Everybody has a car these days,and,most of us like to keep it clean,or at least,not having mud or bird crap on it. If you are like me,and don't own a garage,that perhaps,like me,you probably need to clean your car often.

The problem,is that with the economy going slower,car washing is getting out of business faster that we had expected. Where only months ago were succesful car washes,now there are signs of "space for rent".... This affects us indirectly,because now we see growing lines at those stations that survived. Week-ends now are a search for a shorter line to wash the car.
We could skip washing our car so often,but,this solution is a-no-brainer, because paint deteriorates, plus that the car that we like looks like a perfect homeless-wagon.




A better solution,is DIY car wash,it's cheaper,faster,and you get a good feeling that you did something all by yourself in these digital times,when all we do is pushing buttons.

Sure,some might see this a first sign of bankruptcy,but you need not care abou them,you have more free time,a cleaner car,and more cash in ya wallet,homeboy.

You can buy a jet washer,wich might seem costly at first,but in time,you will see that it sure is worth the money. After that,all you need is to plug it in electric outlet,and insert a water hose in it,and you have your own car wash. Newer machines actually have shampoo compartments,so you can spray foam first on your car. It has a huge pressure,so be careful not to use it too close to your car body,or on your mirrors,or you risk damaging them. Remember never to wash your hands with it,as it can actually peel of your skin. When inserting the water hose,always insert it after you let water pour through it,because air bubbles damage the jet washer engine.
For a price of at least 80-100$ or 50-80 Euros you can get a machine that will serve you well. But if you plan to use it quite often,and invite friends wash their cars,too,well,you'd better buy something worth more money.


Another solution,is to wash you car manually,this is cheaper,but needs more work,and you need some experience,if you want to duplicate the results of a jet washer machine.
What you need,is a car shampoo,some sponges,a water bucket,and some cloth. Of course you need to have the will to get yourself wet and dirty,first of all.

So let's begin:
Get some water in the bucket,preferably not cold,so you don't freeze your hands,and mix in the car shampoo,gently,so to avoid making too much foam.
Next,you need your car body pre- soaked,because otherwise you will damage the paint,and,if you car as mud stains,you also need to remove those first. If possible i recommend a hose,but if you don't have acces to one,just use another bucket.
Also very important- find a spot in the shade so the shampoo doesn't dry out too fast on the car. And also,you don't get headaches or sunburn,but who cares about that?
Also,if you drive a lot on the highway,you need a bug-remover spray,to get the damn bugs from your bumper and windshield off,and we all know those hell-spawn insects are pretty hard to clean just with water and car shampoo.
Next,start with the roof of the car,so you don't get otherwise dirt on your newly cleand doors. After the roof,clean the hood and the rear section- the trunk. Last,wash your lower doors panels and your wheels. Wheels are better to be washed with a different cloth,so to minimize scratching the paint. Always keep this routine in mind,because the last sections get sand,and pebbles encrusted on them,so you risk damaging the paint on other ares,you don't use my advice.
Word of advice,after you apply the shampooed sponge on you car, clean it after you put it back in the bucket with shampoo foam.
After you wash the car,all of the car,mufflers,bumpers,antenna,and wheels,rinse it very well,and believe me some car shampoo products can get a lot of water to rinse off.
Don't forget,after rinsing,take a clean cloth and dry the car completely,or you get water spot and streaks on it- and that is just not a good car wash. Get a good absorbing cloth.
With a window cleaner,wash the windos,both inside and outside.
When you wash the wheels,you should wait a little before watering the brake disks,as this might affect them,especially if you have a high performance brake system installed.

I usually buy a shampoo wiht polymers,because rain drops don't stick to your car,keeping it clean more.