How to clean the car step by step
Wash your car easily, quickly and professionally.
No one likes to have a dirty car, and at times it can be a real headache to know the best way to clean it.
Especially if you are starting in the world of detailing. Vehicle maintenance also includes the cleaning and care of all its components, both exterior and interior, to extend its lifespan.
At FullCarX, we have a wide catalog of products that will allow you to keep your car looking like it just came out of the dealership. In this article, we are going to teach you step by step how to wash your car correctly and we will give you some professional tips to achieve that excellent result you are looking for, while saving a lot of time and money.
Clean car, safe car.
Benefits of keeping your vehicle clean and protected:
- Preserve the painting:
Eliminates external agents that can damage or corrode the varnish over time and helps protect the paint from UV rays.
- Avoid the accumulation of difficult dirt:
Applying the right products prevents dust, mud, or insects from adhering permanently, causing damage.
- Better visibility and safety:
Clean windows, headlights, and mirrors ensure safer driving.
- Increases the lifespan of materials:
Cleaning plastics, leather, or fabrics helps reduce premature wear, preventing cracks or discoloration.
- Eliminates bad odors and bacteria:
Regular cleaning prevents the appearance of moisture, dust mites, or mold, thus improving the driving experience.
OUTDOOR CLEANING
Effective exterior cleaning, for bright and safe results.
Tires:
The tires accumulate the most dirt from the vehicle: brake dust, mud, road grease, and metallic contaminants. If they are not cleaned first, these residues can splash onto the body during rinsing or contaminate areas that have already been washed.
To remove the most embedded dirt from the body, you can use Wheel Cleaner or Total Wheel Cleaner, both of which are products with high degreasing power, with the difference that Total Wheel also acts on the tires, restoring their black color.
These products are ideal for stock wheels, but for custom, painted, or aluminum wheels, we recommend using Iron Cleaner, which has a neutral pH and is completely safe for all types of wheels. Additionally, it is a ferrous decontaminant, meaning it effectively removes accumulated ferodo (the dust released by brake calipers that easily embeds itself).
Precise cleaning for every need.
Specific Cleaners:
Before starting to wash the car's body, we must ensure that there are no external agents that could damage the paint.
If you have dried insects or bird droppings stuck, you can spray the Insect Cleaner and rinse with water to remove the dirt. On the other hand, if you have residues of Tar, Resin, or glue remnants, you can use the Tar Remover or Resin Remover.
Essential for scratch-free cleaning.
Pre-wash:
Once the most severe dirt has been removed, it is time to do a pre-wash to remove any remaining mud, dust, or grease that may be on the bodywork, thus avoiding possible scratches during washing. This step is optional, but in many situations, it is necessary. If there is a large amount of adhered residues, we should use Body Degreaser, the bodywork degreaser with high degreasing and descaling power, designed to act on the toughest dirt without damaging the paint or exterior plastics.
On the other hand, we also have a range of pre-wash shampoos: Cherry Foam, Blueberry Foam, and Kiwi Foam, all with alkaline pH and great foaming capacity that helps to encapsulate and detach dirt without the need for scrubbing. It is important to know that all these pre-wash products, having superior cleaning power, can remove waxes or special finishes applied previously.
Deep cleaning with technique and safety.
Washing:
After the pre-wash, it's time for the contact wash with Snow Foam, an active foam shampoo with a neutral pH that is completely safe for all types of surfaces, without affecting vehicles protected with ceramic treatments or waxes. At this stage, we really eliminate all remaining dirt from the bodywork. If you regularly wash your car, you can wash it directly with Snow Foam without the need for pre-washing or degreasing. Tip: to avoid damaging the vehicle at this stage and achieve an excellent result, we recommend using the two-bucket method (one with shampoo and another with clean water to rinse the FCX Washing Mitt) to achieve very effective cleaning with a shiny and smooth finish. It is also very important to always wash from top to bottom, starting with the roof and finishing with the dirtiest areas like the undercarriage or skirts, as these accumulate more dirt.
Once we have the car clean, it is essential to dry the bodywork with any of the specific drying towels from FullCarX: air drying or drying in the sun will leave marks and make all the work less effective.
Clean crystals, safe driving.
Crystals:
Once we have the entire car clean, it's time to clean the windows on the outside to achieve a shiny and streak-free effect.
By following these steps, we will have completed a full exterior wash of the car, although at the end of the article we will share more tips on how to achieve a spectacular finish.
INTERIOR CLEANING
Interior care with impeccable finish.
Dashboard:
It is one of the most visible and exposed areas inside the vehicle, where dust tends to accumulate very easily. To leave this area spotless without damaging delicate materials, we recommend applying the Dashboard Cleaner (glossy finish) or the Dashboard Cleaner 0% (as it does not contain silicones, it leaves a more natural finish).
Both have great cleaning and moisturizing power, creating an anti-static layer against dust and with a pleasant lasting aroma.
To remove fingerprints from central screens or piano areas, you can apply the Screen and Piano Cleaner.
Interior care with impeccable finish.
Upholstery:
Each type of upholstery requires a different approach to ensure effective cleaning without damaging the material. For this, we offer specific products for fabric, alcantara, and leather that allow you to remove stains, dust, and embedded odors from seats, mats, carpets, the trunk, the floor, etc.
To achieve a better finish and prolong the lifespan of leather surfaces, you can apply the Leather Moisturizer.
Tip: Always vacuum the upholstery before applying any product and avoid cleaning only the stained area, as this could cause tone differences with the rest of the surface.
Cleaning, safety, and anti-fog.
Crystals:
Cleaning the windows is not just an aesthetic effect; they are also key for safety and visibility while driving. With the Window Cleaner from FullCarX, you can remove and degrease all types of adhered dirt in one go.
Additionally, it allows for the generation of an anti-fog layer, especially useful in cold or humid climates. It is highly recommended to clean the windows with the specific window cloth from FullCarX that has no seams, which could leave marks on the surface.
The multi-purpose cleaner.
APC:
The multi-purpose cleaner from FullCarX is one of the most versatile products in the entire detailing process.
Its formula is safe and effective on virtually any surface, making it the perfect solution for those areas you don't know how to clean, such as door frames, rubber mats, trunk compartments, etc.
It is available in concentrated format (to dilute according to use) or ready to use, ideal for a quicker and more convenient application. Tip: For better cleaning, it is recommended to use detailing brushes and high-grammage microfiber cloths.
In addition to cleaning products, on our website you have all the necessary accessories to thoroughly clean your car.
The final touch with an elegant aroma.
Air freshener:
An interior cleaning cannot be perfect without the final aromatic touch. At FullCarX, we offer up to 15 scents of air fresheners in two formats: in 100ml bottles for spraying in the cabin or in hanging concentrated essence.
Tip: Do not apply the air freshener excessively on plastic areas or screens as the aromatic oils can leave marks over time; it is better to spray in the air or on textile areas.
GO BEYOND
With everything we have seen, the result is a truly clean and renewed car. However, there are a few more things we can do to put the finishing touch: correct all the scratches with polishing and provide extra protection with a ceramic treatment, seal the paint with wax, and hydrate plastics and tires.
POLISHING
Polishing corrects visual defects in the paint such as swirls, micro-scratches, holograms, or water spots, restoring the original shine and finish. Although many associate it with old cars, even new vehicles may need it due to imperfections caused during transport or initial washes. It is not just about restoration, but a key phase to enhance aesthetics before applying protection such as waxes, sealants, or coatings.
Clean, smooth surface and ready to polish.
Preparation Beforehand:
Before starting any polishing phase, it is essential to ensure that the surface is completely degreased and decontaminated.
To decontaminate the surface, a ClayBar lubricated with Clay Lube should be used, rubbing evenly over the entire bodywork until achieving that smooth feel that will enhance the effectiveness of the polishing.
Tip: We can also perform a chemical decontamination on the bodywork with Iron Cleaner.
Professional polishing, for a flawless shine.
POLISHING:
With the different polishing phases, we can eliminate defects in the paint such as swirls, micro-scratches, loss of shine, etc. Depending on the condition of the clear coat, we can perform the polishing in 1, 2, or 3 phases.
At FullCarX, we have our 21mm Orbital Polisher with professional specifications and a wide range of accessories such as polishes, pads, and other necessary products to carry out a complete polish on your car.
If you want more information on how to polish your car, here is a more detailed article.
EXTRA FINISHES PROTECTION AND SHINE
Superior shine and unbeatable ceramic protection.
Hydrophobic and ceramic protection:
If we want to give extra protection to the bodywork, it is highly recommended to carry out a ceramic treatment that will provide numerous benefits such as protecting the bodywork from UV rays, enhancing the shine of the bodywork for a longer time, extreme water and dust repellency to keep the car clean for longer, etc.
A good instant hydrophobic protector that is quick to apply is Hydrocoat, which is applied directly to the car while it is still wet and works instantly.
On the other hand, for more powerful and long-lasting protection, you can perform a ceramic treatment with 9H hardness for extreme durability and protection. NanocarX 9H is our high-quality ceramic coating that is easy to apply.
Additionally, for a complete finish, you can use 9H Glass, specifically formulated to effectively and easily protect and repel water from windows and glass.
Top waxes for a spectacular finish.
Crayons:
After a good cleaning, following a polishing or once a ceramic treatment is completed, it is advisable to apply a quality wax to seal, protect, and enhance the original shine of the bodywork. To achieve this, we can choose liquid waxes with a quicker application such as Quick Detailer, Fast X, or Liquid Carnauba Wax.
If what we are looking for is greater protection and durability, we can opt for Solid Carnauba Wax or Crystal Wax, a wax with very high hydrophobic properties.
Blacker, longer-lasting shine.
Plastics and Tires:
To achieve a truly perfect finish, it is necessary to renew the appearance of all the black plastic parts that tend to lose color and deteriorate over time.
We can do this using Plastic Recover, our plastic restorer and one of the most sought-after products. The final touch that all car enthusiasts love is to hydrate the tires, making them look new. For this, you can use Tire Detailer.
If you are looking for a more concentrated product that can be used on both surfaces, the super plastic and tire restorer Total Black is your choice.
"Calidad FullCarX: fácil, efectiva y accesible"
As you can see, detailing a car is not something extremely difficult, but doing it well takes time. The most rewarding part is finishing the job and seeing our car looking just as good or even better than when we first saw it. At FullCarX, we develop high-quality products in our factory in Valencia (Spain) that are accessible to everyone: effective, easy to use, and at an unbeatable price.
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