W ashing and waxing your car not only protects its factory finish but also preserves its resale value. Yet many people either ignore the task -- or use short cuts that do more harm than good. Here’s how to do it right...

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Park the car in a spot that will remain shady and cool throughout the project... but avoid parking directly under trees, where birds, branches and leaves can cause damage.

START WITH THE INTERIOR

Vacuum the entire interior of the car. Starting inside reduces the risk of spreading abrasive dirt to the car's exterior. Using a soft-bristle brush attachment, begin with the dashboard, and work your way to the side panels, the rear decklid and all panels above the floor. Use the vacuum nozzle to deep clean the interior carpeting. Then, remove the floor mats and vacuum them outside.

Important: If the floor mats are heavily soiled, wash them with a carpet shampoo. Allow plenty of drying time, usually 24 hours. Trapped moisture can mildew and cause odors and corrosion.

Apply a cleaner to the dashboard, door interiors and other vinyl and synthetic surfaces.

Examples: Lexol Vinylex... and Meguiar’s #40.

Use a sponge or terry cloth applicator to work the cleaner into the surface. Wipe the area dry with a clean terry cloth towel.

Important: Be careful when you are cleaning the instrument panel. It is usually coated with clear plastic that will scratch if you wipe it with a dry rag or coarse paper towels. Use a plastic cleaner, such as Meguiar’s Quik Detailer. Don’t overdampen the area -- moisture could damage the delicate electronics.

Apply a protectant to vinyl seats. This guards against cracking and ultraviolet-ray damage. Some people like products that produce a shiny luster, while others prefer a matte finish.

Important: For leather interiors, use a leather cleaner, followed by a leather conditioner. My favorite products contain mink oil, which helps prevent drying and cracking.

Example: Eagle One Leather Care Cleaner and Leather Conditioner.

For cloth interiors, shampoo according to the directions on the shampoo container. When dry, spray with water-repellent material.

Clean the interior windows and mirrors with a quality glass cleaner. Use wadded-up black-and-white newspaper to scrub the glass. The newsprint acts as a fine abrasive, which helps scrub and polish the glass.

Important: Clean interior glass with an up-and-down motion. Later, when you wash the exterior glass, wipe side to side. If there are any streaks, you will be able to tell which side of the glass they are on.

EXTERIOR

Allow the exterior of the car to cool in the shade on hot days. If you begin when the car is red hot, you may damage its finish. The body should be cool to the touch.

When the vehicle is cool, wet the body, wheels and tires. Use a spray nozzle and let the water run gently to loosen dirt. Don’t forget the wheels.

After the entire car is wet, wash the tires and wheels first. Tires and especially wheels require a stronger type of cleaner than you’ll use on the body.

Best: A cleaner that is especially made for cleaning wheels. These products are tough enough to remove dirt and grease. Use a brush or wheel-scrubber to get to areas that a sponge or wash mitt cannot reach.

Examples: Eagle One Mag and Aluminum Wheel Polish, Wenol Plus Polish Kit.

Important: Clean the tires when the car is still dripping wet. Any accidental overspray of the cleaner onto the body will be diluted and, therefore, less likely to harm the delicate paint finish.

Read and carefully follow the product’s directions. Applying some cleaners to wheels that are hot or to a dry surface can result in permanent damage that requires costly refinishing. Check that your wheel type -- aluminum, alloy or chrome -- is specified in the directions. If not, find a wheel cleaner made especially for your kind of wheel.

Before washing the body of the car, start with a clean bucket -- and then mix up a cleaning solution using a high-quality car shampoo. Use a product that is designed for automotive finishes.

Examples: Meguiar’s Soft Wash Gel, Turtle Zip Wax Car Wash.

Avoid: Dishwashing detergent and most other shampoos, which are too harsh and can strip wax and important oils from the car’s finish.

Work from the top down and from front to back. Avoid scrubbing in a circular motion, or you may leave visible swirls. Apply plenty of suds with a 100% cotton, terry cloth towel... lambskin wash mitt... natural sea sponge... or soft horsehair brush. I find a soft brush works best to agitate dirt and whisk it away without scratching the paint. Lots of suds will also limit harmful abrasion.

Important: Make sure the cloth, mitt or sponge is clean. Old dirt can scratch the paint. Rinse often and vigorously to release any dirt.

Use back and forth motions, and continually rinse each section to ensure that soapy water carries away dirt and does not dry on the car’s surface.

For the final rinse, hose the car with a medium flow of water. This will allow large sheets of water to form and to roll off the vehicle, making drying easier.

Dry the car completely with an artificial chamois or clean cotton towels. An artificial chamois is less abrasive and more absorbent than a real chamois, but can still trap grit. I prefer clean towels.

Never allow water to dry on the finish. Mineral deposits in the water may cause spotting. Take special care to dry the wheels and tires again.

WAXING

To preserve your car’s shine and protect the surface, wax your vehicle at least twice a year -- once in the spring and again in the fall. Four times a year is even better.

Steps to take when you don’t have much time to wax...

Once the car is clean, use a liquid or soft-paste product that cleans, polishes and waxes in one step. There are many excellent one-step wax products on the market now. These products are easy to apply and remove.

The best ones contain silicones, polymers and carnauba -- a Brazilian wax that offers a depth of shine and luster revered by perfectionists.

One-step products that contain these ingredients: Eagle One’s Wax and Cleaner and Meguiar’s Medallion for All Paint.

Apply wax with a very clean, terry cloth towel to avoid scratching the finish.

FINISHING TOUCHES

Treat rubber weather-stripping and molding. Apply silicone spray to cotton balls, and use them to clean the rubber. Avoid getting the silicone on paint or glass.

Shine up chrome. Use a special product to make this metal gleam.

Example: Eagle One Never Dull.

Polish the exterior glass. A rain-treatment product helps improve visibility in wet weather.

Example: Rain-X, 20/20 Perfect Vision Rain Guard.

Spray the carpets with a room deodorizer. You'll love getting into your car.