Washing Question? Start at the top or start on the wheels?

[Mike Phillips]

Poll: Car Washing Style? (http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23554)

When you wash your car or a customer's car,

Do you start at the top of the car and work your way down?

Do you start with the wheels and tires and after you're finished with the wheels and tires you switch to the exterior body starting at the top and working your way down.

Or do you have some other method to your madness?


Meguiar's recommends starting at the top and working down, for example starting on the roof of your car and working your way down the car.

Some people like to wash the wheels and tires first and after washing and rinsing the wheels and tires then they start at the top of the car and work their way down.

The reason for this is because if you wash the car starting at the top and working down, you have a wet car with water on the paint in the process of drying. While this water is sitting on the paint drying and potentially leaving a water spot, you're washing 4 wheels and tires, this takes time and while you're doing tis some water may dry on it's own before you can finish the wheels and tires.

If after washing the car you then dry it, and now start washing the wheels and tires, you usually get water spray on the paint and this could include dirt from off the wheels as you were spraying them, so now you'll have to wash and rinse the affected area again.

So for the above reasons, some people will wash the wheels and tires first, then wash the car. By doing it like this you don't have to dry the paint twice, nor rinse any of the paint a second time around the wheel wells. Then immediately after you give the car a final rinse you can being drying the water off the car. Since you're finished with the water hose and you won't be spraying water any more, then you won't be getting the car wet again and you should have enough time now to dry the water of the car without any risk of water spotting.

Personal preference.

:)

[CWM3]

Typically, I spray down the wheels and tires with a cleaner first and then prep my cleaning supplies. With the product still on the tires/wheels I proceed to wash the car from the top down using whatever soap water is left to brush the wheels.

I then rinse off everything at one time.

[Murr1525]

I do wheels first, the roof, then hood/trunk, then sides....

[BlueZero]

I work top down. If the wheels are nasty I'll spray them with some cleaner first so they have time to soak. Then I use the left over wash water to do the wheels then tires. If they are chrome or something that will show swirls or the left over water looks pretty dirty, I'll get clean water.

[Suprem01]

I usually do the rims first due to washing the wheels last water gets on the car and you have to clean it again.

[Derrick]

I clean the rims, tires, and wheel wells first then move onto the body and move from top to bottom. Finally after its all done i dress the tires and wheel wells.

[Kooz]

:iagree: This is exactly what I do. Couldn't have said it better.

[Jokeman]

I clean the rims, tires, and wheel wells first then move onto the body and move from top to bottom. Finally after its all done i dress the tires and wheel wells.

Yup, that way there is no "overspray" on freshly cleaned paint.:coolgleam

[armas78]

mmmm ... well now i'm a little worried, looks like i'm the crazy one here .. :shocked1

I usually wash my car once a week (if weather isn't bad). This takes about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. I start by jacking up the car and take the wheels off, wash the wheels and tires both sides, wash wheel wells. Then exterior car wash top-down doing one panel at the time (wash and dry).
Dress wheel wells and tires ... put them back and lower the car.
:woohoo1

[roushstage2]

Option 2 for me.

[Jeepster04]

Wheels and fender wells are done first on my Jeep.

The following is done in this order:

-Wheels and fender wells
-Spray entire Jeep off throughly
-Half of roof(stand on rear tire)
-Paint+windows down to bottom of windows(A,B,C,D pillars)
-half of windshield
-half of hood
-Paint on the doors down the to trim on the sides
-Repeat the above on the other side
-Front end
-Rear end
-Below the trim on the sides(bottom and back are always the dirtiest)
-Door jambs

[Ryan L.]

I do the wheels/tires/wheel wells first for the reason Mike stated. I'm not so worried about the wheels water spotting as I am the paint. Usually I use a cleaner on most wheels then once I'm completley done I use the left over water/soap to clean the wheels once more quickly just in case of dirt transfer or a film left by the cleaner.

Ryan

[J. A. Michaels]

It's option 2 for me. Until this poll came up, never really gave it much thought. As far back as I can remember I have always done it this way.

[acsuppa]

I like to do the tires and wheels first. Then get a fresh bucket of soap and water. Then I do the top and all the glass. I usually do one entire side at a time. I like to do the front area together. Hood, grill, lights, bumper etc. I do the rear the same as the front. Even thought I never wash in the sun, I like breaking up the vehicle into about 5 sections and throughly rinsing it off before moving on. Then, I follow up with a nice complete rinse of the entire vehicle before even thinking about drying the vehicle. Such fun!

[Wolf-Strong]

Defiantly option two. I don't use any of the same materials when doing the wheels, so there is no cross contaimination problem for me. I just spray the wheels than use a brush/sponge to clean them, rinse down, and than go from top to bottom.

However, lately I have been doing ONR washes (due to living in an apartment) which means I use some Quick Wheel Detailer (or ONR in a spray bottle) and wipe down the wheels with a dedicated cloth, than proceed to do an ONR wash top to bottom.

[professorsabre]

I clean the rims, tires, and wheel wells first then move onto the body and move from top to bottom. Finally after its all done i dress the tires and wheel wells.

:iagree:
exactly the same as I do.

So it's option 2 for me.

[Bunky]

Defiantly option two. I don't use any of the same materials when doing the wheels, so there is no cross contaimination problem for me. I just spray the wheels than use a brush/sponge to clean them, rinse down, and than go from top to bottom.

However, lately I have been doing ONR washes (due to living in an apartment) which means I use some Quick Wheel Detailer (or ONR in a spray bottle) and wipe down the wheels with a dedicated cloth, than proceed to do an ONR wash top to bottom.

I follow a similar approach. If I do the wheels first, I wash the wheels with soap and but then toss and make a new batch for the rest. With ONR, I do them last but I find ONR is not as good as a car soap on greasy wheels so I use spray on cleaner such as Meg's Wheel Cleaner then scrub.

[Nappers]

I wash top first and work my way down.

I may change my ways as some of you wash the wheels first.

I guess wash wheels then change water depending on severity of dirt on them eh.

L8R

Aaron

[christian6984]

If i have alloys then the usually come first but plastic wheel trims usually get done after the car. only started doing wheel arches recently and other peoples cars dont notice (they probably do think we are mad cleaning bits you cant see)

I have a hatchback and the rear gets filth so that is one of the last.

-Alloys and Tyres + Wheel Wells Cleaned (need to get a cheap Microfibre to do these rather than suffer (of a PW and Snowfoam even better))
-Rinse Car and Spray Wheel Arches (the lip of the arch that holds plenty of dirt and go right round to down and spray into the mudflap hole, this is what causes alot of rusty arches on cars over here due to the mud holds water for longer periods of time. kink your hose and spray you will be suprised how much dirt there is and also do near the fuel filler cap it holds dirt too and can cause premature rust)
-Two Buckets etc GC LW, Wash order:

-Roof
-Windows, Pillars, Mirrors
-Bonnet (careful of bugs) and Lights
-Upper Doors and Wings
-Boot Lid
-Front Bumper
-Rear Bumber
-Lower Sides and Sills

I do have a question, can you tell me what a FENDER is we dont have that word in the UK (Front wing? Sill?)

[Joe's detailing]

Working top to bottom is just common sense...:doublethumbsup2

[Mike Phillips]

I do have a question, can you tell me what a FENDER is we dont have that word in the UK (Front wing? Sill?)



The Fender is the panel around the tire and wheel, it is where the wheel well, or fender well is located.

How's that? :xyxthumbs

[Boss_429]

I prefer to do the wheels, wheel wells, tires, mud flaps, lower air dam, and the very bottom of the body panels/moldings that get really dirty first. Then I work the paint from top to bottom.

Essentially, the "dirty" areas get a good cleaning... the paint and glass get a gentle "bath". :D

Of course, I used dedicated washing tools and suds for each section. :bigups

[Sydster]

I do wheels first, the roof, then hood/trunk, then sides....

Exactly what I do!

[HagFan]

I said I do top-down... On second thought, that's how I do the first vehicle. If I'm washing a 2nd vehicle, which is usually the case, then I do the tires and wheels first using the soap and water from the first vehicle. Then I change the water in both buckets and go top-down...

I guess my intention is to keep the brake dust out of the water going on the paint, without using a 3rd bucket. On the other hand, it can be tough to keep the paint from drying while washing wheels.

[TKDDAD]

I use three buckets...two for the paint and one for the wheels and tires...all four wheels first, then all four tires, then the paint from the top down...for all the reasons alreay listed..

[AeroCleanse]

Wheels first, because I don't want any change of that stuff spraying up on the just washed paint. Then I wash top to bottom.

Now I'm switching to ONR this may change.

[jonjon_u]

The situation described in option 2 is what I prefer and usually do.

[BigLouie]

Since joining this board and see Mike's video, I wash wheels first. This approach is sensible in so many ways, I can believe I ever washed the car's before its wheels. Sheesh:scratchhead1.

[Nolan_k]

Tires, rims, and wheel wells, then a full water change and bucket rinse and top to bottom. Dressing after drying.

[b2bomber]

Both ... ofcourse depending on the scenario.

I do the second option (wheels first then body) during regular wash and maintenance days. Note ofcourse that I use separate mitts (1 for wheels, 2 for body), soap solution, brush (only for wheels) and buckets (1 for wheels, 2 for body) for wheels and body.

I do the first option (top to bottom of body then wheels) during my full detailing sessions or if I'll do my "home underwash". I jack up the car, put the stands on, take out all the wheels, set it aside, do the body (wash and detail) and do the wheels inbetween applications of products (say, while waiting to haze, etc., etc.).

[Malo83]

Working top to bottom is just common sense...:doublethumbsup2
X2 :chuckle1

[Andre]

I myself start with the wheels first then the rest of the car:

(1) Wheels,
(2) Roof
(3) Windows
(4) Bonnet
(5) Trunk
(6) Sides

Andre

[Megafast13]

What I do is:

-Hose entire car down
-Start on a Side of the Car, work my way around
-Roof
-Wheels/Tires Last