How often do you wash your car? Every week? Once a month? Whenever you feel like it? Some of us wash our cars more regularly than others. We take it to an automatic car wash, or if we are feeling energetic, we pull it into the driveway, get out the hose and bucket, and wash it ourselves. If you choose the latter, keep in mind that there is a right and a wrong way to wash a car.

For the ultimate protection, you should wash your car on a regular basis. Don’t wait until it is covered in bugs, dirt and other debris. The longer contaminants sit on the surface, the more damage they do. If you commute a long distance or live in an area with acid rain, rinse off your car often to remove contaminants and prevent damage to the finish.

No matter how much rinsing you do, you need to wash your car from time to time. Do so in the morning while your car is still cool to the touch. Don’t wait until the late afternoon when it is hot. The heat on the surface will dry the soap and water quickly, leaving behind a dull film on the finish.

Select products made for washing cars. Don’t use regular household detergents, which could scratch the finish, remove the protective wax coating and dull the paint. If you have a lot of bugs and tar on your car, you may need to purchase a product for that.

To wash your car, fill up two buckets, one with soapy water and the other with rinse water, and use several large sponges or wool’s mitts. Rinse off the car first to remove all loose debris. This will prevent the debris from getting scrubbed into the finish and scratching the paint. Then wash the car in sections, leaving the tires and wheels for last.

When you have finished with the body of your car, it’s time to attack the tires and wheels. Use a clean sponge and wipe away all of the dirt and grim. For tough spots, use wheel cleaner and a brush.

When you have completed washing your car, rinse it off all over one more time, using a fine spray at a low angle. Then dry it with terry cloths. Don’t let your car dry on its own. Water spots will appear, and after a while, these can wear into the paint and become permanent marks.

Depending upon the size of your car, it should take you anywhere from half an hour to a couple of hours to wash your car. Don’t forget about the interior. You might as well clean it too, or at the very least, remove all of the trash from it.

A clean car is a happy car. Keep yours happy and looking its best by washing it regularly.