Get the most out of self-serve car washes using these simple tips

Clean your car effectively and keep it looking good as new using these self-serve car wash tips.

Depending on where you live, you might not have access to the kind of privacy and space you need to wash your car at home. However, here are a few tips on how to use a self-serve car wash that should help you find an effective way to get your car clean when washing it at home is a challenge.

Check online for self-serve car washes near where you live. You could even check a few reviews to see if others have had good service there. Obviously, these kinds of car washes are only as effective as the hardware they carry, so look for reviews that mention:

• Wash wands that work.
• Well-lit facilities in easily accessed areas.
• Wide bays with ample drainage.
• Coin operation that's fully functional.
• Generally clean and well kept.
• When you find a self serve car wash that meets your needs, head over there and look for a bay with all of the above.

Pull into the bay, place your car in the centre and make sure the wash wand can reach all the way around your car. Locate the change machine and get the coins you need. Make sure you have enough because the machinery works fast and is timed.

There are three stages to washing your car: rinsing off the crusted on dirt and grime, washing with suds, and finally rinsing your car to remove all the soap and remaining dirt.

Pump in your coins, grab the spray gun and stand a little ways back from your car. You'll hear the machinery kick into gear, and then you'll know it's time to pull the trigger and start spraying. Work quickly, moving around the car, and pay particular attention to the areas around your wheels.

When you've prewashed the car thoroughly, change to the sudsy cleaning stage. Work thoroughly, all the around the car, but this time work top to bottom, so the suds and dirt flow downward. Get it good and clean and hit the areas around your lights and grille as they're easy to skip.

When you think you've been thorough in your sudsing, turn the dial to the rinse position and repeat the above step, however, work more carefully, as this is when you'll see areas you might have missed. Flow the nozzle back and forth to create a sheeting action as that will increase your luster.

A self-serve car wash is not as slow and therapeutic as washing your car at home, but when you know how to use one, you have an effective way to get rid of the dirt and grime that our cars accumulate in the city, keeping it looking its best.