Washing a Car and Performing Maintenance Checks

You will need

• A hose, pressure washer, or a bucket of water.
• Specialised car wash soap or wash wax.
• A sponge.
• Cloths.
• Car polish.

Instructions

1. Wash the car down. Use a hose, pressure washer, or bucket of water to clean most of the dirt and grit off the outside.
2. Work from the top with soap. Apply your soap or wash wax at the top, moving downwards so dirt doesn’t run into parts you’ve already cleaned.
3. Rinse as you go. Avoid soap marks by washing down the parts you’ve soaped before moving onto other areas.
4. Wipe the area down. Leaving a car to dry naturally can result in a streaky finish or watermarks so make sure to dry sections properly using a microfibre cloth or towel.
5. Clean between the doors. When everything else is dry, open the doors and boot and use a damp cloth to clean between the cracks.
6. Clean the wheels. Use a separate damp cloth, brush or sponge to wash the wheels down too.
7. Wax and polish. Once the car is clean, waxing the outside or using car polish will help it look even better. It has the bonus of protecting the car for longer, meaning fewer washes in the future.
8. Vacuum the inside of the car, removing any rubbish or dirt as you go. Finish off with a lovely hanging scent.

General Maintenance

Once the car is cleaned, take the opportunity to check:

• Tyre pressures are correct
• There is enough tread on the tyres, and nothing is stuck in them.
• Check that lights work.
• Under the bonnet, top up screen wash, oil, and water levels.