Car Care & Auto Detailing Blog

There are few worse things than cleaning your car, taking a step back and noticing the remnants of hard water spots all over your vehicle. We are going to give you some quick tips on how to remove hard water spots so you can confidently show off your clean car!

What Causes Hard Water Spots?

Have you ever noticed leftover spots on the surface whenever you’re done cleaning? They often appear hazy or white on the surface and seem impossible to remove. More than likely, you are experiencing hard water spots. This happens when there are materials in the water and a build-up of alkaline.

These spots can be difficult to remove and often are a source of frustration while you are cleaning. But, fear not! With a little elbow grease and CleanTools products, you can remove those spots in no time.

Nothing beats the feeling of a clean vehicle. Washing your car can be one of life’s great pleasures, provided you take the time to do it properly. Unfortunately, many of us have learned some bad habits that could be doing more harm than good to our cars’ exteriors.

Knowing what not to do can be just as important for improving the look of your machine as knowing what to do. Although many enthusiasts take their hose and bucket outside every weekend, they may be making some mistakes that hurt their finishes. To help you get the most out of your weekly wash-up, here are some basic dos and don’ts:

Mistake No. 1: Using the same mitt for the wheels and body.

Your wheels typically pick up a lot of grit and brake dust. When you use the same washcloth or mitt to clean them and then the body, there could be particles trapped in the fibers. You might be unknowingly scratching your paint as a result.

Solution: Choosing the right tools for the job.

Having a high-quality mitt such as CleanTools’ Premium Wash Mitt designated for the wheels and another specifically for the rest of the vehicle will prevent scratching. It’s also a good idea to use a separate bucket for each, to keep abrasive materials from getting stuck when you rinse them.

Mistake No. 2: Washing in direct sunlight.

A sunny day might seem like the perfect time for a good washing. However, the sunlight can cause water to evaporate quickly and leave deposits on the surface.

Solution: Wash during the morning or evening.

When you work while the sun is not at full power, there isn’t as much risk of evaporation as at midday. This gives you more time to rinse and dry properly.

Mistake No. 3: Using dishwashing soap.

The detergents you use to clean your dishes weren’t made for cars. In fact, many of them can damage finishes because of their alkaline content.

Solution: Choose the right soap.

Specially formulated soaps will help keep your vehicle clean and protect its paint job. You can find these soaps at an auto parts store or in many department stores.

Mistake No. 4: Using a bath towel to dry.

A terrycloth towel might feel soft enough on your skin, but it’s most likely too rough for your vehicle. It’s also going to become waterlogged fairly quickly, meaning it won’t effectively dry your vehicle.

Solution: Use a PVA.

There’s a reason why professionals and beginners alike continue to choose The Absorber. They work quickly and don’t give water a chance to leave spots on your paint. The Absorber from CleanTools utilizes a unique polyvinyl alcohol construction for superior drying capabilities. To extend the life of your wax job in between waxes, you could use The Glosser, which provides a coat of wax as it lifts light surface contaminants with one swipe. 

A good cleaning can ensure your ride looks and feels its best. Follow these guidelines to make the most of your weekly driveway ritual.

If you don’t take the time to dry your car properly after washing it, you might as well have not washed it at all. Despite all the effort you may have put into cleaning the exterior, letting Mother Nature handle the final step is a bad idea. Leaving your vehicle to air-dry in the sun leads to water spots, which can hurt its look and do lasting damage to its finish.

When the droplets evaporate, the dirt and minerals they contained don’t always float away with them. They can remain on the surface, leaving unsightly dull areas. What’s worse, dust and grit get another chance to scratch your paint. This is why knowing how to dry your car after a wash is just as important as using the right cleaning techniques.

Here are some pointers to show you how to dry your car after washing or how to dry out the car after washing so it will continue to look its best:

Start With a Rinse

The best way to dry a car after washing begins with proper rinsing. Spray the outside indirectly with your hose on a medium or light setting. The trick here is to wet all of it evenly without using too much pressure. You want the water to be heavy enough to pull anything on the surface with it, without splattering. Allow the water to run off for about a minute or two before moving to the next step.

Get the Right Tools

Many people wipe their cars with an old beach towel or rag. That’s dangerous because your standard terrycloth towels may be more harmful than you think. The best way to dry the car after wash is using a high-quality chamois or microfiber cloth will do the job well because it can absorb more moisture without scratching your paint. It's considered the best way to get moisture out of the car. For example, The Absorber from CleanTools uses a unique polyvinyl alcohol material that helps soak up more water than other types of towels.

Dry Your Wheels Separately

One of the most crucial car drying tips is to use a separate towel for your wheels. The brake dust and grit from them can be transferred easily to whatever cloth you’re using. That means you’ll be working these abrasive substances into your finish as you dry the body. You should also learn how to dry your brakes, the wet brakes might not do their job properly as dry brakes.

Work Quickly

This is especially important if you’re working on a hot summer day. The longer it takes you, the more likely it will be that droplets will have a chance to evaporate and leave spots on your vehicle. The good news is that once you learn how to properly dry a car, you’ll be able to move as fast as you need.

Looking Good

Knowing how to dry off your car after a wash is just as necessary for a good-looking vehicle as the soaping and rinsing. Follow these tips, and you’re sure to get great results.

It’s easier to have a great day when you love the first thing you see in the mirror each morning. So why let streaks ruin that first impression? Compared to the rest of your bathroom, cleaning the mirrors should be pretty painless. However, it can be surprisingly difficult to achieve a perfect shine. Cloudy, spotty mirrors can really mar the appearance of an otherwise pristine bathroom, so having streak-free mirrors should be a priority.

If you’re wondering how to get streak-free mirrors that will reflect your best self at the start of each day, here are a few tips on how to clean mirrors without leaving streaks:

From trying to navigate a quick trip to the grocery store or getting through a long family road trip, it often feels like kids bring messes wherever they go. Crumbs scattered under the seats, sticky surfaces, and lost toys can make your car feel like a storm just hit it. 

Most auto enthusiasts know the pride that comes with a clean vehicle. Tooling down the road in a shiny, glossy machine free from grit and grime just feels better. In addition to the mental benefits, there are other reasons to pay close attention to your vehicle’s cleanliness. Caring for your car or truck inside and out does a lot to affect its resale value, as well. Even if you don’t mind driving with a little dirt on your fenders, it can be well worth the effort to give your vehicle a shine and polish every so often.

Here are some tips you can use for your next car cleaning session that can help you get the most value from it:

Applying Car Wax

No matter how clean your car is, you’re not done washing it until you wax it. Waxing your car does a lot more than give it that showroom shine — it helps protect it from all the assorted dirt, grit and grime that your car will encounter on the road. Waxing your car makes it easier to clean the next time and helps extend the life of your car’s finish. Any car enthusiast will tell you that the best way to wax a car is to do it by hand.

Here are some step-by-step tips on how you can hand-wax your car, as well as how you can make the whole process easier with The Glosser by CleanTools:

Waxing Your Car by Hand

Waxing your car by hand is a relatively simple process, but it’s important to take your time and do it properly to get the best possible results. To do the job right, you’ll need the right tools, which in this case are your wax of choice, a car wax applicator pad or sponge, and a microfiber cloth.

Once you have your equipment, here are the steps you should take:

• Step 1 — Apply the wax to the applicator. Use as little wax as possible. It’s better to apply many thin coats of wax than it is to try and spread a thick glob that you’ll need to remove later.
• Step 2 — Rub the wax onto your car. With a tight, circular motion, rub the wax onto your car. Apply the wax one panel at a time and overlap the circles you make to get maximum coverage.
• Step 3 — Buff the wax away with a cloth. Before the wax dries, use your microfiber cloth to wipe it away, using the same type of circular motion with your hand. You shouldn’t need to use too much force, but make sure you turn the cloth frequently to prevent wax from building up in the fibers.

A Better Way to Wax

Waxing a car using your hand is a relatively simple and easy process, but why shouldn’t you choose a way that is better than good? Learn how to wax a car properly. You can achieve that by using The Glosser from CleanTools to wax your car, you make the entire process that much easier. That’s because of The Glosser’s unique three-layer, microfiber construction featuring a layer of wax between two outer layers of cleaners. This means The Glosser allows you to clean and wax your car’s surface with one swipe. A little pressure is all it takes to activate and release the cleansers and wax contained in The Glosser — removing dust, grime, and bugs while leaving a thin coat of protective wax.

Storing a pack of The Glosser in your glove box is an effective way to keep your car looking sharp between waxes. Because it doesn’t require any water, it’s easy to do a quick cleanup on a small area of your car while on the road or at the end of the day. It also works well at keeping interiors, dashboards and leather seats looking clean and new all the time. Giving your car a good coat of wax will help keep your car in great shape — and The Glosser is an excellent way to do it. Buy a pack of The Glosser cleaning cloths today from CleanTools!