Cleaning a car in the rain?

Cleaning a car in the rain?

Rain usually isn’t fresh water falling from the heavens but a greasy, sediments infused concoction.

So

Is it possible to clean your car in the rain, inside and out? To start with the reason, you may want to do this could be you left it too late (as always) or you’ve just started and you’re not stopping for anything as the footballs is on in 15mins.

The issue with cleaning your car in the rain is the attitude of “the rain will just make the car dirty again”, but with the advances in technology and new cleaning techniques is this still the case?

Let’s set the scene, clouds are rolling in and its looking like a downpour in 5 mins. If you have managed to reach your car before the rain rolls in you need to get the Extension cord, connecting to the hoover and throw it in the back seat. We will need this for later.

Now in your waterproofs and wellies you will need your 2 buckets, grit guard, soap to begin with, or you can use your yellow sponge and some fairy liquid. Do as you please, no judgement here.

As the rain rolls in you want to make sure the whole car is wet before applying a soapy sponge load of cleaning goodness onto the car, panel by panel. Starr with the roof segment and decent onto each window individually, complete a swiping or circular scrub motion, completing each segment before moving onto the next, this is important as the rain will mask areas you have missed. You can use the rain to rinse out your sponge, give it a good squeeze the reapply soap to go again.

Once the while car has been attacked with a soapy assault the rain won’t actually carry the soapy water off the vehicle, instead it will pass right over the top due to friction, so you will need either a large microfiber towel, or a car friendly squeegee and scoop the water downwards off the car, again panel by panel, don’t get muddled up and start on a new area before finishing, the key is to be neat but using the soap as a guide to navigate the ‘shaving’ process to remove the soap. You should be able to fold the microfiber towel into a flat ‘scroll’ shape and gentles push down and drag the dirty soapy water either down the car our aim for the guttering in the body work. You will find once you dislodge the dirty soapy water from the car, the rain will carry it away from the body work. Now you have done each panel you’re about 70% there, this is where a nice coat of spray wax or detailing spray would work wonders. Spray onto each panel and wipe off with a dry (dryer) microfiber towel. You will need a dry towel for the windows just to wipe of the spray wax. What happen here is the wax sticks to the bodywork and water will pass over it, the you buff it off with a tower. So, think of it like this. Wipe, spray, wipe, each panel at a time so don’t miss a bit or you will have to go back. There is no forgiveness when cleaning in the rain.

A really good product for this final phase is Meguiars ceramic spray https://www.meguiars.co.uk You can spray this onto a wet surface and let the rain wash it off, a pressure works better though.

If you have access to a pressure washer you can blast off soapy suds and Wax solution off the car with it as its clean water. But you really want to use a dry micro fibre towel and towel off each panel for best results. Finally, you can clean the wheels using a sponge or a brush. Here the wet microfiber towels can come in handy.

With a wax on your car water should slide off the vehicle taken the sediment with it. Now let’s get in the car, stick the heater on and radio 2 to chill out for 5 mins.

Inside.

Sitting in the passenger seat this will be our base of operations, with an empty carrier bag put all rubbish and McDonalds remanences into it and lob it out the window. Now bring all matts in the car and place them into the footwear on the passenger seat. From the passenger seat you should be able to pivot around d and vacuum the dashboard and each seat individually, jumping into the back when replacing each mat. Wipe the dashboard and render to clean each window with detailing spray. This stuff is great for windows as it helps with condensation.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can bring down the rear seats and make your way into the boot to clean it. But that’s for the full-hearted valeter.

It isn’t advisable to clean cars in the rain might as well wait for the rain to stop consider this as an EMERGENCY guide for those who left it too late on a Sunday evening. Share this guide with others and

 Good luck to you all.