SummaryWashing your car by handWashing with rollersWashing your car with a high-pressure jetCall in the professionalsFind the nearest car wash
Wash your car by hand
Time: 30- 60 minutes
Price: €
Difficulty: ***
Efficiency: ***
Manual washing certainly takes more than time, but it remains the cheapest solution. If the washing is done well, it can be of high quality.
To do it, you still need to acquire a variety of washing products: in addition to the bucket of water (or a hose sprinkler) and sponges, for a quality cleaning, it is necessary to have shampoo for bodywork, a special rim cleaner and a rubber renovator (for the tires). Finally, to dry without leaving a trace after rinsing, the use of a chamois leather is safe and effective. This hand cleaning is part of the routine maintenance of your car body, for which you can find all the useful tips in the link!
With a microfiber cloth, you can polish your entire car efficiently and without scratching, this technique is effective if you have several models of cloths.
Unlike other types of cleaning, manual washing also helps maintain the interior of the car. The first thing to do is to remove and clean the floor mats or carpet. Then you have to use a vacuum cleaner with a thin and long nozzle that can dust your entire cabin. To remove bad odors, baking soda should be sprinkled on for a few hours before being sucked in again. This operation can be done anywhere and at any time and depends only on your motivation.
Roller washing
Time: 5-10 minutes
Price: €
Difficulty: *
Efficiency: **
This technique is the most used by the French. Indeed, it is a quick solution, present in all cities and inexpensive (around ten euros). But each vehicle passed before yours will have left a little dirt on the brushes, plus some fairly worn brushes leave micro-scratches and can attack the paintwork as well as the bodywork. Finally, this solution consumes the most water with a consumption of more than 100 liters per wash.
Washing professionals are now developing anti-scratch brushes which guarantee streak-free cleaning and the quality of roller washes. therefore improves. This solution can be chosen for most vehicles (cars, vans, ...) and remains the fastest wash on the market, however, interior cleaning cannot be done.
To ensure efficient washing washing must be accompanied by the use of detergent to maintain a good condition of the car. The latter must be applied before dampening the car, washing without detergent is ineffective because a large part of the dirt is stubborn.
Washing your car with a high pressure jet
Time: 10-15 minutes
Price: €
Difficulty: **
Efficiency: **
The jet washing is controlled by yourself, so you can reach areas inaccessible to the roller like the bumpers, the underside of the car and dirtier corners. It allows an adapted cleaning which depends only on your action. You have the freedom to act on the areas you want and to wash for the time you want, all for an average price of between € 5 and € 15.
You must also be vigilant in keeping a certain distance between the car and the jet, in fact the pressure is such that too close could damage the car. This technique seems to consume a lot of water.
But it is not. The projected water is sprayed while maintaining its power, and in the end, almost 50 liters, the equivalent of a shower, are used for this type of washing.
This wash is not suitable for all vehicles! If you own a convertible car, high pressure washing is too risky so the only solution to cleaning it is manual washing by a company or by yourself.
Call on professionals
Time: 60 minutes
Price: €€€
Difficulty: *
Effectiveness: ** *
Some car wash companies offer to wash your vehicle at home. The cars are washed, rinsed, dried, all by hand in a professional and thorough manner. The price is the highest on the market, for the exterior washing of a city car, count around twenty euros, but the price can go up quickly depending on the range, for a sedan, an interior and exterior wash will be worth more than 50 €! Most car washes are environmentally friendly and use water-saving techniques (such as waterless cleaning, which gives the paint a shiny appearance and protects it but is not suitable for cleaning heavily soiled cars). / p>
Find the nearest washing station
To find high pressure washing centers near you (like Total Wash, Elephant Bleu…), solutions exist. Apps like the one from Kleen Now list all stations and can estimate their quality from customer reviews. In addition, they represent a considerable time saving, as it is now possible to initiate the washing and to pay from this application.
You will also be able to obtain exclusive promotions. If the stations aren't your thing and you prefer manual washing, try the KleenBox, a kit that brings together all the tools you need to wash your vehicle. This application will be your best ally for regular maintenance!
The cleanliness of your car is essential if you want to sell it, in fact trusted intermediaries like CapCar allow buyers to have a complete report cars for sale, with about fifty photos to establish a precise file. So, for a purchase without any bad surprises, what are you waiting for?
Sell my car at the best price
