Keep Your Car Beautiful. Polish It!
01/05/09
Washing and waxing your car regularly will help keep it looking new and fresh. You should try to wash your car at least once per month and to use some sort of car polish at least once every three to four months. Washing your car will prevent build up of everything that you don't want- bugs, salt build up, etc. Car polish or wax makes your car look shiny and protects it from fading.
Usually, I like to wash my car about once per week. I tend to save change in one of the compartments of my car and use the change I accumulate at the self-serve car wash. Most of the time, I like to wash the car once per week and wax it on Valentine's Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. It keeps my car looking fresh and clean and helps prevent corrosion.
Waxing a car is actually pretty simple. Car polish, or wax, is applied as a thin, transparent layer over the paint. The car polish protects the paint job from the elements and masks minor flaws such as scratches. Additionally, car polish seals the paint like an invisible barrier. You should always begin waxing just after washing and drying your car.
Dry the car off, then apply the car polish one small section at a time to the exterior. You might want to test it on a section of the car that isn't visible a few days before just to be absolutely certain that nothing bad will happen, for example, your paint rubbing off. I try to work from the top to the bottom of the car-there is a great chance of having dirt left on the bottom of the car. You won't want to rub that all over the car-you want that to be the last part that you do.
Once you have completed the application process, buff your car to a nice shine using a soft, clean towel. I prefer to buy a towel to use specifically for this process, but an old house towel will do the job as long as it's clean and soft.
These are some basic instructions that will help you to keep your car just as shiny and beautiful as the day you brought it home. Keeping your car doesn't take long, and can be fun!