Clean Ash Off of a Car

You might notice ash on your car if you live in an area with frequent forest fires or volcanic activity. It’ll look like light or dark brown sand and collect on your car’s roof, hood, windshield, bumpers, and wheels. It may even make its way into small crevices like the gap between your windshield and the front hood. Each grain of ash is abrasive, which means you need to be careful cleaning it off. However, with the right tools and technique, your car will be sparkling clean in no time!

Steps

Washing Your Car with Soap

1. Use a pressure washer to rinse your car from top to bottom. If you have a hose, connect a pressure washer to it before rinsing your car. Start at the roof and then work your way down the sides, front, back, and wheels. This is a key step to getting off as much of the ash as possible from the get-go.
   • If you don't have a pressure washer, a regular hose will do the trick. You can increase the pressure by holding your thumb over part of the hose's mouth.
   • You may need to attach an extender to the end of the pressure washer to rinse the roof of a large SUV or van.
2. Mix water and pH-neutral car soap in a bucket. Pour a capful or {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} to {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of car soap into a bucket and fill it up with {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of water with the pressure hose. You’ll see suds start to form from the pressure as the soap mixes with the water.
   • Ash is alkaline, so don't use a soap that is also alkaline—opt for one that's pH neutral (7). Read the label or the back of the bottle to see its pH reading.
   • The salts in pH-neutral soaps break down the alkalinity in the ash, making it easier to wash the ash away with water.
3. Dunk a microfiber mitt or towel into the bucket and wipe down your car. Use a microfiber car mitt or towel and wipe down the entire surface of your car, starting from the roof and moving downwards. Put a little extra elbow-grease into areas where ash might pile up like bumpers, rocker panels, windshields, windshield wipers, air vents, and license plate frames.
   • The more suds you create on the car, the more likely it is you’ll get all the ash off on the first wash.
   • Be sure to lift your wiper blades up and wipe off the blades!
   • A plush mitt with lots of microfiber strings coming off of it is the best choice, but a large microfiber-covered sponge will also get the job done.
4. Scrub the hub caps and wheels with a scrub brush dipped in the soap. Dip a wheel cleaning brush into the bucket and scrub down each hub cap. Move the brush along each flat surface of the cap, pushing and pulling the bristles between the gaps to get any ash that may be hiding at an angle where you can’t see it.
   • Choose a brush with sturdy bristles so they can stand up to ash, soot, and any other grime on your tires. Look for one with a comfortable handle and bristles made from a blend of nylon, polyester, polypropylene, or hog's hair.
   • If your wheels are extra dirty (and they probably are), you may want to pour some of the soapy water into a different bucket so you’re not getting ash and soot in the clean soapy water when you re-dunk the brush.
5. Rinse your entire car with the pressure hose. Hold the hose or pressure washer up high to reach the top of your car first. Get the front, back, and sides and then move down to the wheels and caps.
   • It's important to start at the top so you're not having to rewash lower sections when soapy water drips down.
6. Remove thick, stubborn ash with diluted car degreaser, if necessary. Fill a spray bottle 1/5th of the way full of degreaser and fill the rest up with water. Shake it up so it's well-blended and spray it onto all the painted surfaces of your car, from top to bottom. Focus on areas where ash might collect like rocker panels, headlights, bumpers, and license plate frames. For the best results, let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes before rinsing it away.
   • How much you need to dilute it depends on the strength of the degreaser. For heavy-duty degreasers, use 1 part degreaser and 10 parts water instead.
   • Don't spray it directly on your windows because too much could leave them cloudy and streaky. Spray it onto a microfiber cloth first and then rub it on in areas where you see ash.
7. Give the car a final rinse from top to bottom with a pressure washer. Start by rinsing the roof of your car and then make your way down the front, back, and sides. Save the wheels and bumpers for last so they don’t get soapy again from drippage.
   • If you have a large SUV or van, you may need to stand on a step ladder or chair to reach the top.
   • Be sure to squat down and spray your wheels and caps from different angles.

Protecting Your Car's Exterior from Ash

1. Use a high-quality car wax after you wash your car. Apply the wax to a microfiber applicator and spread it onto the vehicle in a thin coat. Move the applicator in even lines so you can keep track of what you’ve covered. Let it sit for however long the manufacturer suggests and then buff the entire surface with a clean microfiber towel. The wax will repel any ash, dust, or soot that gets on your car, protecting the paint and finish.
   • You can also put the wax on your windshield and headlights to protect them from ash.
   • Only do this if you've just washed and dried your car and it's protected from the elements (i.e., in a garage or under a carport). Don't wash it, dry it, drive (and collect ash), and then apply it because the wax could set the ash into your car's paint.
2. Park in a garage or under a car cover if possible. Ash falls down because it weighs a lot for its size, so don't leave your car exposed overnight. Pull into a garage or under a car cover to give your paint job the most protection from falling ash. It’s not foolproof if you’re driving your car around through ash, but it’s a good spot to keep it overnight and when you’re washing it.
   • You can also use a fitted car cover if you have one.
3. Wipe your entire car gently with a car duster after driving through ash. Use a microfiber car duster to wipe down your ear every so often. Focus on the windshield, hood, roof, bumpers, wheels, and anywhere else you see ash. Use very light pressure because wiping it too hard could cause the ash granules to scratch your paint.
   • This will ensure that ash doesn’t sit on your car for too long, making it easier to get off once you give it a good washing.
   • If you live in an area with frequent forest fires or volcanic eruptions, you may want to wipe it down every day after you've been driving around (or at least a few times a week).
4. Keep your windows and sunroof closed so ash doesn’t get inside your car. The last thing you want to have to deal with is cleaning ash from the inside of your car as well. If you’re driving through an area with lots of ash, make sure your sunroof and windows are fully shut and don’t open them until you’re out of the ashy area. Double-check that they’re closed once you park and get out of your car.
   • If you do end up getting ash inside your car, you’ll need to vacuum the entire interior. That means the seats (and seat crevices!), floorboards, dashboard, side panels, and any other upholstery.
   • Ash and soot can damage leather, so if you have leather seats you’ll need to clean and condition them to keep them in good shape.

Tips

• If you live in an area with volcanoes or forest fires, clean the engine within 30 days of heavy ash exposure.

Warnings

• Don't let ash sit on your car over time because it can eat away at the paint over time.
• Don’t use a squeegee to wipe it off your car because it will etch the paint.

References

See also

• Protect Cloth Car Seats
• Use a Rubbing Compound
• Use Turtle Wax
• Make a Fabric Car Trash Bag
• Remove Stick on Lettering from a Vehicle
• Remove Car Polish
• Remove Scratches from a Car
• Refresh a Car
• Deodorize a Car
• Sanitize Your Car

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