How to wash your car without damaging the paint in Tenerife

Washing a car seems like the simplest thing in the world, but how you do it has a big effect on how the paint ages. A good share of the fine scratches and lost gloss we see in the workshop come not from knocks but from poor washing. And southern Tenerife adds complications: strong sun almost all year, sea air, calima dust episodes and quite hard water in many areas.

How often to wash it

There is no fixed rule, but if you live near the coast or park on the street, it is worth washing it fairly regularly, every two or three weeks, and always after a calima episode or a day parked by the sea. It is the salt and sand left on the bodywork that do the damage over time.

Enemy number one: the sun

Never wash your car in direct sunlight or while the bodywork is hot. Water evaporates immediately and leaves limescale spots which, in the heat, can mark the clear coat. Shampoo dries before you can rinse it and leaves residue. The best times are early morning, late afternoon or in the shade.

The two-bucket method

This is the technique professional detailers recommend, and it is very simple:

1. Rinse the whole car thoroughly to remove loose dirt, especially sand and dust.
2. Prepare two buckets: one with water and car shampoo, the other with clean water only.
3. Dip the mitt in the shampoo bucket, wash a small area with straight strokes rather than circles, and before reloading it rinse it in the clean-water bucket. That way the sand stays in that bucket and does not go back onto the paint.
4. Work from top to bottom: roof, glass, bonnet and boot, sides and, finally, the lower panels.
5. Rinse thoroughly and dry with clean microfibre towels, without rubbing.

Products: less is more

• Use a dedicated car shampoo. Washing-up liquid and household detergents strip wax and dry out exterior plastics and rubber seals.
• Use a clean microfibre or wool mitt; forget kitchen sponges and stiff brushes.
• Keep towels and mitts for the bodywork only. The ones you use on the wheels pick up metal particles and very abrasive grime.
• If you use a pressure washer, keep the nozzle away from seams, trims, paint edges and repaired areas.

What about automatic car washes?

Modern rollers are gentler than old ones, but they still drag around dirt picked up from the previous car. If you use one, give the car a thorough rinse first. For dark cars or recently painted ones, washing by hand or at a jet-wash bay is kinder to the paint.

Protect it after washing

A coat of wax or paint sealant every so often creates a barrier against sun, salt and dust, and makes the next wash easier. If your car has single-stage paint, this protection matters even more, because the colour is directly exposed.

After a repair

If we have just painted a panel on your car, we will tell you when you can wash it normally. For the first few days it is best to avoid roller washes, pressure washers held close and waxes, so the paint can finish hardening at its own pace.

If your car's paint needs its shine back, have a look at our polishing and gloss restoration service. And if you had a repair done with us, remember your paint comes with a lifetime warranty.