What Order Should You Clean Your Car In?

Clean a car wheels first, then the exterior top to bottom, then the interior, so dirt and water never land on areas you have already finished. Cleaning in the wrong order is the most common reason a wash takes twice as long, because you end up redoing panels. A logical sequence keeps everything you have cleaned clean.

Start with the wheels

Wheels and arches are the dirtiest part of the car, coated in brake dust and road grime. Doing them first means any splashes from the wheel cleaner land on still-dirty paint that you are about to wash anyway. If you wash the body first and then the wheels, you splash filth back onto your clean panels and have to redo them.

Wash the exterior top to bottom

Once the wheels are done, move to the bodywork.

• Rinse the whole car to remove loose grit.
• Wash from the roof down, since lower panels are dirtiest.
• Use the two-bucket method to keep grit off the paint.
• Rinse and dry to avoid water spots.

Our two-bucket method guide explains the safe technique.

Decontaminate and protect

With the car clean and dry, this is the point to deal with anything bonded to the paint and then protect it. If the surface feels rough, clay it or use fallout remover, then apply wax or sealant for protection and shine. Doing protection before the interior means the paint is fully sorted while the bodywork is freshly cleaned.

Finish with the interior

Leave the inside until last for two reasons. First, working on the exterior kicks up dust that would settle on a freshly cleaned dash. Second, you often open doors and lean in while doing the outside, so doing the interior last keeps it pristine. Vacuum first, then wipe surfaces top to bottom, then do the glass last so any cleaner overspray is wiped away.

Or let us do the lot

A professional valet follows this order every time for an efficient, consistent finish. We bring it all to your door across Derby and the East Midlands. Get a quote and skip the weekend job.