Hand washing your car can be a drag, but it’s a necessary evil if you want to keep your ride looking nice and clean at a low cost. However, if you think it takes far too long to complete this task, you’re in the right place.
Here are 7 tips for how to hand wash a car faster:
- Rinse the car with a hose first.
- Use a hose with high water pressure.
- Use a clean, high-quality microfiber cloth.
- Use more than one cloth.
- Use high-quality cleaning products.
- Use a chamois drying cloth or a leaf blower for drying.
- Don’t wash your car in the sun.
After reading this article, you’ll be able to wash your car in the blink of an eye!
1. Rinse the Car With a Hose First
Rinsing your car with a hose before you start cleaning is a great way to remove some loose dirt, therefore quickening the cleaning process later. A good rinse will also soften any debris encrusted or dried onto the car, such as dead bugs, which makes removing this debris later easier and quicker.
You may be tempted to jump right into washing if you’re in a hurry, but don’t underestimate the importance of a good rinse! What may feel like an extra step will save you time later in the process.
2. Use a Hose With High Water Pressure
When you start off with that initial rinse, the more water pressure your hose has, the better! If you have a powerful stream of water, it will more effectively get more dirt and debris off or softened, so you don’t waste time scrubbing and scrubbing later in the cleaning process.
If your hose has low water pressure, there are some steps you can take to resolve this issue. Below are some suggestions.
Check Your Hose for Damage
If your hose used to have strong water pressure and now doesn’t, it may be damaged somehow. Check your hose for leaks. If you do find a leak, you can fix it with a rubber patching kit.
You should also check to ensure that your hose is connected to the spigot and nozzle. If it isn’t tightly connected, some water will leak out, weakening the water pressure.
Make Sure Your Hose Isn’t Twisted
You’d be surprised how much a few twists can decrease the effectiveness of your hose!
The water cannot flow as effectively if your hose is bunched up. Make sure the entire length of your hose is straight and without knots. This will help you achieve a higher amount of water pressure, which is essential for a good car wash.
Clean Your Hose
If there is dirt and debris caught inside your hose, the water won’t be able to flow through effectively.
To clean your hose, add ¼ cup of bleach to a bucket of water and submerge the hose in the bucket. Let it soak in the bleach water for eight hours, then submerge it in plain water for another hour.
Increase the Water Pressure for Your Home
If your home’s overall water pressure is low, the water pressure in your hose will be low. To fix this, locate your pressure-reducing valve and turn the bolt clockwise with a wrench or a screwdriver. Don’t increase your water pressure so much that it is over 60 psi.
Install a High-Power Nozzle
You can affix a high-power nozzle to your hose that encourages the water to come out with more pressure.
I recommend the RESTMO Garden Hose Nozzle. This nozzle has seven water patterns, so you can adjust it according to what you’re using your hose for. Additionally, it comes with a water flow control knob, so you can adjust the pressure yourself.
Use a Water Pump To Increase Water Pressure
You can attach the end of your hose to a water pump for a stronger water stream. If you don’t have a water pump already, I recommend the Superior Pump 91250 ¼ HP Thermoplastic Submersible Utility Pump. I like this pump because it’s capable of moving up to 1,800 gallons of water in just one hour, and it includes a ¾ inch hose adapter.
Using a hose with strong water pressure is essential for getting an effective first rinse when you’re hand washing your car, which sets you up for quicker cleaning later.
CarCareReport dot com is owner of this article and was first posted on Sep 20, 2022 and was updated on ..
3. Use a Clean, High-Quality Microfiber Cloth
If you wash your car with a dirty rag or a scratchy glove, you’ll probably end up with streaking and ineffective cleaning. In turn, you’ll have to waste time cleaning your car again if you want it to truly shine. The best way to wash a car faster is to do it right the first time, so you won’t have to redo it later!
A clean, high-quality microfiber cloth is a great tool for applying soapy water to your car because it does a thorough job without streaking, scratching, or otherwise damaging your car’s finish.
I like the Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths. These cloths are made with a non-abrasive material that won’t scratch the surface of your car, and it is designed to clean with liquid cleaners for streak-free and lint-free results. One cloth can absorb up to eight times its own weight, so you can make sure the cloth is sopping wet before you start using it on your car. You can also rinse and reuse these cloths over and over again.
4. Use More Than One Cloth
Another way to speed up the hand-washing process is to use multiple cloths instead of trying to wring out one cloth over and over again.
In the process of washing, your cloth will get dirty, and many people waste time trying to rinse out the dirt on that one cloth so they can keep using it. If you use multiple cloths, you can save time while still getting an effective wash!
The cloths I recommended above come in a pack of 24, which is plenty for a car wash job. To avoid getting too many cloths dirty, I recommend folding each towel into quarters and using one quarter until it gets dirty, switching to the next quarter when that one gets dirty, and repeating this process until the entire cloth is dirty. This way, you get four mini-cloths out of one larger cloth.
Take Care To Use Clean Cloths
You must continue using a clean cloth throughout the cleaning process. Otherwise, you’re just moving dirt around the surface of your car instead of actually cleaning it. This will either result in you having to deal with a dirty car or wasting time rewashing it.
5. Use High-Quality Cleaning Products
I said it before, but it’s worth repeating: the best way to wash your car faster is to do it right the first time, so you don’t have to repeat any of the steps. One of the most effective ways to do this is to use high-quality cleaning products that will do a thorough job the first time.
Use a High-Quality Car Shampoo
A good car shampoo is a must. You should look for slippery, foamy, pH-balanced, and biodegradable shampoo.
I recommend Meguiar’s G7101FFP Gold Class Car Wash. This wash is designed to clean and condition your car simultaneously, saving you time when you’re hand-washing. The advanced formula ensures that your car gets clean without stripping away the wax protection. Finally, it is biodegradable, so it is better for the environment.
First published on Sep 20, 2022 by CarCareReport.com.
Invest in Effective Glass Cleaner
For cleaning your car’s windows, you’ll need a high-quality car glass cleaner. I recommend Invisible Glass Cleaner for Auto and Home. This is a foamy glass cleanser that can remove bugs, grease, and whatever other gunk has accumulated on your windows quickly and effectively. The cleaner works well without leaving behind any residue. You can also use it on the inside of your windows.
Purchase a Quality Wheel Cleaner
When it comes to your tires, you need a cleaner that dissolves brake dust and dirt and leaves your tires a shining black. My favorite tire cleaner is the Armor All-78090 Wheel Cleaner, which dissolves road grime quickly and makes your tires shine. I also like this cleaner because it is safe for use on all wheels.
High-quality cleaning products will get the job done quicker and more effectively, reducing the need for multiple washes. This will save you time and effort in the long run.
6. Use a Chamois Drying Cloth or a Leaf Blower for Drying
Drying can be one of the most time-consuming parts of hand-washing your car! It’s an important step because otherwise, leftover soap could leave spots on your paint job, making your car look splotchy and unclean.
Chamois towels are named after the woven material they are made of. They may feel synthetic and rubbery to the touch, but they are the most effective towel for drying your car.
These towels are extremely efficient when absorbing water, so you’ll need to pause fewer times to wring out the towel. They are also durable, so one towel is sufficient for drying a vehicle, and you can use it repeatedly as long as you care for it properly.
Properly Maintain Your Chamois Towel
To ensure a long life for your chamois towel, you should clean it after every use in clean water mixed with a little bit of car shampoo. You shouldn’t use fabric softener or bleach, as these substances don’t mix well with the towel’s fabric. You should let the towel air-dry instead of putting it in your dryer.
Use Chamois Towels With Care
Be careful, though! Some chamois towels can scratch your car if you’re scrubbing too hard. You may see chamois towels being referred to as “shammies,” this is just a nickname based on the word “chamois.”
I recommend the Mighty Cleaner Premium Chamois Cloth for Car 2 Pack. These cloths are designed to dry cars quickly and without streaks or spots. The sturdy, lint-free material will last a long time without shredding or unraveling. Additionally, these towels come with a plastic tube for storage to ensure their longevity.
Consider a Leaf Blower for Quick Car Drying
If you don’t want to invest in a chamois cloth, you can dry your car quickly with a tool you probably already have on hand. If you have a leaf blower lying around, this is a great tool for quick drying!
This is also a safe way to dry your car because you avoid touching the paintwork. Whenever you touch your car’s paint, even if it’s with a high-quality towel, you risk damaging it. You have to touch your car when you wash it, but you don’t necessarily have to touch it when you’re drying it.
How To Dry a Car With a Leaf Blower
Here are some tips for drying your car with a leaf blower:
- Point the leaf blower away from the car when you first turn it on to prevent any dust that may be leftover in the blower from getting on your clean car.
- Start at the top of the car and push the water downwards.
- Watch out for accumulating pockets of water near the door seals and mirrors.
- Point the leaf blower sideways when you’re drying the bottom so you don’t blow air on the ground, which could cause dirt to fly up on your freshly-cleaned car.
- Only use a leaf blower with an air filter.
If you don’t already have a leaf blower, I don’t recommend buying one for this purpose. You’re better off using a chamois cloth or a microfiber cloth instead of spending money on a leaf blower. However, if you’ve been wanting or needing a leaf blower anyway, I do have a recommendation.
My favorite leaf blower is this C P CHANTPOWER Leaf Blower. You get a powerful leaf blower with six speed settings for a reasonable price. It is also easy to assemble and disassemble for cleaning. Finally, I love how lightweight this leaf blower is—I can use it to dry my entire car without my arm getting tired. This is a corded leaf blower, so make sure that the cord doesn’t scratch your car’s paint job.
7. Don’t Wash Your Car in the Sun
In hot temperatures and direct sunlight, your car can get so hot that the soap dries before you can scrub it in. This causes spotting and streaking and won’t make your car look very clean! You’ll usually have to wash and rinse multiple times to keep your car cool enough to avoid this issue.
Key Takeaways
It is possible to hand-wash your car and have it clean and sparkling without the task taking all day. If you rinse thoroughly with a high-pressure hose, use high-quality cleaning and drying products, and avoid washing in direct sunlight and intense heat, you can significantly reduce the time it takes to hand-wash a car.
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CarCareReport dot com first published this article on Sep 20, 2022..