Over the years, I’ve made adjustments to my car wash routine, both in the process and the products I use. In this simple guide, I’ll show you how I wash my own car. I will include affiliate links throughout the article for products I think you’ll love.
Supplies I Use
Pressure washer buy here (latest model)
Foam cannon buy here
Soap buy here
Tire & rubber cleaner buy here
Tire brush buy here
Wheel brush buy here
Grit guards buy here
Detail spray buy here
Leaf blower buy here
Wash pad buy here
Microfiber rags buy here
(affiliate links*)
I start by setting up my supplies. I set up a soap bucket, a rinse bucket, and a separate bucket for the wheels. I drop a pair of grit guards into the soap and rinse buckets. These help keep the dirt and sediment at the bottom of the bucket as I rinse my wash pad.
Next, I set up my pressure washer. Even a basic one like mine while completely elevate your car wash game. I connect the hose and turn on the water. Before turning on the pressure washer, I hold down the trigger to bleed air from the system. If you don’t do that, it will sputter for the first few minutes which is super annoying.
I’ll also set up my foam cannon. I have used Adam’s purple foam cannon soap in the past, but I find that their blue car wash soap works just as well and it’s a little cheaper. I mix a 10:1 ratio of water to soap.
I start with the wheels and tires which are the dirtiest part of the car. I hit them with the pressure washer to blow off any loose dirt and brake dust.
I spray the tires with tire and rubber cleaner, then scrub them with a tire brush. Tires have a preservative that works it’s way to the surface as you drive, leaving a dull brown residue on the surface of the tire. A tire and rubber cleaner is the best way to restore the deep black color.
I hit the wheel with some foam to ensure every surface is covered. I then hand wash the spokes with a microfiber rag. I have this little wheel brush which is perfect for cleaning inside the barrels. I do have some wheel-specific cleaners, but for my weekly car wash, soap and water work just fine. I’ll save the harsh chemicals for when the situation absolutely requires it.
I rinse the wheels thoroughly so that soap doesn’t dry on them while I wash the rest of the car.
While the body of the car is dry, I cover it with a generous coating of foam. Then I’ll wait about 5 minutes for gravity to pull the foam and dirt down. Note that I’m working in the shade and wearing clothing with no exposed zippers or buttons.
After allowing the foam to do its thing, I rinse the entire car from top to button. This pre-wash and rinse will help reduce swirls and scratches by removing a lot of heavy contaminants prior to making contact with the wash pad.
I wash the car in sections from top to bottom. I start with the roof and windows, then the hood and trunk, the doors and quarter panels, and finally the bumpers and side skirts.
To avoid swirls, wipe in straight lines. You don’t need to scrub the car like you’re doing dishes, simply guide the wash pad along using without putting pressure on it.
Lubrication is the name of the game here. I spray a generous coating of foam before wiping it with the wash pad.
In case you’re unfamiliar with the Two Bucket Method, you have one bucket of soapy water and one bucket of plain rinse water. After washing a section of the car, rinse the pad in the rinse bucket and then soap it up again. If the car is especially dirty, I might do this several times per section.
The side skirts and bumpers tend to be the dirtiest parts of the car so I save them for last.
After the entire car has been washer, I’ll do a final rinse.
I recently started using my leaf blower to dry the car and it works surprisingly well. I’d say it removes 90% of standing water and makes towel drying a breeze.
For the little bit of water that’s left, I dry it with a microfiber towel, using ceramic detailer as a drying aid. This not only adds lubrication to the towel, but also adds some protection and water repelling properties to the paint.
*This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through my custom link, I’ll earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Win!
Watch my step by step car wash guide here: