How to wash a car that’s covered in (or full of) grime 

Oh, you think you drive a car? Noooo — hate to break it to you, but that’s actually the pigeon’s toilet, the car-sick kid’s sick bag, and the dog’s hair salon. 

But if you can wipe it off, you can laugh it off. And car cleaning at home is super-easy, so any mess is no biggie. Here’s how to wash a car: 

How to wash a car: what you need 

One of the most important car-cleaning tips is to make sure that any cleaner you apply to your car’s surface is suited to your car’s finish and wheels. Love is strong, but we’re not sure it’s stronger than accidentally peeling some paint off your partner’s car when you were washing to show how much you care about them… 

Car-cleaning tips: How to clean a car exterior

1. Blast the dirt off the car with the hose
   Don’t worry too much if it accidently turns into a water fight – that’s all part of the fun.
   
   
2. Shampoo your car with a bucket and sponge
   Mix your car shampoo with warm water in a bucket, following the instructions at the back of the bottle. Starting from top to bottom, use a sponge to shampoo the car using an up-down motion. Oh, and make sure that sponge is free of any rocks or gravel… 
   
   
3. How to clean a car’s wheels
   Create a soap mixture using the specialist wheel cleaner of your choice. Use a brush to remove brake dust from between the wheels and to scrub tough mud stains from around the wheels.
   
   
4. Hose off the car for a second time
   If you lost the first water fight, now’s your time to get your own back. 
   
   
5. Dry the car
   To avoid water stains from forming, grab a chamois or microfiber cloth and rub it until that pigeon will be able to see their own reflection. 
   
   
6. Polish the car
   Apply a small amount of polish to your pad and use an up-down motion to coat the surface of the car’s body. After you’ve applied several thin coats, buff the surface with an extra-large, absorbent and 3 times stronger when wet sheet of Plenty MAX using an up-down motion.
   
   
7. Clean the windows
   Spray the windows with window cleaner (or a solution of 50% distilled white vinegar and water) and wipe with a piece of paper towel for a streak-free finish.

 How to clean the car interior

Car-care tips for cleaning the interior 

1. Open the car doors to improve ventilation (and because it’d be hard to clean the inside of the car without getting into it). 
   
   
2. Remove floor mats and beat them outside to remove dust. Keep them outside until you’ve finished with the rest of the interior.
   
   
3. Pick up litter from the seats. Here’s where you can find out what that rattling noise was under your seat. It wasn’t the suspension, it was just a cola can. 
   
   
4. Use a paper towel moistened with car cleaner to wipe the dashboard, wheel and any other hard surfaces. See ya later, three-month old saliva spots from when you nailed the high note in that song. 
   
   
5. Vacuum floors and seats. The key to knowing how to clean car interiors thoroughly is to experiment with different vacuum cleaner nozzles. There will be a great one for every nook and cranny in your car!
   
   
6. Use a carpet cleaner and brush to clean away any stains, but try not to pour on too much, as the carpets will need to dry fully.
   
   
7. The best way to clean inside car windows. Following the same method as with the exterior of the windows, use a paper towel to wipe away the window cleaner or vinegar solution — no more excited-to-see-you dog slobber or grease from faces pressed against the glass. 

Car-care tips complete. Just remember though, cars are places for road trips and happy memories. It’s no big deal if a cola can explodes over the backseat or the world’s biggest seagull uses the bonnet as a toilet – that’s just another story to tell!