Worried that dry car wash will scratch your car or otherwise produce sub-standard results? As long as you avoid the following 8 mistakes, you’re sure to achieve amazing, lasting results anytime you use a waterless wash and wax product on your vehicle.
1. Using any old rag to wipe your car
To maximize the results of spray on car wax and wash, use a 100% cotton terry cloth to wipe the formula after you spray it onto your vehicle and then use a microfiber towel to buff the wax haze that’s left. Other types of cloths or rags simply don’t perform as well.
2. Rubbing too vigorously
After you spray the waterless wash onto your vehicle, rub it lightly and in a circular motion with a terry cloth. Don’t rub too vigorously because you could end up scratching the surface of your vehicle. For the best results, wipe and lift.
3. Using waterless cleaning products on an excessively dirty vehicle
If your car is caked in mud or sand, rinse off the dirt first before applying dry car wash. Waterless wax is effective on light to moderate dirt, but you cannot realistically expect the formula to remove an extremely heavy coating of dirt.
4. Not letting the solution soak long enough
Are there scuff marks, tar, sap, or bugs on the surface of your car? Let the spray on car wax soak on the surface of your car for a few minutes prior to wiping it off with a terry cloth.
5. Not changing towels
For the best results, have a few extra terry cloths and microfiber towels handy in case the ones you’re using get too wet or dirty while you’re working on your vehicle.
6. Not saving your microfiber towels
One of the perks of using dry car wash is that you can save the microfiber towels you use to buff the wax haze in a sealed Ziploc bag. You can reuse the microfiber towels in between washes to wipe your car and keep it looking nice and shiny.
7. Washing your car once in a blue moon
For maximum results, you should aim to wash and wax your car once a month. Cleaning your car regularly will protect the paint and prevent it from getting damaged by road salt, bird droppings, dead bugs, and other harmful elements.
Fortunately, washing and waxing your car will only take you up to 30 minutes if you use spray on car wax that also serves as a waterless cleaner. The more frequently you use a waterless cleaning product on your car, the shinier and stronger its protective coating will be.
8. Using waterless detailing products that don’t contain carnauba wax
There are a variety of waterless wash and wax products out there, and their active ingredients vary widely. For optimal results, use a dry car wash that is made with carnauba wax. Carnauba wax is the preferred ingredient among auto detailing experts because it protects paint, creates a hydrophobic surface, and deepens shine.