Do you truly care for your beloved car? Are you aware of its cleaning needs? Perhaps you have already noticed some issues with your car's cleaning but don't know how to improve them. Or, perhaps you are unsure about how to choose the right cleaning products from the mixed offerings in the market. Recently, a reporter learned some professional and safe car washing and maintenance tips from Youfu Auto Service Company.
Car washing should use neutral car wash liquid
Mr. Liu introduced that professional car wash liquid is the foundation of car washing. Professional car wash liquid refers to pH-neutral (approximately 7) car wash liquid. Some irregular car wash points on the market often use acidic or alkaline cleaning agents. Just as sulfuric acid will cause immediate pain if spilled on the hand, acidic cleaning agents can directly and quickly harm the car body by penetrating into the paint and corroding it. Alkaline cleaning agents, on the other hand, slowly destroy the car paint. Although they may make the car body appear brighter at times, prolonged use will severely corrode the car body, making it lose its luster and shine in no time. In severe cases, it can even lead to paint peeling.
The most commonly used alkaline detergent at roadside car wash shops is dishwashing liquid and laundry powder. While these remove surface stains, the car paint, especially the glossy parts, also gets eroded by the alkali. After a few washes, the car body will lose its shine and original bright luster. Additionally, some car wash places offering services for just 5 yuan use a mix of seaweed powder and alkali tablets as their car wash liquid. This type of car wash liquid is cost-effective but extremely damaging to the car.
How to identify car wash liquid
Since most car wash liquids today are colorless and transparent, even professionals find it hard to distinguish between them, let alone ordinary car owners. However, Mr. Liu introduced a simple yet practical method to identify car wash liquids. Whether the wash liquid is acidic or alkaline can be revealed by using a small piece of test paper. If it's acidic, the test paper changes color; if it's alkaline, it changes differently; if it's neutral, the test paper color remains unchanged. The reporter saw that Mr. Liu had a small pack of such test papers on his desk, which could be easily carried in a pocket, was inexpensive, and available at any chemical supplies store. Tearing off a small strip and placing it in Youfu's specialized natural orange oil car wash liquid, the color indeed did not change, and the test paper retained a faint fragrance.
Foam is not an indicator of effectiveness
Moreover, the foam produced by professional car wash liquids can prevent scratches during the washing process and thoroughly clean dirt from the car body. However, the amount of foam is not a standard for evaluating the effectiveness of car washing. This is because if there is too much foam, it becomes difficult to rinse off, and under sunlight, it can easily leave water marks or oil spots.
Cloth for drying and polishing should be high-quality chamois
After washing the car, the tools used for drying and polishing also require careful attention. Most regular car wash points use ordinary wiping cloths or large towels. What many don't realize is that repeated use makes these materials hard, leading to scratches on the car body, and the shedding of fibers fails to provide proper cleaning. Professional car wash points should use high-quality chamois cloth. Its characteristics include strong water absorption, quick drying, high softness, and no shedding of fibers. A high-quality piece of chamois cloth costs about 100 yuan, is durable, and has a wide range of uses, including wiping the dashboard or interior of the car. There are currently some "chamois cloths" on the market that look like chamois but are actually sheepskin or imitation chamois. Identifying quality is easy—just check two important indicators: whether it has strong water absorption and sufficient softness.
Professional car washing steps
Professional car washing should start with pre-cleaning areas that need special treatment, followed by special cleaning of heavily soiled areas such as tires, engine exterior, bumpers, etc., then cleaning the entire car body (including the body, tires, car glass, etc.), and finally using professional tools to thoroughly clean and polish the interior components.
What car owners should pay attention to
Car owners should choose professional, safe cleaning agents and polishes to protect both their cars and human health from harm. At the same time, they should ensure that the washing process strictly follows standard procedures.
Additionally, car washing is a professional skill where many detailed operations can significantly impact the car. Therefore, it should be handled by personnel who have undergone professional training to ensure the car receives professional service. (By Zhang Yong)