All the tips for washing your car from A to Z

How many times has this happened to you?:

You step outside to run an errand, take one look at your car and think, “Wow, this car is filthy, I’ll have to clean it this weekend”...

...and then, the weekend comes, and you push it to the next week!

Don’t worry, you're not alone.

Cleaning your car is time-consuming and a bit of a hassle, and almost no one wants to waste their time on it (which is why we offer car cleaning services on Yoojo). 

But, with the right strategy and a handy guide like the one I’m giving you today, you'll be able to clean your car quickly and maybe even enjoy doing it!

Just a heads-up, this guide is all about the exterior of your car. If you want to deep clean the interior of your car, head over to this guide!

In the following sections, I’m going to explain:

How to clean your car quickly: step-by-step

Sometimes, your car just gathers a little dust and only needs a quick clean. 

In fact,  I recommend doing a quick but regular clean rather than letting dirt build up to the point where it’s a pain to remove.

I’ll show you two types of car cleaning: one quick and one affordable.

Cleaning your car with a pressure washer

If you're lucky enough to have a pressure washer at home, cleaning your car won’t take more than 10 minutes, and that’s a huge time-saver.

Honestly, what will take the most time is waxing your car after the wash. 

The products you’ll need for this cleaning:

• Rubber gloves

• a pressure washer

• a foam cannon

• car shampoo

• wheel cleaner

• brushes for cleaning the wheels

• car wax

• a buffer with circular pads

• microfibre cloths

Time needed:

20-30 minutes

Steps to follow:

Here are the steps:

1. put on your gloves

2. start with a quick rinse to dust off and remove large dirt particles. Begin at the top and work your way down.

3. mix the car shampoo and put it in your foam cannon

4. do a quick pre-wash with foam over the whole car

5. while the foam is working, clean the wheels with wheel cleaner

6. use the brush to get into all the nooks of your wheels

7. let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse with water

8. do another shampoo wash and rinse again

9. let it dry

10. you’re done

If your car is really dirty, you’ll need a wash mitt and should go over the tough spots with a bit of scrubbing.

Cleaning your car with the two-bucket method

This is the cheapest way to clean your car because it requires very little equipment. Aside from the car shampoo, you won’t need to buy much.

The products you’ll need for this cleaning:

• two 10L buckets

• car wash shampoo

• a car wash mitt

• a large non-abrasive sponge

• water

• car wax

• a circular waxing sponge

• a microfibre cloth

Time needed:

30-45 minutes

Steps to follow:

1. fill two large buckets with warm water

2. in one of the buckets, add two caps of car shampoo and stir

3. soak the wash mitt in the soapy water until it's thoroughly saturated

4. wash the whole body of your car, starting from the roof

5. finish with the bumper and the wheels

6. once everything is clean, rinse with the water from the other bucket and a sponge

7. let your car dry in the shade (the sun might leave marks)

8. once the car is dry, apply wax to your circular sponge

9. wax the surfaces one by one… one coat is enough! 

10. polish with the microfibre cloth

11. you’re done!

Common questions answered!

It’s so easy to damage your car (especially the paint) when “experimenting” with a magical all-surface product or following your mate Maurice’s questionable car advice!

Here’s a quick rundown of the questions people ask about cleaning their cars.

Can you wash your car with shampoo? 

❌ NO

You’ve probably noticed there’s special car wash shampoo and shampoo in your bathroom: you think, “Perfect, no need to buy anything else!”

But they’re not the same thing at all. Your hair shampoo can actually damage your car’s paint because of its high pH levels.

Can you wash your car with washing-up liquid?

❌ NO, but it’s not as bad

Washing-up liquid is a strong detergent that can degrease even the toughest surfaces. You’ll find two schools of thought on the internet:

• those who wash their cars with dish soap like they don’t care

• those who love their cars

Technically, you can wash certain parts of your car with washing-up liquid, like your plastic wheels or bumper.

However, avoid using it on the car’s body… it’s sensitive!

Can I clean my car with a pressure washer?

✅ YES

Pressure washers are powerful and can clean everything. So, it's easy to see why some people are hesitant: “Will this high-pressure wash damage my car’s paint?” 

It’s not a problem as long as you start at a distance and get closer gradually if the dirt is stubborn... without ever getting so close that you’re just a few millimetres away from the paintwork.

However, avoid using the pressure washer on deep scratches or chips, as you’ll risk peeling off the paint further.

Deep cleaning your car: part by part

Have you waited too long, and now there’s dirt in every corner of your car? Or maybe you went on an impromptu rally last weekend?

No worries, I’ll break down how to clean each part of your car. Plus, most of the following tips can be done using household products rather than the expensive car cleaning products!

You’ll learn how to clean:

• The body

• the wheels

• the headlights

• the windows

• the bumper

How to properly clean your car's body without damaging it

Let’s start with the biggest and most challenging part: cleaning the body without scratching it!

It’s worth noting that the best strategy to avoid damaging your car’s body is to wash it by hand using a specially designed wash mitt. 

As you’ve probably guessed, the two-bucket method is the best technique… sure, it takes more time, but your car will thank you in the long run!

The equipment you’ll need:

• two 10L buckets

• car wash shampoo

• a car wash mitt 

• a large non-abrasive sponge

• water

• car wax

• a circular waxing sponge

• a microfibre cloth

How to wash the car’s body:

The technique is pretty simple:

Start by placing your car in the shade and avoid washing your car's body when it’s raining… you’ll be working for nothing.

If you have a hose, start with a pre-wash to remove the dust. 

Next, in a 10L bucket filled with water and two caps of shampoo, place your wash mitt. It’s important that the mitt is well-saturated to create a good lather. 

Use small circular motions over each part of the car’s body, starting from the roof and finishing at the bottom.

Rinse with cold water, and don’t hesitate to go over the really dirty areas again. 

Let it dry, and there you go!

What products to use to maintain and shine your car’s body?

Once the wash is finished, it’s a good idea to protect your car’s body to keep it from getting dirty and worn too quickly. 

You’ll need the following:

• car wax

• a circular waxing glove (manual or paired with an electric buffer)

• a microfibre cloth

• a specific degreaser for polishing

• restorative polish (if your car has dulled)

For a shiny car, it all starts with drying – a step that often leaves streaks. 

There are specialised drying cloths available on the market that will dry the body in no time. 

Alternatively, a classic chamois leather will do the job! But the best option is to get your car polished by an expert!

For waxing, whether you use a buffer or do it by hand, the concept is the same:

• start gently, 

• make vertical strokes, then horizontal strokes 

• when the wax becomes translucent, you can degrease

• clean with the microfibre cloth

• then move on to another part of your car

Can you clean your car’s body with baking soda?

You’ve probably seen people on the internet washing their cars with baking soda. And it’s true, baking soda is a miracle product that can clean almost anything!

However, your car’s body is particularly sensitive and delicate. If there’s one part of your car where it’s worth buying specialised products, it’s the body.

For the other parts, here are some tips to help you.

Homemade wheel cleaner: 2 easy techniques

No need to buy special products to clean your wheels, here are two super effective and easy solutions. 

With baking soda for alloy wheels

To clean your car’s wheels, especially if they’re really dirty, baking soda is an excellent product. 

Mix two parts hot water and one part baking soda in a bowl, and that’s enough to remove even the toughest stains. Just soak a cloth in the mixture and scrub the wheels vigorously.

With white vinegar for plastic wheels

Actually, this works for alloy wheels too, but it’s especially effective for dirty plastic that’s lost its shine. 

Grab a microfibre cloth and a bottle of white vinegar. 

As always with wheels, start by rinsing off the dust and dirt with a hose or sponge. 

Then, soak your microfibre cloth in a bit of white vinegar and do a test on a less visible part of the wheel. If all’s well, you can clean all four wheels this way.

Cleaning your car’s yellowed headlights

Yellowed headlights reduce visibility during night-time driving. They can even be dangerous for the driver. To effectively clean your car's yellowed headlights, grab a tube of toothpaste and a cloth; squeeze a small amount of toothpaste onto the cloth; cover the headlight with the cloth and rub to remove the grime.

Rinse the headlight with water to remove the product and the dirt, and wipe with a dry cloth. This method also works for removing scuff marks from the body.

Can you clean your car’s headlights with baking soda?

Yes, you can!

Our trusty baking soda comes to the rescue again, helping us remove stuck-on grime with ease. 

How to do it:

1. In a dose of warm water, dilute one-half dose of baking soda. 

2. Soak a non-abrasive sponge or microfibre cloth in the mixture.

3. Gently clean the headlights without applying too much pressure to avoid damaging them.

If the grime is on the inside of the headlight, you’ll need to remove the headlight... sorry!

Cleaning your car windows without streaks

Now for the windows and windshield, which also deserve a good clean… but without streaks!

Warm water + lemon for lightly soiled windows

For this natural window cleaner, grab a spray bottle and mix the juice of two lemons with warm water. 

Spray your window and either use a window squeegee (if you have one) or gently scrub with a microfibre cloth. 

White vinegar + newspaper for dirty windows

You probably already know this trusty grandma’s trick with white vinegar, which also works wonders for cleaning your car windows.

To do this: soak some newspaper in white vinegar and dab it gently on your car’s windows to clean them… you’ll see, it’s like magic!

You can also mix 1/4 white vinegar with 3/4 warm water in a spray bottle and use the squeegee to make everything perfectly streak-free.

Bonus tip: maintain your wipers to avoid streaks on the windshield

Here’s a little tip to prevent your wipers from making your windshield dirty when they’re supposed to be cleaning it.

Once a month (or whenever you notice they’re not cleaning as well), wipe the blades of your wipers with a cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol to give them a new lease on life… it works wonders!

Removing stuck insects from the bumper

Did you happen to drive through a swarm of bugs? No worries, there are solutions for that. 

The first one is to use pre-moistened wipes that you can find in stores. If you don’t have too many bugs stuck on and they haven’t been there too long, that should do the trick.

If that’s not enough, put on your rubber gloves and soak a microfibre cloth with pure white vinegar… no bug will survive that!

Getting your car washed at home: is it worth it?

By now, you’ve probably realised that cleaning your car is time-consuming and even a bit of a pain for some of us. This is when you start wondering if it wouldn’t be better to have a pro clean your car instead of spending 2 hours with water and foam.

For those of you who can’t even be bothered to take your car to the car wash, we offer you the option of booking a home car wash for your car’s exterior.

A professional will come to your place to clean your car, and that’s super convenient... especially since you can also get the interior of your car cleaned by an expert!

Is it expensive?

But in the end, you set the price depending on the tasks to be done and the equipment you provide.