Hollywood has had an influence, not only on how India makes movies but also on how we wash cars — yes, you read that right. We Indians are willing to experiment, and Hollywood has only added more ‘masala’ to something as simple and essential as how one washes a car. It is nice to see women (no harm intended, ladies) get all dirty and wet in the process and slide over the bonnet, while we as Indians can even be more efficient and use a simple broom to sweep away all the dust.
However, keeping a car clean is more of an art. Paint can accumulate minute scratches and over time, it will look like steel wool was used throughout the car’s life. While the means used over the years take away dirt, it also takes away the paint as a souvenir. So how do you do it then? Also, as the movies suggest, do not wash the car in the sun, do it in the shade.
The non-contact approach
Hollywood tends to make something as mundane as washing a car look ‘spicey’. Foam and Diaz have worked. However, a soaking woman sliding on the bonnet is a no-no. The key to a safe wash is to hose it down completely, and if you have access to a pressure washer, even better. Then, if you have a foam cannon attachment for the pressure washer, foam it down completely. However, if you have no pressure washer, move to step two.
Now we make contact
A crucial step again, and now, we make contact with the car. Hollywood and other movies show decked-up women with a sponge and foam cleaning the car while wearing jewellery, a perfect combination for removing the paint along with dirt. They somehow manage to keep the makeup also on! Anyways, let’s move on.
The trick here is a two-bucket rule, and this applies even if you do have a pressure washer. One bucket is just clean water, and the other with car shampoo. Dip a clean towel into the shampoo mix bucket and wash the car, and before taking more shampoo, dip the towel in the bucket with clean water. This stops you from contaminating the bucket with shampoo and reusing the dirt on the paint, leaving scratches. Next, just hose down the car and not you in the process.
Kinda what Miagi says … Protection
The next step is protection, and funny enough, no glamourous actress has done this step. Must have got the right amount of tan, I’m guessing. Getting back to martial arts training now, and as Mr Miyagi says, wax on, wax off, just not in a circular motion though.
As experts suggest, work one panel at a time and do not apply wax in a circular motion. Apply it lengthwise and work on small sections, as this avoids the wax drying, making it more difficult to remove. Most would stop at this step, as regular washing using the above-said methods and waxing the car gives enough protection. However, if you need more, a ceramic coating and even a PPF application can help.
