Are you a car enthusiast looking for ways to make the car washing experience easier for your children? Would you rather wash it yourself than spend USD 125 on a full-service car wash? Did your local car washing facility do a bad job previously?
Hand washing your vehicle can be a good learning activity for your kids. You get to teach your children about the vehicle and discuss its different parts. This way, you get to share your passion with them and help them learn new things about the automotive industry.
Many believe that washing cars can be beneficial for a kid’s development and imagination. They also get to learn the responsibility of taking care of their possessions. Your children can explore various sensory experiences and sequencing skills. Other than that, hand washing the vehicle is a good exercise that involves full body movement and refining motor skills.
However, you must understand a few tips before cleaning your car. For instance, buying the right supplies, assessing the condition of your vehicle, and then washing it properly.
In this blog, we will discuss a few ways to help you make the car washing experience educational and fun for your family.
#1. Assess Your Car’s Condition
As an auto enthusiast, you probably already know that the first thing is to evaluate your vehicle’s condition. Doing so will help you determine the extent of cleaning required. Here are the questions you should answer:
- How dirty is your car?
- Do you need to spend a lot of time removing dirt?
- Is fine dust covering the vehicle?
- Are there any visible scratches?
- Does your vehicle need overall maintenance?
Answering these questions will help you determine the extent of cleaning your car requires. For instance, you might not need an entire arsenal of products if the vehicle only requires a quick touch-up.
Channel your inner gearhead spirit to inspect every corner of the car. Also, ask your kids to be a part of this investigation. This way, you can talk to them about the simple technical aspects of cleaning the wheels, doors, windshield, and more. It will prepare and educate them for future car washing activities.
#2. Get Your Supplies Ready
Once you’ve assessed and evaluated your vehicle’s condition, it’s time to buy supplies. The first thing you need is to buy or rent a portable vehicle lift.
As a car enthusiast, you might already have this device. But if you don’t, you can easily find the largest car lift selection at any online store. This way, you can have a wide range of options that’ll help you find a portable auto lift that suits your requirements.
If you’re buying it, consider this a one-time investment, especially if you’re a car enthusiast. That’s because this portable device will come in handy for DIY car washes, repairs, modifications, and more. Moreover, using it for a car wash lets you easily access the headlights and wheels for a better cleaning experience.
According to Best Buy Automotive Equipment, state-of-the-art portable auto lifts are engineered with premium quality and convenience. Hence, it is perfect for your garage. And it’ll come in handy if you ever plan on opening a small automotive repair business.
However, before buying or renting a portable auto lift, consider a few things. For instance, review the size of the device, the features you want, and your vehicle’s compatibility with it. Then, research the company’s reputation and compare the price of the equipment.
Other than this, you’ll need the following tools:
- A few buckets of warm and normal water
- Tire cleaner
- Headlight restoration kit
- A whole bundle of microfiber cloths
- A few brushes, towels, and sponges
- Car soap
- Window cleansing solution
- A hose
- Gloves and rubber sandals
After getting all these ready, park your vehicle away from the sun. Finding a shady spot will reduce the chances of splotchy drying.
Once done, you can bring your kids and inform them what each supply will be used for. For example, tell them how car soaps differ from regular detergents and why nobody should ever use the latter for washing vehicles. Washing your vehicle with detergent can be abrasive and strip away the vehicle’s protective coat and shine.
#3. Start Washing Your Car
Remember to simplify the washing process to make it fun for your family. Follow these steps to get the best results:
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Tires
First, you need to wash the dirtiest part: the tires. This step might take the longest because you need to scrub away the mud, dirt, and grime.
Use the car lift to elevate your vehicle and have easy access to all the tires. Take the warm water to rinse the dirt. Then, you can use the tire cleaner and a soft cleaning brush to get the filth off the tread or grooves. Once done, your kids can spray down the tires with a hose.
During the process, you can start talking about the different types of wheels and how each has its own unique abilities.
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Headlights
Next up are the car’s grungy headlights. As you already know, these are made of plastic and feature a clear top coat. Therefore, the continuous exposure to sunlight turns them yellow and cloudy over time.
To clean them, lower the vehicle lift to your children’s height and open the hood. Ask your kids to use the car soap to clean the headlights and wash them thoroughly.
Once done, you can use the sanding disks from the headlight restoration kit to remove the oxidized layers uniformly. Don’t forget to wash and dry it with a microfiber cloth.
During this time, you can tell your kids to ask questions about the motors inside the hood. You can also talk about the history of dual-beam and single-beam headlights.
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Car’s Body
Now, onto the fun part of washing the vehicle’s body. For this, you can bring down your car from the lift.
First, ask your children to rinse down the vehicle with normal water. After that, you can use the bucket of car soap to lather each side. Use a towel to wash it properly. Once done lathering, your kids can use a hose to rinse off the soap and remove any loose dust or mud.
In this stage, you can educate your children about fun facts revolving around automobile color. For instance, the type of car will significantly affect the color choice and how auto paint affects fuel economy.
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Windows
The last step would be to clean the glass windows. For this, you’ll need a window cleaner and a microfiber rag.
You can ask your children to use the rag to wipe down the windows and the windshield first. After that, use the window cleaner solution to cleanse the glass. Use an up-down and right-left motion to clean it thoroughly. Once done, let your kids hose it down.
While washing the windows, inform them of the ironic truth about fuel consumption. For instance, if you keep the windows open while driving, fuel consumption increases by over 20%. However, using the AC only eats up 10% of the fuel.
Summing Up
Think of this experience as a wonderful way to communicate your enthusiasm with your kids. You get to share fun facts about the vehicle, answer questions that your children might have, and educate them about cars.
Even if your children fall in love with this activity, you shouldn’t wash your car every weekend. Instead, it should be done once every two weeks. Remember to get your kids involved every time to strengthen the bond as a family.