Most over looked thing in washing a car?

astrogus

astrogus

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What step do you think is the most overlooked when someone is washing a car. Not saying a professional detailer, just someone washing there daily driver.

I think it's either gotta be the jams, inside the gas door.
 
the wheelwells, people are too lazy to stick their hand in there with a brush.
 
GMC83 said:
the wheelwells, people are too lazy to stick their hand in there with a brush.
Click to expand...

I agree with this as well. Most cars that I have a first go around with need a very thorough wheel well cleaning.
 
i dont think they rinse it throughly and leave soap residue on the vehicle
 
Wheel wells and inside gas door.

I am surprised at the number of people who clean their jambs regularly.

DLB
 
The motor NEVER gets cleaned by "Average Joe".... and that's probably a good thing!
 
GMC83 said:
the wheelwells, people are too lazy to stick their hand in there with a brush.
Click to expand...


Boy is that the truth! I have worked on friends cars that have never had the wheelwells cleaned. Took half a bottle of Surf City de-crudder to get all the garbage out of there.

VR8 said:
The motor NEVER gets cleaned by "Average Joe".... and that's probably a good thing!
Click to expand...


Just had a lady bring by her new (used) 2003 Toyota SUV and when I looked under the hood I couldn't see the engine for all the leaves and crap. But after an hours work with a shop vac, crevice tool, stiff brush all the loose stuff was gone. Another hour with a can of Foaming Gunk, a rinse, another wash with full strength Simple Green, another rinse, then a final treatment with a leftover can of No Touch the engine compartment looked like new. And this was both top and bottom (I put the car up on a lift to get to the bottom).
 
around town i see a lot of people work out in the hot sun, and use one wash bucket.
 
VR8 said:
The motor NEVER gets cleaned by "Average Joe".... and that's probably a good thing!
Click to expand...

Why? It's not really hard to do or anything.


I'm going to have to say the barrel of the wheels or inside the fuel door.
 
I'll go with pre-rinse. Sure, everyone does a pre-rinse but for the most part they're just getting the car wet.

The tree-huggers might cringe when I say this, but I pre-rinse for up to ten minutes sometimes. My car is almost clean before I even dunk my hand in the soap bucket. There's a lot less dirt to get trapped in the sponge with a good thorough pre-rinse.
 
I've NEVER seen a lay person clean the barrel of the wheels or the gas cap area. Wheel wells are also a good bet but I think plenty of people clean the jams.
 
Most also don't know how to deal with brake dust like we do. If it doesn't come off with the first pass of the soapy sponge or mitt, its there to stay.
 
I always clean the wheel barrels, wheels, wheels wells, door jambs and gas cap area all first.

If these are done while you are still fresh and enthusiastic about the wash or the detail you'll never miss them. if left for later they may be missed or intentionally left since the majority of the car looks good.
 
Dwayne said:
If these are done while you are still fresh and enthusiastic about the wash or the detail you'll never miss them. if left for later they may be missed or intentionally left since the majority of the car looks good.
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That's really smart. I've never thought of it that way and usually use a separate bucket for my wheels/tires, but I might start doing it like this now, to ensure I don't get sloppy!
 
Dwayne said:
I always clean the wheel barrels, wheels, wheels wells, door jambs and gas cap area all first.

If these are done while you are still fresh and enthusiastic about the wash or the detail you'll never miss them. if left for later they may be missed or intentionally left since the majority of the car looks good.
Click to expand...


Great points. I feel if you don't get the wheel area and door jambs done first they may be overlooked or you may run behind and leave them by the way side.

I think people really don't like washing their wheel wells.
 
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