Stay in the loop with the latest updates, offers, and more—sign up now and start saving!
Despite the current torrential downpours and ‘yellow’ thunderstorm warnings, the UK has recently enjoyed back to back heatwaves, which can only mean one thing – a hosepipe ban is in effect…
Four separate water authorities – Yorkshire Water, South East Water, Thames Water and Southern Water – have so far introduced bans in July, affecting over seven million households. Anyone flouting the ban could be hit with a fine of up to £1,000. With warm conditions forecast to continue, more water authorities are expected to introduce their own restrictions.
As you’ll no doubt be aware, that leaves us car enthusiasts in a grubby spot. But fear not, a hosepipe ban doesn’t mean we’re forbidden from washing our cars at home, it just makes the task harder by consigning the pressure washer to the garage.
But thanks to Autoglym’s UK-based R&D department, we can bring you a ten step guide to a safe wash whilst the restrictions are in place.
Quite literally. Cooler temperatures mean cooler paint, which allows all the cleaning solutions ample time to loosen surface grime and impurities without drying out.
Hosepipes and pressure washers are great for removing the bulk of the dirt before you start the ‘contact wash’ with a mitt or sponge.
However, the hosepipe ban doesn’t mean you have to skip this essential pre-wash stage. You can still apply a dedicated pre-wash spray such as Autoglym’s All-Purpose Cleaner to agitate the worst of the dirt, notably on the lower panels.
Dead insects on the front of the car and on the windscreen will be very difficult to shift through conventional washing, so use a specialist product like Autoglym’s Active Insect Remover to soften and loosen the remains.
Then rinse thoroughly using a watering can, ideally with a rose fitted to spread the flow, working from the bottom up.
Once the car is pre-washed and well rinsed, start the contact wash using two buckets – one with the soapy water and another with clean water.
Once you have washed a panel, dip your mitt or sponge in the separate bucket of clean water to rinse away the dirty suds. This ensures you don’t contaminate the soapy water and avoids you reapplying any dirt to the car.
Work from the top of the car down, as the lower sections are likely to be dirtier and prolonged exposure to suds descending from the upper areas could be beneficial. Use a car-specific product, such as Autoglym Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner, which is low foaming so easier to rinse away.
Here’s how to avoid carving any dreaded ‘swirl marks’ into your paint.
The key is to load your mitt or sponge with lots of soapy water to flood the surface at each pass, working on small sections of the car at a time. Using greater quantities of soapy water will help to loosen baked-on grit and grime; Autoglym’s Microfibre Wash Mitt is ideal for applying lots of soapy suds with each pass.
Always avoid rubbing away at any stubborn dirt. Instead, do repeated passes with the soapy water, applying gentle pressure. If the dirt residues remain, revisit the area with the pre-wash spray or insect remover, which have active ingredients that help lift the grime.
Tar residues which are more of a problem when the sun softens the road surface, can be easily wiped away with a dedicated product like Autoglym Intensive Tar Remover.
Preventing the suds from drying out is another key pointer. As it will take longer to rinse the whole car, it’s best to wash and rinse one section of the car at a time.
It's best to work from the bottom upwards, so you can more easily see where you have washed and where the rinse water is needed most.
The nooks and crannies matter!
When attending to the wheels (using a dedicated product such as Autoglym Custom Wheel Cleaner) and other intricate areas, it can be difficult to fully rinse the cleaning product away afterward without access to a hose, especially around the brake calliper and within the wheel ‘barrel’.
If a watering can doesn’t reach those hard to reach spots, use a handheld clean pump spray filled with water to rinse off any excess wheel cleaner and to get in-between the car’s panel gaps.
Just ensure the sprayer doesn’t have any chemical left in it from previous use.
It’s crucial to dry the car before the sun does.
Letting the car dry out in the warm ambient temperature might seem like a good way of avoiding having to dry the car yourself, but this approach is likely to lead to streaks and water spots that can be just as hard to remove as road grime.
As soon as you’ve finished rinsing the car, quickly dry the surfaces using an Autoglym Ultra-Soft Drying Towel.
If you see any residual water spots, use Autoglym Rapid Detailer to remove them straight away.
If they have been left for a while and are particularly difficult to shift, apply a quality polish such as Autoglym Super Resin Polish.
Between washes, you can even remove light coatings of dust or dirt on the car with the Rapid Detailer and a microfibre cloth. Simply apply the product liberally to safely lift grime away. Be sure to fold and turn the cloth into quarters, as this will effectively give you eight sections of clean cloth to use, which stops you spreading collected dirt and contaminants across the surface. Use multiple cloths if you see too much dirt building up.
Bird droppings could be harder to remove, especially if they bake onto the surface in the sunshine, but a handy box of Autoglym Bird Dropping Wipes can be used to quickly – and safely – wipe them away.
If time is against you, consider using a specialist glass cleaner such as Autoglym Fast Glass to quickly and easily remove dirt and bug splatter from windows, windscreen and lights.
No need for a hosepipe; just spray and wipe to safeguard visibility and leave a streak-free shine.
Finally, give your pride and joy an essential layer of protection with Autoglym Rapid Ceramic Spray.
It will help to resist dirt and reduce the amount of water and cleaning agent needed the next time you wash the vehicle.
You can even simplify the dry and protect stages outlined above using a product like Autoglym Rapid Aqua Wax, which is applied to a wet car before drying with a microfibre.
Follow these tips and you’ll still be able to create that show-worthy shine at home - no matter what the weather is up to!
Since you’re already thinking about car care, why not make life easier?
The Autoglym VP9BLK2 Supreme Car Collection bundles all the essentials into one kit — and we’ve got it in stock at ML Performance.
It’s ideal whether you’re a weekend warrior or just want to keep your pride and joy looking sharp with minimal faff.
