Car cleaning
It’s time to shine as you grab a bucket and sponge for…
With lockdown restrictions beginning to ease around the UK, you could be making more family car journeys to visit people and places again. It’s nice to travel in a clean car, and washing away the dirt is simple when you know a few basic tips. Even better is the fact that cleaning a car could help earn you some extra money.
Firstly, always clean a car in a safe place away from traffic and with an adult to supervise. It’s a good idea to wear waterproof gloves and shoes – water can splash off the car or sponge.
Fill a clean bucket with warm water mixed with a car-cleaning shampoo. Don’t use normal washing-up liquid because it could damage the paintwork. Rinse a clean car sponge in the bucket and wash from the top of the car downwards. If you can’t reach the roof, carefully stand on a small step or ask an adult to help.
Work around the car in sections, perhaps starting and finishing at the back, and rinse the sponge in the bucket frequently so that you use fresh shampoo. You may have to work the sponge harder in dirtier areas such as the bottom of the doors.
Leave cleaning the tyres and the wheels until last and use a separate sponge if you can. Doing them last means you won’t be moving wheel dirt or brake dust onto the paintwork. Now you need to rinse the shampoo off the car with clean, cold water (not the water left in your bucket). It is best to use a hosepipe or a watering can. The can may need to be filled a few times to rinse off the whole car. Finally, use a chamois (pronounced “shammy”) cloth or a special car-drying towel to help make the car shine. Work the cloth in small sections just like you did with the sponge and keep rinsing it in a small amount of non-soapy warm water.