At home car wash tips

Top 3 Tips For The Perfect Car Wash At Home

Dare we say that the warm weather is finally here? In true Canadian fashion, the spring temperatures have been swinging wildly and in Ontario, we’ve set records for the coldest day in May. While cold temperatures and snow won’t inspire anyone to wash their car, we’re confident that the warm weather and long weekend on the horizon will see many people out washing their cars.

If you plan on turning your driveway into a DIY auto spa this weekend, we’ve got some tips to help you pull off the perfect wash:

1. Don't Wash In Direct Sunlight

It may be tempting to wash your car in the blazing afternoon sun, but that’s literally the worst time. When it comes to washing cars, the sun isn’t your friend. Even if you have the best tools and high-end soap, we’re willing to bet that you’ll still be left with streaking and residue. You’ll have the sun to thank for that.

What’s the fix? Opt to wash your car on a cloudy day or in the early morning before the sun gets too strong. The heat from the sun causes the soap to dry on your car before you can rinse it off completely which will leave you with a milky looking residue and spots. Switching to an overcast day or a time when the sun isn’t as strong will yield exponentially better results

2. Use Soap That Is Meant For A Car

Using your Dawn dish soap might be tempting, but we don’t recommend it. It will get the job done, but can strip the surface of key paint protecting elements. You wouldn’t use dish soap to wash your hair, so why use it to wash your car?

We use specialized commercial grade soap for our detailing clients but you don’t need to go that far for a basic at-home wash. Car wash soaps are readily available at your local hardware store, Canadian Tire or even Walmart. Our go-to store bought product is the Simoniz Gel Car Wash – you can get it at your local Canadian Tire for around $10. It will last you forever so it’s money well spent.

3. Rinse It Twice

It may look like you got all of the soap the first time, but looks can be deceiving. Doing a double rinse can dramatically decrease the amount of soap residue left behind. Focus your attention on the mirrors, door handles and other crevices where the soap could be trapped. You’ll be surprised at what you see.

To finish it all off, you could dry your car with a microfibre drying towel. Our favourite is the Maguiar’s Water Magnet Microfibre Towel. This will help to achieve a spot-free finish. Pro tip: start with the chrome areas of your grill and lift gate – those will be the first to show watermarks.

Going to give these tips a try? Tag us on social media, we’d love to see them in action!

DIY car care not your thing? Leave it to the pros.
car sanitization COVID-19

Car Sanitization Tips

How are you? The COVID-19 outbreak has profoundly impacted each and every one of us, so we wanted to start off this post by checking in on you. From our family to yours, we hope that you are safe and healthy!

Everyday Car Sanitization Practices

Like many, you’ve been stepping up your sanitization practices both at home and while out running errands for household essentials. This might include wearing gloves or a mask, using hand sanitizer frequently, and disinfecting high-touch areas in your home. We’re glad that you’re taking the appropriate steps to keep yourself healthy, but many people are forgetting the in between – your car. 

This is often the common connection between your home and the store, and should be subject to the same sanitization practices. We’ve compiled a few car sanitization tips that are super easy to follow: 

      1. Wipe Down High-Touch Areas After Every Use
        We’ve found it helpful to keep a container of disinfectant wipes in the car so that we can give everything a quick wipe down before exiting the vehicle for the day. Key areas to focus on are the steering wheel, gear shifter, door handle, window and door lock buttons and the radio. And, don’t forget the seatbelt buckle. Once you’ve wiped down the inside, you can use the same wipe to sanitize the exterior door handle as well.
      2. Minimize Unnecessary Belongings Left In Your Car
        By minimizing the number of unnecessary items in your car, you’re limiting the amount of potential places where the virus can live. This is also an essential car cleaning tip on a non-COVID basis too. It’s easy to let items accumulate so removing them regularly will help to keep your car clean.
      3. Keep A Trash Receptacle In Your Car
        Nowadays, there are so many options for trash receptacles that are made specifically for your vehicle. You can get ones that attach the back of your seat, ones that tether to the centre console and even ones that have extra organizational features (you can find our favourite here). These handy trash bins create one central location for all garbage and make it easier to dispose of.

Car Sanitization Practices For Employers

If you’re an employer who provides your team with company vehicles, it’s likely that you’ve already addressed the need for additional sanitization. However, these unprecedented times are likely to influence the new normal of health and safety standards going forward. The Government of Ontario is working with the Infrastructure Health & Safety Association (IHSA) to provide guidelines for workplaces amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve included a link below to the latest IHSA documentation on cleaning and sanitizing the vehicle interiors below: