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

[Malo83]

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

Working top to bottom is just common sense...

X2

[Andre]

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

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]

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

What I do is:

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

[akimel]

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

My routine has changed since switching to Optimum No Rinse for my winter washing. I now leave the wheels and tires for last, using the now "dirty" ONR solution on them. Since I'm not using a hose, I don't have to worry about splashing wheel dirt onto the newly washed paint surface.

But when summer comes around I will return to my usual practice of washing the wheels and tires first with a dedicated bucket of car shampoo.

Al

[Zach W.]

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

I use a third bucket filled with a cheapy car wash soap first for wheelwells, wheels, tires.
Then I rinse the whole car down top to bottom, then I start washing the body.

[Steward]

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

yes wheels first then the rest

[gjohn28]

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

My routine has changed since switching to Optimum No Rinse for my winter washing. I now leave the wheels and tires for last, using the now "dirty" ONR solution on them. Since I'm not using a hose, I don't have to worry about splashing wheel dirt onto the newly washed paint surface.

But when summer comes around I will return to my usual practice of washing the wheels and tires first with a dedicated bucket of car shampoo.

Al

+1: Just tried ONR myself and used the same routine...

[To be named later]

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

On my wifes RX8, I basically do anything from my knee on down first: rear bumper with a bunch of molded plastic honeycombe, floorboards, front bumper with lots of nook and crannies and honeycombe, fog lights, chrome exhaust shrouds, wheel wells, wheels and tires, in that order.

And while those areas may be only be +/-30% of the car surface, they tend to be the dirtiest, and they are the areas that take the most time and are the hardest to clean, and require maybe 75% of the elbow grease. In that order I go from using clean wash water on painted surfaces that could scratch, to less clean water on surfaces that won't scratch.

Then I empty the bucket, new wash mit, and then wash the upper part of the vehicle, which is all flat or rounded surfaces and is much easier to clean.

In my experience I have found that if I work top down, by the time I finish everything below the knee, the hood, trunk, glass etc will already be drying. Plus I don't have problems with the wash drying or water spots on what I washed below the knee, because as I wash the top and upper sides of the car, the runoff re-wets the sections I worked first.

[MyFirstES300]

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

Since I never let my wheels get to the point where they are too filthy, I wash the car first, and then last do the wheels and tires.

I simply do not know the reason to the method of my madness, other than since I don't really use wheel cleaners much, car wash soap works just fine from the same bucket I used to wash the car. I have a tire brush and a wheel brush I break out at the end.

I don't worry much about water marks as I have a water softener system, so that's not an issue. Cars are usually washed in the shade, so they don't dry as fast. Anyway, at the end, the car gets a final rinse off before being dried with MF towels.

[roger 668]

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

I clean tires,wheels,wells,lower panels,front,rear and jambs using a direction of progression cleaning and rinsing as i go . I use allpurp,
degreaser,wheelbright,bug sponge,5 different brushes and a brass brush if white walls or letters are involved. I then rinse,foam,and wash top to bottom with a hand mitt,then flush rinse.

[Honda Fit]

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

-Presoak car and wheels.
-Wash wheels. Rinse.
-Roof.
-Pillars down to the side skirts. Repeat around the car.

[kesawi]

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

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

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.

I congratulate you on your dedication my better half would leave me if I did that

I wash the wheels, then start at the top, then onto the sides starting from the rear, working around the car to the front and bonnet, down the other side and then the rear tail gate.

[ceyko]

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

For my dailies, top to bottom with special attention to wheels before drying.

For my cars I really like (My Mustang and my mo-in-law's Mustang), wash the car, dry it. Pull into garage, put it up on jackstands and pull the wheels for their own attention in the lawn. Clean front/back, dress tires as desired and slap some wax on the wheels.

I only do that a few times a year. Not once a week though.

Also allows for special attention to the fender wells....which I have not figured out how to get those just right yet.

[Eddie6th]

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

i simply wash the car,roof down,then dry it,then tackle the wheels.I don't get the problem of contaminents splashing onto the bodywork.I use one bucket,but when i get to the wheels,the car sponge is removed and replaced,and never touches the bodywork again.I suppose i would start with the wheels if i was using a seperate bucket.

[supercharged]

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

wheels first.