1.)   Do NOT use dish soap! Would you use dish soap to wash your hair? Dish soap is formulated to remove oils and grease so over time will strip wax and/or other protectants from your paint. Leave the Dawn in the kitchen and get a dedicated car shampoo/soap.

2.)   Read the label, then read it again! Just like with all other cleaning supplies, you should read the product label to ensure you are using it correctly.

3.)   Do NOT overapply! This tip goes hand-in-hand with number two. More is not always better. Adding too much product to your wash bucket usually does not lead to better cleaning, just a waste of product.

4.)   Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)! This means gloves, eye protection, and if buffing paint, or cleaning an especially dusty/dirty car, wear a face mask. Trust us on this one, you don’t want to get cleaners into your eyes.

5.)   Wash your wheels/tires first! Think about it, the things that make contact with the ground are probably the dirtiest part of your car. You want to start here to avoid spraying/spreading dirt from wheels and tires to the rest of your car. Side tip, use separate tools for your wheels and tires and never use these on paint!

6.)   Wash the car from top to bottom. The bottom of your car (rocker panel area and wheels) tend to be the dirtiest, so it’s best to start at the top and work your way down to avoid dragging dirt up, potentially scratching your paint. Not to mention gravity. Start with your roof, then windows, then work from top of panels down.

7.)   Use dedicated towels for each task. Interior towel, exterior, tires, glass, drying etc. You shouldn’t use a dirty exterior towel to wipe down your seats or steering wheel. And just want to repeat… do NOT use tire or wheel tools/towels on anything other than tires and wheels.