Relaxation. Each person understands his own type of recreation by this word. For some, there is no greater happiness than opening an album with collectible stamps and spending hours lovingly looking at the collected treasures. For others, real relaxation begins in nature, when hot fat falls from juicy pieces of shish kebab onto smoldering coals. Well, we motorists don’t need much. It would be a great happiness to spend a couple of hours with our loved ones. iron horses. Today we will not discuss the topic of how to properly bathe these very red iron horses.

General cleaning of the car should be carried out at least several times a year, we have talked about this more than once on the pages of our Internet publication. The standard time for cleansing baths is autumn and spring. Spring washing is extremely important, since it is during it that you wash off all the reagent and dirt accumulated over the winter from the car.

You can come to the car wash, drop off your car, drink a cup of coffee and drive away satisfied in your shiny car. But there is another option, much more interesting, to carry out water procedures yourself. Here's how to do it.

A few key points to keep in mind before you start your water treatments:

1. Do not park the car in direct sunlight. Due to heating under the sun, water will quickly evaporate, leaving water stains on body surfaces.

2. Remove all rings and rings from your fingers; put away bracelets and watches while washing. Check your clothing to make sure there are no zippers or protruding metal buttons. Since you will be in very close contact with the body of your car, you can scratch the paintwork.

3. Do not drop washcloths, microfiber or rags on dirty surfaces. If sponges/loofah, etc. fell on the ground, wash it very thoroughly with water or replace it. Sand accumulated on it (including very fine sand) can cause the paint surface to be scratched.

4. Top to bottom, always! Apply and rinse from top to bottom so you'll actually lift dirt rather than smear it around.

5. Each task must have its own tools. Do not use one towel or sponge for the entire car. For rims your own towel, your own sponge for the body. And nothing else. Even towels for applying auto chemicals need to be separated, one for wax, another for polish.

Let's start washing the car.

Let's start washing: Rinse. First, pour plenty of water on your car before soaping it up. This way you will soak away all the dirt stuck to the car and wash away some of the sand and dust that will interfere with the washing process.

Don't use household cleaners such as soap because they are not always safe for cars and may strip paint or damage clear paint. Buy a special automotive chemistry. Do water solution according to instructions.

The bucket in which the solution will be made must be perfectly clean. To apply soap to the surface of the car, use special car sponges or towels. They retain moisture better, foam better and are easier to rinse.

Or clean dirt from top to bottom.

For discs, use a special and rough sponge to properly clean the discs from dust flying off the pads.

According to general rule Wash the wheels and underside of the car last, as they are the dirtiest.

Wash the foam off the car.

Wipe dry: Getting rid of excess water. So that there are no unsightly stains left on the surface. A rubber glass scraper works well for this.

Or an old, unnecessary wiper. You can use microfiber fabric; it absorbs water perfectly without letting it out. Do not use terry or regular towels, otherwise you will be guaranteed to get streaks.

Claybar (clay for cleaning paintwork): A new-fangled means of removing small (abrasive) particles from the surface of the body. Claybar is used to remove brake dust, regular fine dust or tiny metal particles from paintwork.

How to use Claybar clay. Knead the block until it becomes elastic (you can place it in warm water). Start processing with horizontal surfaces, then move on to the vertical parts of the machine. The kit includes an auxiliary product, the so-called detailing, this is a lubricant that must first be applied to the surface to be treated, after which you begin to wipe it with a block of clay.

If the surface of the claybar becomes dirty, knead it to obtain a clean working surface, continue working, remembering to generously apply lubricant to the body. After the entire car has been processed, you will feel the difference literally by touch and by eye.

In stores in our country, such chemicals are rarely found, but you can still order it, for example, through the same aliexpress. The issue price is around 500-800 rubles. Judging by the reviews, the thing is effective.

Removing scratches: The work is carried out in sections. I usually divide the car into five main parts: hood and front, left and right side, rear end and roof. Use a moderate amount of polish, this way you will avoid streaks and excess product on the car body.

Wax treatments: Let's move on to wax. Wax is very reliable protection for paintwork from almost all types of contaminants, including bird droppings and even reagents and salts. Apply the wax in an even layer to all painted surfaces of the car and wait for the film to dry.

The important point here is to apply the composition in a thin and uniform layer over the entire surface of the car. Let it dry for 10-15 minutes. Ready! You can wipe off any cloudy film that appears with a clean cloth. In 20 minutes it will start shining better than new!

Advice. For hard-to-reach places, use cotton swabs.

Tire blackening: Some people like it, but personally I am not enthusiastic about this procedure. In my opinion, it is useless for the reason that the rubber will quickly become dirty on the first day. But if you want to get to the end, this will be a wonderful final point in your work.

Car wash services are becoming popular, and these services have everything necessary equipment, which will cope with this task quickly and efficiently. But sometimes, to save money, it pays to wash the car yourself. Many people make mistakes that cause washing to take longer or end up unpleasant for the car, so today you will learn how to properly wash a car.

What do you need first?

Remove any excess items from the trunk and remove all floor mats from the car. Put them aside for now and arm yourself with a vacuum cleaner. First you need to clean all the dust from the interior. Just vacuum the floor and seats, and rear shelf. Don't forget about the trunk and hiding places under the seats. The next step is to open the hood and get rid of leaves, which a vacuum cleaner does a good job of.

In general, you should not neglect this household device, as it does a good job of collecting a small layer of dust, which will make cleaning easier in the future. After all, the more dust there is on the surface, the greater the chance of scratching it while working with a rag. Pay special attention to the heater air ducts, which are located under the hood. If you don’t remove all the dirt from there, then in the future it will simply become clogged and the ventilation system will become ineffective.

Remember to close all windows and doors. Otherwise, during washing, dirt will flow into the interior and then troubles will arise in the form of lengthy cleaning of the inside of the car.

Body wash

As soon as the “moving” contaminants are eliminated, you can begin to wash the body. First, fill a bucket of water and pour it generously over the entire car. Most likely, you will have to pour out several buckets, but this is necessary to wet the surface of the body and remove excess dust that will ruin the paintwork when working with a rag or sponge.

A hose and pump give a good effect high pressure. Using a jet of water you can get rid of more stubborn dirt and you need to start from the roof so that all the dirt flows down. Having water pressure, you can wash the space under the wings of the car and the suspension elements. Having gotten rid of pieces of dried dirt, you will notice that the car has become quieter when overcoming uneven road surfaces.

After thoroughly wetting the body and washing off the dust, you can begin a more professional wash. Dilute car shampoo in a bucket of water and use a sponge to rub it all over the body, starting from the roof. Pay special attention to the bottom of the machine, as a lot of dust accumulates there. There is no need to wash discs with foam; there is no particular need for this.

Now that the dirt has separated from the body and the whole car is covered with soap, you can wash the shampoo off the body. Again, take a bucket or hose and water the car from the roof to the thresholds. Thus, we completely wash away the dirt along with the foam.

The last stage of body washing is getting rid of stains. The fact is that drops of water absorb dust from the air, so they need to be wiped off quickly. Take a dry rag and wipe the body dry, periodically squeezing or changing the rag to a drier one.

We continue cleaning the interior

We return to the interior again, as dust also accumulates there. Start with the glass. There is no need to wet them too much; just wipe them twice and dry them with the same dry cloth. But it’s better to take a regular newspaper, crumple it up and carefully, until it squeaks, wipe the glass until all the stains are gone. The next step is to highlight the door cards, leather or its substitute stretched over leather, and dashboard with steering wheel. Stretch the belts to their full length and wipe them too. A clean belt will not stain your clothes.

If you use polish, never wipe the steering wheel with it. The fact is that it has a special composition that will make it slippery, and this is very dangerous during sudden maneuvers on the road.

Finishing touches

Now, as you noticed, the dirtiest parts are the car's mats and rims. However, some people forget about the pedals, although wiping them is not necessary. Still, it will be more pleasant to press clean controls.

Wash the rugs and lay them out in the sun on the grass. However, there will be nothing wrong if you lay them wet in the car. The water will evaporate, but then you need to open the windows to prevent them from fogging up.

While the carpets are still wet, you can wash your car's rims. To do this, simply fill a bucket of water and wash off all the dirt using a rag and rinsing with water. In this case, there is no need to get rid of stains; it is enough to simply get rid of the dirt and then they will sparkle with their former cleanliness. The wheels are the last thing that catches your eye and requires careful consideration.

Engine washing

We decided to consider this as a separate stage, since it has its own difficulties. If you do not have the relevant experience, it is still recommended to entrust this to trained people. However, if you want to learn, you can wash the engine yourself.

To do this, you will need a Karcher to create the necessary water pressure. Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery and wash thoroughly engine compartment. Before starting the engine for the first time, allow sufficient time to allow it to dry. Otherwise, you can get very serious damage.

This completes the car wash. All this can take about 1-1.5 hours. There is no need to rush, otherwise the whole event will become torture. Enjoy your trips in a clean and sparkling car!

Now in Russia (not only in large cities, but also in small towns) so-called “self-service car washes” are beginning to appear. Where you yourself (as they say with your own hands) can wash your car for quite reasonable money (someone even washes it for 30 rubles, but more on that a little later). So, this type of “wash” is very interesting for car enthusiasts, because savings can reach 5–8 times compared to conventional ones. But not everyone knows; many are afraid that others may have some kind of prejudice. In general, today it is clear and on the shelves - how to wash, what to do, how to properly and rationally distribute your time in order to save money. There will be an INTERESTING video version at the end. So read, watch...

At the very beginning, I would like to say that this is a really interesting format, and you yourself dose out the services, if you just need to quickly rinse the car, please, if you need to wash it longer and more thoroughly, no problem either (but the cost will be correspondingly more expensive).

About money, time and savings

Self-service car wash is primarily interesting precisely because it saves money. A simple example - I have a KIA OPTIMA, a D-class car; to wash it at a regular car wash (just the body + mats) it costs about 200 - 250 rubles. If you take the body + mats + vacuum cleaner + wax it’s 450 – 550 rubles! NOT CHEAP!

On self-service, prices, as I wrote above, are several times lower! Again, a simple example: body + mats - ABOUT 50 rubles. Body + rugs + wax - about 100 rubles, but if you add a vacuum cleaner, about 150 - 200. It all depends on how efficient you are.

But “quickness” will come in handy. The whole point is that you throw in the money, turn on the sink (more details below), and off you go. That is, money has begun to be debited from your account; when it runs out, the car wash will stop. Thus, the faster you move around the car, the cheaper it will be for you. Otherwise, you can spend 100 rubles and not wash one side.

But as practice shows, even the slowest owners wash for no more than 100 rubles (this is the simplest option)

How to wash, correct instructions

Now the instructions, for those who have never washed:

• We choose a free box, usually there are a lot of them, about 6 – 8 (in big cities I’ve seen up to 12). Let's go into it

• We take out the mats and secure them with special clamps

• Usually there are two guns: one with foam, the other with water and wax. To begin with, we take it with foam (in hand), so as not to waste time, we go with it to the terminal

• We have a terminal in front of us, there are several modes here:

Water – I think there is no need to explain, this is ordinary water for washing cars

– a foam solution is supplied, which I think is simply necessary

Wax – water with wax is supplied, a white solution, you need to cover the car with it and wait a little, a type of water-repellent film is formed

Osmosis – as they said, this is purified water. It seems to remove foam better

Vacuum cleaner – you can enable this mode (if necessary), usually it comes separately, next to the pistols

• To activate desired mode, you need to put money into the terminal. There is various methods, you can use coins (there is a special connector), you can use banknotes, you can use a card. I will say this - taxi drivers and ordinary motorists use small change, very convenient way get rid of it, and you can throw in at least 1 ruble.

• After you have “loaded” the money, your amount will appear on the display. In my case, 50 rubles, (you should already have a gun in your hands, I have foam to start with) press foam start (button on the terminal). Now we press the trigger and a large layer of foam will appear, MONEY STARTS TO BE WRITTEN FROM YOUR ACCOUNT! We move faster, spray the entire car with foam. Usually it costs 20 - 30 rubles, it all depends on the dimensions and how dirty it is. Don't forget to spray with foam

• Next, press “STOP” or “PAUSE” there is a button at the top. Thus, we kind of stop the washing, you have a PAUSE of 120 seconds. BUT THEY ARE ENDING and after the time runs out, your money will start to be debited. But as practice shows, 120 seconds is quite enough. How to extend time, THERE WILL BE A LIFE HACK IN THE VIDEO VERSION
• Then we take a gun with water - press start (water) - wash off the foam from the body, rinse the mats. The remaining 20 - 30 rubles are just gone. BUT you may not succeed, especially the first time. But I think 70 - 100 rubles is enough for the eyes.

• Next, we put the mats in the car (you can wipe them with a rag), and drive out of the pit in a wet car. Usually there is a special area in front of the self-service car wash where cars are wiped down.
• Usually at these sites there are: buckets (or cut-off canisters) - a tap with usually clean water (or giant tanks) - you can draw water, take your clean rag and wipe the car (both outside and inside)

Like this simple instructions. As you can see, nothing complicated, everything is very accessible

A couple of life hacks

I’ll tell you so you can wash faster and cheaper:

• As I already wrote above, you need to take pistols in your hands, and only then throw in money.
• If the terminal weighs on the opposite side, then wash it counterclockwise. If on the left, clockwise. The whole point is that you make a circle around the car and then press pause, money is saved.
• Well, about the pause, how to extend it. Look, after you press “STOP” or “PAUSE”, 120 seconds will run for you. For some this is not enough. Then you can click on the start of any mode (foam, osmosis, etc.) and immediately click on “pause”, no money will be spent, but again there will be a 120 second pause

What are the disadvantages?

Whatever one may say, there are downsides, although not as many as it seems

First - this is that time is limited, that is, if you are a beginner, you can wash it not as much cheaper as it seems.

Second - you need to wash it yourself, you can get dirty (wet), so if you are in “ceremonial attire” in trousers, shirt, shoes - this is not for you.

Third – and this is probably the most important disadvantage, it’s not so easy to do because the room is not heated (maybe there will be a video about this a little later).

Now we are watching the video version

Well, in conclusion, self-service car washes are definitely a very convenient, fast and flexible tool. No matter how many times I come, there are never any queues, because everything is washed VERY FAST, and as I already wrote, it’s much CHEAPER. That's all - SINCERELY YOUR AUTOBLOGGER

Self-service car washes have recently become popular throughout Russia and the CIS countries. A car enthusiast arrives, is handed a water cannon, and as a result there are stains and stains on the car body. But they promised maximum cleanliness. The point is that you need to be able to use such innovation. Let's see how to wash your car at a self-service car wash so that you end up with a clean and sparkling car.

The season has begun, which means every driver will go to the car wash. For those who like to wash their car quickly, inexpensively, but at the same time with high quality, such services exist. Every year they are rapidly gaining popularity. Yes, these are the same car washes where the owner pays for the service himself and washes the car with his own hands. What is the secret of success?

Read the instructions

This is the first thing that owners say when answering a standard question from a car enthusiast who is interested in how to wash a car at a self-service car wash. And indeed, almost every car wash has such instructions for operating the equipment. But it is clear that instructions alone are not enough. Let's look at each stage of using the sink to get a quality result.

Almost all washes of this type offer the client at least five options - pre-cleaning, main washing, rinsing, waxing, as well as applying shine and drying. Sometimes rim washing services are provided, for which 15 seconds are allotted.

The machine “ate” the money, the gun is in hand, program selection

So, at the very beginning it is suggested to use a pre-wash. It is needed to make the dirt softer and lift it without damaging it. body paintwork. Usually the entire body is doused. And for this to be effective, it is better to wash from top to bottom. Keep the gun no closer than 25-30 cm from the body.

At this stage there is no need to wash off all the dirt completely. The pistol dispenses not ordinary water, but a special solution. Its active components work with dirt, but do not wash it away. Most washes allow about 45 seconds for this stage. This time is sufficient for pre-processing passenger cars and SUVs.

Main body wash

Everything here is clear from the title. Let's see how best to wash your car at a self-service car wash at this stage. By changing the distance, as well as the angle of inclination of the gun, it is necessary to thoroughly clean all dirty places on the body with hot foam. The solution is supplied under pressure. No more than 120 seconds are allotted for this stage.

To get the best effect, the solution is applied and washed off horizontally. In this case, you need to move from bottom to top along the sides of the car. First, the side parts of the body are processed. Then - the back and front. At the very end of the process, the roof, hood and trunk are washed. This is exactly how it is recommended to work with this device.

Rinse mode

This mode is intended for removal from the surface of the body. There is no need to make an effort, since it is not yet final stage. According to car wash owners, the average car owner should spend no more than a minute on this procedure.

Waxing

A thin layer of wax coating allows you to protect the body from the effects of dirt, dust, and various chemical reagents, which with an “appetite” eat not only ice and snow, but also metal. The coating process will also take about a minute, depending on the specific sink.

Shine and dry

This procedure, as it turns out, is no less important for a quality result. If you select this option, the driver receives special demineralized water in which a special substance is diluted. It speeds up the drying process. There is no need to wipe the car. We wash our car at a self-service car wash, and there are no rags or sponges here. In addition to its protective function, this coating will add shine to the paintwork. On this procedure it takes two minutes.

Particularly important in the whole process latest program- this is rinsing. But using not ordinary water, but one that has gone through osmosis. The demineralized liquid is carefully filtered. If you stop at an ordinary rinse, then ordinary water is supplied from the gun, after which drips and stains will remain on the body.

It is the last procedure that will make the car perfectly clean. Drying is also added there. But this is not a huge hair dryer, but a special chemical substance that helps water leave the surface of the body faster.

The director of a company producing such car washes knows how to properly wash a car at a self-service car wash and was happy to share his secrets with ordinary car enthusiasts.

One of the problems when car enthusiasts complain about poor-quality washing is the failure to use all the provided programs. If you choose to wash using only active foam and water, without using wax and osmosis, the car will not be clean. The paintwork will get dirty faster and will take longer to dry. Not everyone knows how to wash a car at a self-service car wash so that the result is as effective as possible.

Wash in 10 minutes and be happy

The creators of these complexes thought of everything so that the user could completely wash his car within 10 minutes. To do this, you must use all options.

But visitors to such car washes write reviews on specialized forums in which they disagree with this. The main thing that can be highlighted from these reviews is the weak water supply pressure. Instead of high-quality active foam, only slightly soapy water is supplied. With such chemistry it is difficult to achieve purity. You can only lightly remove dust, light dirt or snow. Sometimes certain options may not work. Chemistry does not please with its strength. And how to wash a car at a self-service car wash in such conditions?

Behind chemicals car wash owners are responsible. They regulate the level of concentration of chemicals in the machine, as well as the pressure of the water supply. The ideal situation is when the gun is held with slight tension during the main wash. Weak pressure - service problem which should be eliminated. It is very rare to find car washes where the driver himself regulates the amount of chemicals and water pressure. And there are no problems here even for such a task as washing a car at a self-service car wash in winter. If all systems work as they should, then there will be no problems even in severe frost.

Such car washes have existed for a long time, and drivers have learned to adapt to the program modes on them. Someone first applies active foam to the body and waits for it to take effect. Others hold the gun almost flush with the body. You should wait a little after each option. The third category of drivers generally swap options.

Here's what the professionals say about how to wash your car at a self-service car wash. The instructions are written correctly. But if the car has not been washed during the winter, you should first visit hand washing. There the body will be degreased. And then you can come to automatic washing, which will simply maintain the clean condition of the machine.

What's the result?

Naturally, a self-service car wash can handle simple stains with a bang. It is only important to develop your skills or be guided by what is written in the instructions. It is necessary to understand that for good effect all options should be used. If the car is in a neglected state, then such washes will not cope with the mud crust. You need to go to a manual one, where the car will be washed by professional car washers.

How to choose the right car wash and not harm your car by doing its hygiene yourself, what you should pay attention to Special attention, and which details are better not to be “washed out” - our recommendations will help you figure this out.

Choosing a car wash

Many car owners are accustomed to shifting the responsibility for keeping their car clean to professionals. The advantages of this approach are obvious: a car wash is fast, efficient and, in most cases, inexpensive. But you should keep in mind that, depending on the technology used, there are four types of car washes today, and they all leave a different mark on the paintwork of your car. The most common option, a contactless car wash, involves washing the car with so-called active foam (a strong agent based on an active acid or alkali). This method is considered the simplest, but for chrome and paint it is often demon contact washing– destructive: with frequent washing, the color of the car becomes cloudy, loses its brightness, and the white color turns yellow. The second type - contact washing - is washing the car with regular car shampoo, which, unlike active foam, does not pose any danger. IN last years“nanowashes” appeared - this method has nothing in common with scientists in white coats - it’s just that when washing, a special preservative car shampoo (with water- or dirt-repellent properties) is used. The last type is washing with brushes: if you care about the paintwork of your car, such washes should be avoided. They are intended primarily for owners of official or commercial vehicles, which in a year or two will have to be written off anyway, and therefore it is not at all necessary to save the paint.

Wash it yourself

Self-washing is fraught with many more tricks. It is better to wash the car indoors at room temperature, or in the warm season and cloudy weather - high temperatures and direct sunlight through the water “lens” will not only complicate the washing process, but also cause harm paint coating. For the same reason, it is not recommended to use too hot or too hot cold water. When using active chemicals, it is necessary to accurately adjust the dosage, but car shampoos, even in large quantities, will not harm the car in any way. It’s another matter if you are looking for a handy alternative to shampoo: for example, ordinary “human” shampoo is quite suitable, but various products for sinks and pans should be avoided - corrosion will not be long in coming. It is best to wipe the car dry with a rag or suede sponge - it costs more than foam rubber, but does not leave marks. Wheel disks It is necessary to wash it from the inside - otherwise, dirt will very quickly accumulate, which will upset the balancing of the wheels and lead to rapid wear of the tires. And finally, do not wash your car too often - in the warm season, 1-2 times a week will be more than enough.

Mine under the hood

It’s clear that when you lift the hood, it’s much nicer to see the clean “insides” of the car. But this does not mean that you can pour buckets of soapy water under the hood. By the way, a dirty engine helps to identify oil leaks. If you are still determined to wash engine compartment, you need to remember a few rules. First, no pressure washing. Second, wash only cold “insides”; Keep in mind that in summer it can take up to two hours for the engine to cool down after switching off. It is better to remove the battery or at least remove the terminals. We carefully cover the generator, starter, alarm and other electronics with plastic bags. After you have treated the engine compartment with a special engine cleaning solution, let it sit for 20 minutes and rinse with a weak stream of water, then dry for an hour. And remember that most manufacturers do not recommend washing the engine at all, so you should not do this more than once a year.