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Car Care Myths - Meguiar's spells out the dirty truth
Are washing and cleaning a car the same thing?
Many people think that washing and cleaning a car's paintwork are simply two ways to describe the same procedure, however, according to Meguiar's, the world's leading automotive surface care company, that is not the case. Although washing and cleaning sound very similar, they are not the same and both serve very different and essential functions.
Washing your car removes the loose, superficial contaminants from the paint surface, such as dust, road grime and fresh bird droppings and this process can be best accomplished by using one of the three Meguiar's car washes NXT Generation Car Wash (£12.99), Gold Class Shampoo & Conditioner (£4.99 and £14.99) or Soft Wash Gel (£3.99) all highly effective on the variety of paint finishes on the road today. A good car wash should remove surface contamination without stripping polish oils and wax protection. Dish washing detergents should be avoided at all costs.
However, washing alone won't budge more stubborn contaminants like stains, blemishes and oxidation. To remove contaminants bonded to your paint surface that washing has not removed, such as tree sap, industrial fall-out and even paint over-spray, Meguiar's recommends their Quik Clay Detailing System (£11.99). "Bonded Contamination" is easier to feel than see with the naked eye. After washing and drying your car, run your fingertips lightly over the horizontal surfaces such as the roof and bonnet. If you can feel any "grittiness" at all this will be contamination stuck to the surface that should be removed. Quik Clay is a safe and fast way to remove above the surface contaminants that will dull the appearance of the paint finish.
In addition to this a "deep cleanse" of the paintwork is recommended at least once a year; Meguiar's non abrasive, Deep Crystal Step 1 Paint Cleaner (£7.99) safely penetrates the upper layer of paintwork and removes below the surface problems such as staining and oxidation that create damaged and dull paint finishes.