car cleaning tips

How to wash your car at home like a pro!

How to wash your car at home

It’s important to keep your car clean to help extend the life of your vehicle. Going to car washes weekly can quickly add up as an expense you might not have the luxury of affording, but it is easy to clean your car at home with the right tools!


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Items you need to clean your car at home

home car wash
Using dedicated car cleaning products is the best way to ensure you are cleaning it correctly, so don’t use household cleaning products on the paint. Keep these items handy throughout your car wash!

  • Sponge
  • Hose
  • Buckets (at least two)
  • Brush
  • Car wash detergent
  • Wash mitts
  • Towel

Also make sure you are wearing clothes and shoes that you don’t mind getting wet and soapy.

Steps to clean your car at home

Now that you have all of the items you need, you are ready to clean your car! Make sure you park your car out of direct sunlight if possible and park it in a spot with plenty of open space so that you can move freely around your vehicle. Follow these steps to clean your car like a pro!

  1. Fill your buckets with water, and put the car wash detergent in one of the buckets, following the directions on the bottle for the detergent-to-water ratio.
  2. Hose off your car to loosen any debris and soften dirt.
  3. Wash the wheels first, since they are likely the dirtiest part of the vehicle, using your brush.
  4. Use the wash mitts to wash the body of your car. Soak them in the detergent water first and scrub the surface of your vehicle from top to bottom, rinsing the mitts as you go.
  5. Rinse your car off with your hose as you are washing each section to avoid allowing the soap to dry on your car.
  6. Spray the bottom of your car, and don’t forget to clean the tire sidewalls, door shuts, surrounds and the bottom underside of your car doors.
  7. Dry your car thoroughly with clean towels.
  8. Optional but recommended: Wax your car once it has been completely dried to seal in the cleanliness and help it last longer.

If you are in the market for a new vehicle, you can browse our inventory and even set up a test drive online before you come in to see us at Mazda of Lodi!