If you can, try washing your car on a surface that can absorb water, like gravel or grass. Washing your car on concrete or asphalt forces your soapy water to run into storm drains, which can degrade your local water quality. [2] X Research source

Be prepared to get wet and soapy! Throw on some rubber sandals to protect your feet while you work without getting waterlogged.

Most car wash soaps will instruct you to mix 20 parts water with 1 part soap. However, different soaps may have different directions, so check your bottle before pouring. Some sites may tell you that using dish soap on your car is okay. However, dish soap can degrade your car’s finish or strip the wax off. When in doubt, it’s best to use dedicated car wash soap.

It’s important to rinse off your tools often during the car washing process. If any rocks or pieces of debris get stuck in your rags or mitts, you could accidentally scratch your car.

Remember, separate your bucket of soapy water that you use for the wheels, and don’t reuse it on the body of your car. Your wheels likely have small rocks or dirt chunks in them, and using the same soapy water on the body of your car could scratch your paint.

As you wash your car, dip your mitt or sponge back into the soapy water every couple of minutes. Mitts, unlike sponges, can also be washed in washing machines to remove all the grit. However, you can choose whichever works best for you.

As you reach the lower parts of the car, be sure to focus on the crevices underneath the doors and the wheel wells. These parts of your car are usually pretty dirty, and they tend to trap dirt and grime.

If your clean bucket of water ever looks opaque or gritty, dump it out and fill it with fresh water.

After you rinse, check your car again for any missed spots or bird droppings. If you need to, use your mitt or sponge to go over the area again, then rinse it off when you’re done.

Use a fresh towel to dry off the windshield and the windows. When you’re finished drying your car, simply toss the towels in the washing machine and wash them like normal.

Make sure your car is completely dry before applying wax.

This step is also totally optional, so feel free to skip it if you’re happy with your car as-is.