How to Wash a Black Car

To wash a black car requires a special touch. Dirt shows up more easily, and those damn swirl marks drive you crazy, I'm sure. But if you don't want to pay $40 every week to get your car washed at the car wash (really half-washed because they don't do nearly the job they should), then pay attention here. Here's how to wash a black car at home.

TEMPERATURE. First off, to wash a black car, make sure you wash it on a cool day. If it's a hot day, wait until the sun goes down at least. Part of the problem with black paint is that is absorbes the most heat from the sun, and parts of those swirl marks is paint melting and moving.

FILL YOUR BUCKET. Have your bucket ready with the Turtle Wax wash before you start wetting down the car. Ideally, these steps should be done one right after the other.

WETDOWN. The other big thing that causes those crappy swirl marks is dirt getting pushed into the paint as you wash. So turn your hose on "shower." Do NOT use jets except on the tires. You have to spend a bit longer on the washdown to properly wash a black car. Spray it over at least twice.

WASH. Wash GENTLY with the hand mitts in a circular motion. No need to push AT ALL. Now you're going to get some swirl marks, but this will keep the swirl marks on the surface, where they can be buffed out in the wax phase. If you have some dirt that just won't get off, get in close and use your fingers to separate the dirt or grime from the paint without rubbing hard. That just pushes dirt in.

DRY. Shammies are good because they soak up water quite well. Dab, don't rub. Place the shammy straight down and take it straight back up. Get all the water off of the car you can, then let the rest air dry. DON'T RUB to dry.

WAX. You will wax the car in the SAME motion as that which you washed it. Circular, following the same pattern. You're going to be buffing twice. The first time over, you should get a nice sheen of white wax. Let it sit and bond into the swirl marks to even out your paint. After the wax has dried, which should be about 10 minutes, the second buff is a little deeper, to push that wax into the swirl marks and get your black back. The way to properly buff is to rub (this is the ONLY time you'll really rub) in a circular motion, LIGHTLY, until you can't see the wax on the surface of the car any more and the car begins to take on that shine you used to only see after you pay those dumdums your $40 buxx. Well now, you can tell em, "You're FIRED!"