Taking the car to a car wash each time it is dirty costs money. It makes more sense to get a good garden hose and nozzle so you can have the convenience of washing the car at home. Garden hose nozzles come in very handy for this purpose because you can adjust the force and type of spray.
1. Move the car into a shaded area, if possible. This makes it easier on your car’s finish and you. Fill a bucket with water and any mild soap safe for vehicles. A little dish soap is fine as long as it does not contain ammonia.
2. Next, aim the garden hose away from the car; turn the brass nozzle counterclockwise until the spray is a broad stream similar to the force of a heavy rain. Garden hose nozzles are easily adjusted to release anything from a gentle mist or a powerful, focused stream.
4. After you have finished rinsing the main body of the car, turn the stream towards the wheels. You can now adjust the flow to a more focused stream to remove spots of dirt and oil that have collected on the hubcaps. A good rule of thumb is to hold garden hose nozzles a few feet away as you use them to wash small parts of a vehicle. This allows you space to see what you are doing, helps prevent debris from being splashed into your eyes yet concentrates the right amount of force to remove stubborn dirt.3. When you’ve adjusted it in this way, turn the hose towards the car and rinse it off with this light spray setting. It’s important to rinse a car to remove abrasive material such as road grit. Otherwise, when you start to wipe the car down with a sponge, pieces of the abrasive material can scratch the paint.
5. Now, turn the flow of water off by adjusting the nozzle. Set the hose aside as you soap up the car with the soapy water from the bucket. Use a non-abrasive sponge and work your way from the roof downward. Note: Do not allow soap to dry on the car, as this can cause unsightly water spots. If the car is exceptionally dirty, wash and rinse one section at a time.
6. Turn the water back on by turning the nozzle and rinse the soap from your car. You may notice at this time some spots you missed when cleaning, but go ahead and finish rinsing. You can spot clean any areas necessary afterwards.
7. After the water running off your car is no longer soapy, you are finished rinsing. Use a squeegee on the windshields and windows to prevent water spots. Buff the rest of your car dry using soft towels. Now you are ready to do any spot cleaning, such as cleaning stubborn grease off wheels, or use any polishes or waxes.
Remember to turn off the outdoor water spigot to stop water from flowing to the hose when you have finished.