Effective Car Washing Tips

All about car washing, to keep it always clean.

To take care of your car, it is not enough to maintain the mechanical components of the vehicle; it is also essential to wash the car regularly to preserve the bodywork and take care of the interior, ensuring that the car has a shiny appearance.

There are many ways to wash a car, and the choice depends on both the time you can and want to dedicate to this operation, as well as the cost of it.

Before continuing with the different tips on car washing, an important clarification is needed: can you wash the car during quarantine? Definitely yes, but you must take some precautions: for example, washing the car on the street is illegal.

So, let’s see everything you need to know to clean your car without incurring fines or penalties.

Hand car wash

Washing the car by hand is undoubtedly the most economical option, as you will be responsible for cleaning the bodywork and the interior. To carry out this operation, you only need water, a sponge, liquid soap, glass cleaner, a vacuum cleaner, and a microfiber cloth.

Wash in a shaded area to avoid the quick drying of the soap leaving marks, and once rinsed, dry the bodywork with a microfiber cloth, avoiding leaving water spots.

Use a regular vacuum cleaner with a fine nozzle to remove impurities from the tightest spaces. Then, clean the interior of the windows to ensure impeccable visibility.

Washing cars on the street: it is prohibited

But where to wash the car? Perhaps not everyone knows that Article 15 of the Traffic Code states that washing cars on the street, as well as in private spaces, is illegal: this is because numerous pollutants (such as soaps and dust deposited on the mechanical parts of the car) would inevitably be discharged into the sewage system. In case of inspections, you risk fines of up to 100 euros.

Car washing and Coronavirus

Washing the car by hand is undoubtedly the cheapest way to clean it, but also the most exhausting. If you don’t want to get tired, you can take your car to a car wash.

Car washes, according to the measures established by the Government to address the Coronavirus emergency, are included among the necessary productive activities to provide a service to those who need to travel for work or other needs. Therefore, car washes, including self-service and gas stations, can remain open during this closure period. Of course, each manager can independently decide whether to keep their business open or not.

Those traveling for demonstrable work activities can go to the car wash to clean their vehicle: we are talking, for example, about taxi drivers, NCC drivers, and healthcare workers.

For all other drivers, washing the car is not an absolute necessity: in case of police control, you risk a fine of 400 to 3,000 euros, plus a one-third increase for those driving a car without a valid reason for necessity.

Self-service car wash

The self-service wash is an intermediate point between hand washing and car washing.

In fact, there are many places where you can use everything you need to quickly clean your car, spending very little. In the self-service wash, you only need to buy the necessary tokens to perform all the cleaning operations, such as pre-washing, rinsing, cleaning the wheels, etc., saving time and effort compared to an operation performed exclusively by hand.

Dry car wash

The car wash has always been understood as that cleaning procedure that requires water to perform this operation. In reality, it is possible to carry out this procedure without the help of water. In this case, we are talking about dry car washing.

This type of car wash is possible thanks to some recently marketed products that do not require rinsing and contain polymers that attack dirt. These products are water-based and do not damage the bodywork, as they contain emulsified waxes, and do not leave any type of residue. To perform a dry car wash, simply spray the product on the bodywork and spread it with a microfiber cloth, and go over it again with the cloth for an even deeper clean.

According to the Traffic Code, dry car washing is allowed at home, as long as specific products are used.

Steam car wash

Another car washing method that allows for considerable water savings is steam washing. With this system, the bodywork of the car is brilliantly cleaned without damaging it and without using soaps or other chemical detergents. Another advantage is the reduction of cleaning times by approximately 30% compared to traditional car washing and the net decrease in drying times.

Automatic car wash

The last alternative is the automatic car wash. The roller cleaning system has been used for decades, but it is often viewed with suspicion for fear that the rollers may scratch the body of your car. To avoid unpleasant surprises, trust a car wash tunnel that has rollers with synthetic fibers that can remove dirt without damaging the body, and that uses quality detergents.

Washing Application

For those who simply want a washed car while saving time and effort, here is a special list of apps to help even the inexperienced or somewhat lazy motorist take care of this task. In fact, you can find services that allow you to wash your car at home and act in an environmentally friendly manner thanks to eco-friendly products.