's how I break it up: Grill/front bumper; Driver's side front wheel panel; Driver's door and rear passenger door midsection; Driver's side rear panel; Tailgate/rear bumper; Passenger's side rear panel; Passenger's side midsection; Passenger's side front panel. Remember to immediately dry once you've rinsed.

Be careful not to splash water on already dried areas. Some splashing is inevitable; just redry that small area.

Wheels and tires I leave for last. I usually sponge wash the wheels. That armor all spray and rinse off stuff doens't work well at all. Only use that for maintenance or when you can't devote your time to a full wash. If you have a mesh wheel design, invest in a wheel brush, because it's a pain in the **** to reach the little tiny areas.

Use a q-tip for the small areas between the emblems.

Francis K

I really apprecite it Harrier, I'm sick of car washes giving me trouble and it just seems that my car is never properly cleaned, thank you, it means a lot that my car looks as best as it can.

One more thing, what after that, do you wax? What do you use, what's your routine, and what do you use to dry the car. This might be getting annoying so I won't take any offense if you don't respond. Thanks for all of your help!

Harrier

Wax two times out of the year.

If you live in the snow belt, maybe three times. If you live where precipitation is about an inch a year, wax just once. Too much waxing causes build up, which isn't good for your car.

I don't have the time nor patience to wax my cars. I bring them to a friend who has a detailing shop and he details the cars inside and out for a buck fifty each.

I'll probably be waxing up soon, once spring hits.

In the winter, I use to wash my cars by hand, even when the weather is a bit above freezing. How? I bring out a bucket of hot water to keep my hands warm while soaping up. That's dedication for ya. But recently, I've been lazy, so I bring my cars to a local car wash after a major snowstorm (maybe every three weeks). In the summer, I wash my cars every two weeks by hand. They get a wax job in the early spring and early fall.