Step 1: Rinse & wet the car (with standard tap water)-
DO NOT USE A SPONGE because it will pick up grit and you'll be rubbing the grit around and it'll act like sandpaper. A high pressure hose is best for this but a hosepipe with a strong jet will help. Once you have removed the loose grit and the car is wet the rest of the dirt will start to loosen as the water gets into it.
Step 2: inside of the car
Pick up crisp packets, sweet wrappers and those car park stickers. Remove removable mats and vacuum them then move on to the rest of the interior with the hoover. Wipe down the dashboard, console and all other plastic with a damp (not wet) cloth. (for soiled areas use a mild detergent but wipe off thoroughly). Avoid using products with Silicone in as they leave a greasy residue & over spray onto the pedals can be lethal. Do not polish the dashboard because this can cause glare on sunny days.
Step 3: Back to the outside - the car should still be wet - hose over one more time ready for the pre wash.
Use a very soft sponge or soft wool mitt, and very gently wipe over the entire car the aim is to remove all grit particles. (Do not scrub tar or mud deposits at this stage) Start at the top of the car and work round it in circles like peeling an orange making the sills and bumpers the last thing you touch overall - these are generally the dirtiest and most gritty items.
Step 4: Pre wash.
Using a bucket of clean (for perfection use filtered) water and a car pre wash product - choose something that does not foam up or cause lots of bubbles. (Autoglym car shampoo is very good and conditions the water to avoid streaks.) Don't use a shampoo with built in polish this would effectively seal the dirt and stains under a thin layer of wax and makes the cleaning job 100 times harder and makes the windows go hazy every time you use your wipers. Use a tar and bug remover spray to soften the really stubborn stains.
Step 5: Main Wash.
Again with a quality car shampoo. Time to use a slightly harder sponge or cotton cleaning pad. Like last time work in circles using the orange peel method. A scrub pad can be used for really tough stains but only on areas of paint work hardened like the sills and lower front bumper. You want to avoid creating those wheel mark scratches caused mainly by bad cleaning methods or automatic car washes.
