How to Keep A White Car Clean
There is a reason that 23.9% of drivers prefer white cars, such as their sleek looks and pronounced body lines
Unfortunately, cars with white paint show dirt, scratches, dings, and dents over time, which can be a real hassle. This guide will teach you how to combat every paint issue you may have with your white car to help eliminate some of the headaches
How to Keep a White Car Clean
Prefer to watch rather than read? Consider watching this YouTube video by The Chemical Guys on how they perform a complete exterior detail on cars with white paint.
For a wider variety of techniques, continue reading.
How Hard Is It To Keep a White Car Clean?
As a car owner, you know that white paint can be challenging to keep clean, but why is this the case? It comes down to three concise issues:
The Three Downfalls of White Paint:
- White paint shows dirt and mud easily
- White paint is prone to showing rust
- Scratches & swirls develop over time (especially after an improper wash)
How to Keep A White Car Clean and Shiny
The most essential step in keeping white car paint clean and shiny is learning how to properly wash the car. If you are going to read one thing, read this.
Most car owners have the brainpower to recognize that when dirt is on the car, in order for it to be clean again, the dirt needs to be removed. However, there are proper and improper ways of doing this.
Tip #1: Avoid the Public Carwash
Is it convenient? Sure. Does it damage your paint? OH YES! Although one trip through the car wash may not cause severe blemishes to white car paint, it will over time.
The pads “cleaning” your car in the car wash are grinding the dirt from the car in front of you into your paint. This is a no-go and will damage all colors of paint.
Tip #2: Learn How to Clean Your White Paint Scratch Free
Essentials for a Lifetime of Scratch Free Cleaning:
- Electric Powerwasher
- Quality Car Soap
- Foam Gun
- Microfiber Wash Mit
- Two 5 Gallon Buckets
- 1 Grit Guard
- Microfiber Drying Towels
Everything on the above list, except for the soap, is a one-time purchase that you can use to keep your white car clean for years.
The Scratch Free Wash Process:
Step 1:
- Start by using a pressure wash to wash as much dirt from the white paint as possible. Be careful to keep the nozzle of the pressure washer at least a foot away from the paint at all times to avoid chipping.
- Once the entire car is rinsed and large chunks of debris and removed, move on to step two
Step 2:
- Fill both five-gallon buckets halfway full with hose water. In one bucket, pour 1 cup of exterior car soap and slosh it around until suds appear. Place the grit guard in the bottom of the same bucket.
- You now have a wash and rinse bucket which is essential for a scratch-free wash.
Step 3:
- Fill a foam cannon with a 1:7 ratio of exterior car soap to water. Once full, attach the foam canon to the pressure washer wand.
- Pull the trigger, and apply a suddzy layer of soap on the entire car.
Step 4:
- Once the soap has sat for at least one minute, use a microfiber wash mit and rub the soapy liquid into the car’s paint using a back-and-forth motion. Do not swirl, as that may scratch the paint.
- Once this is done on all exterior panels, rinse the entire car.
Step 5:
- Confirm that all the dirt has been removed from the car’s paint. If not, repeat the wash cycle
- If dirt is removed, use a microfiber drying towel to dry the entire car, again in a front-to-back motion.
You have successfully washed your white car and avoided scratching the paint as much as possible. However, an additional step must be completed to keep your car clean and shiny over time.
Keeping a White Clean Between Washes
It is good practice to wash white cars every one to two weeks, as dirt will continue to appear causing scratches both big and small.
To keep white paint clean and shiny between washes, use the following method.
What you will need:
Car enthusiasts will pay hundreds of dollars to have a professional ceramic coating put on their cars. Ceramic creates a hard, sleek shell on the exterior paint, can be applied in minutes, and protects the car for months.
To apply the ceramic coating, complete the wash cycle listed in detail above if not already done. This is essential for successful application.
Once the car is clean, spray one panel at a time with the ceramic spray while massaging the liquid into the paint in a circular motion. Once the ceramic has been rubbed in, wipe the excess with a second microfiber rag.
Just like that, your white car will be protected from dirt, debris, and even the local car wash.
Again, it is recommended that the wash process, as well as re-application of ceramic coating, is done every few weeks.
How To Buff Out Scratches On A White Car
Depending on the age of your car, its paint may have lots of scratches in the clear coat. The clear coat is the protective layer on your car paint that takes the brunt of the scratches and is corrected in the buffing process.
To correct the clear coat yourself and make white car paint look as new as possible, you will need:
I’ll let you in a secret: Buffing/Polishing/most paint correction on your car is not challenging.
Here’s all you need to do.
Step 1:
- The first step to buffing or polishing (synonymous terms) a white car is ensuring it is clean. Luckily for you, at the top of this article there is a detailed guide on how to perform a scratch-free wash.
Step 2:
- Grab your orbital polisher, the included polishing pad, along with the polish. If you purchase the kit above, use the orange polishing pad paired with the heavy cutting polish.
- Apply the pad to the rotary polisher, and get it slightly damp
- Squeeze five dime size piles of polish onto the pad, and stamp the polish in a two-foot x two-foot square on your car’s paint. Starting on the hood is recommended.
Step 3:
- Turn the orbital polisher on to its lowest setting to spread the polish out in the two-foot square in a front-to-back motion. Once done, turn the polisher to the 5th or 6th speed setting, and repeat the front-to-back motion until the polish is clear on the paint.
- WARNING. Ensure you apply medium pressure the entire time. There is no need to push hard on the polisher. It will do the work.
- When done, wipe the excess polish with a clean microfiber.
Step 4:
- Repeat this process in a 2-foot x 2-foot section across the entire vehicle.
Step 5:
- Apply the ceramic coating spray to the entire vehicle. Message the ceramic into the paint, following it up with a wipe to remove as much excess as possible.
Congrats! You have restored your white car’s paint!
Best Waxes for White Cars
Choosing the best wax for your white car is really quite simple. Personally, the ceramic coating mentioned in the previous sections is what I have been using to replace wax in recent years, but here are the best pure wax choices.
I could drone on for hours about each wax, but here is a simple video that explains all three choices in detail.
How to Keep a White Car Clean In The Winter
Winter months are where the undercarriage of a car goes to die, especially if you live in an area where salt is used to combat ice.
The best way to keep a white car clean in the winter is to do a regular wash, following the scratch-free method at the top of this article.
I must admit, car washes do have a leg up during the winter months as most homeowners turn off exterior hose lines, making a wash at home impossible.
If it is your only option, go to a car touchless car wash every two weeks during the winter months if you can’t perform the wash at home. This will ensure the salt is being removed from your car, which can deteriorate the paint and undercarriage over time.
If you live in a region with a mild winter, follow the steps at the top of this article to perform a scratchless wash on your white paint. Plus, you can purchase this undercarriage attachment to target any salt buildup that is difficult to reach.
How To Keep Rubber Car Mats Clean
Having a regular routine on how to clean your rubber floor mats will make a world of difference for your car, and it is quite simple.
Step 1:
- Remove all the floormats from the vehicle and dump any loose dirt and debris. Lay the mats on a flat surface away from your vehicle to keep the dirt from getting on the exterior paint.
Step 2:
- Use a powerwasher to cut through any dirt and grime on the floormats. This will remove 90% of the debris in just seconds.
- For a DEEP CLEANING: Spray some exterior car soap onto all of the floormats. Using a drill and brush attachment, work the soap into the rubber mats to agitate as much embedded grime as possible.
Once done, rinse the mats and leave them to dry. Congrats, your floormats are clean once again.