Can you use washing up liquid to clean a car? What is the best way to wash a car?
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There’s more than one way to wash a car, but some are less effective than others. Using household products to wash your car may not be worth it in the end. Check out our guide on what to use and tips on cleaning your car.
Can you use washing up liquid to clean a car?
The simple answer is that while you can technically wash a car with washing up liquid, it isn’t advisable and probably isn’t going to give you great results. For example, if you use fairy liquid or whatever’s lying around at home to wash your car, the formula that is designed to break down food stains and grease will likely strip the wax and protective sealant from the body paintwork.
Instead, you could use a mild car shampoo to remove the grime without leaving the paintwork unprotected, or you can use a car pressure washer to effectively remove stubborn dirt and stains.
Can you use washing up liquid on the car windscreen?
If you use washing up liquid to give the windscreen a quick clean, it will likely end up looking streaky and won’t give you the results you hoped for. A much quicker way to clean the car windscreen is by spraying it with an alcohol-based glass cleaner and wiping it down with a microfibre cloth. Make sure to avoid accidentally spraying it on the paintwork.
Can you put washing up liquid in the car screen wash?
If you’re tempted to use a drop or two of washing up liquid in your windscreen washer fluid, please don’t. Not only will it likely leave streaks and bubbles across the glass, it does not have the same anit-freeze properties as regular windscreen fluid. This means it could freeze in the reservoir as the temperatures drop dramatically during winter.
Additionally, you shouldn’t try using coolant antifreeze in place of windscreen wiper fluid because they are not exactly the same. Wiper fluid has a lower boiling point and is unsuitable for the engine, while coolant antifreeze could do damage to the car paintwork or body. Ultimately, it is always worth using the correct specialised car fluids and car exterior products when cleaning your car.
What can I wash my car with?
Before you assume that you need to give up hope and head to the local car wash every month, there’s a simple way to save yourself some money with fairly low effort – you can do it yourself at home.
Prepare your equipment and make sure all the windows are closed.
Rinse the car with water/spray it down with the hose to remove any grit or dirt.
Pro tip: starting with the wheels first may help as the wheels tend to be the dirtiest part of the car. If you leave them till last, the brake dust and dirt may splash onto the clean paintwork.
Mix the car shampoo/soap in a bucket of warm water according to the product instructions.
Soak a sponge in the soapy solution.
Start sponging the car down from the top and work your way down.
Rinse again with clean water.
Wipe the area dry with a clean microfibre cloth to avoid streaks.
Once you’ve done this, you can use the car wax/polish.
