Dry a Car

Most car owners know that a thorough wash can really enhance a car's appearance, but the way you dry your car afterward also plays a big role in how spotless and new it looks. Improper drying can cause water spots and even scratches in the paint, so it's important that you use the right materials and take your time. Regardless of the drying method you use, always rinse and sheet the outside of your car with water first to remove any debris and flush away excess water so it's easier to dry.

Steps

Using a Non-Abrasive Towel

1. Get an absorbent, non-abrasive towel to dry off your car with. Never use a regular bath or kitchen towel to dry your vehicle since the abrasive fibers can scratch the paint. Even if you don't notice the damage right away, the small scratches can build up over time and diminish the appearance of your car. Some good non-abrasive options include microfiber dryer towels and chamois, which is non-abrasive leather.
   • You can find microfiber and chamois towels online or at your local home improvement center or department store.
2. Fold the towel into a square to avoid streaks. If you wipe down your car with the towel when it's wadded up and wrinkled, it won't dry the surface evenly, leading to streaks. By folding the towel into a square, you'll have a flat, consistent surface to dry with.Template:Greenbox:'''Tip:''' Once one side of the folded towel is saturated, flip it over and use the other side, or re-fold it so a dry portion is on the outside.
3. Work from the top of your car to the bottom. That way, you don't accidentally push water from the top of your vehicle down to the areas that you already dried off. Start with the roof and windows. Then, once those are dry, make your way down to the door panels, trunk, hood, and bumpers.
4. Dab at the water instead of wiping whenever possible. You want to avoid dragging things across the surface of your vehicle as much as possible since it can scratch the paint. Even if you're using a non-abrasive material, there's always a chance that dirt or other small particles got into the fabric or onto the surface of your car, so it's better to be safe.
   • For big sections of your car that are wet, dabbing likely won't be effective or efficient. When you're wiping down bigger sections, always use light pressure.
5. Use a terry towel to dry off your wheels. Your wheels are more likely to have grease and residue on them that will soil your microfiber or chamois towel. To keep your nice towel clean and in good condition for the next time you dry your vehicle, don't use it on your wheels. An absorbent terry towel should do the trick.
   • You can find a terry towel online or at your local department store.

Drying Your Car with Pressurized Air

1. Find a source of pressurized air. You can use a leaf blower, an air compressor, a shop vac, or anything else that blows out pressurized air. Just make sure the nozzle that the air comes out of is clean and free of debris so you don't accidentally dirty the surface of your vehicle.
2. Blow pressurized air over the surface of your car to dry it off. Work from the top of the car down to the bottom, using the pressurized air to blow off any water droplets. Work your way around your car until you've blown off all of the visible water.
3. Use the pressurized air to dry hard-to-reach surfaces on your vehicle. Gas caps, door jambs, mirrors, and grills can all be difficult to dry because of their small grooves and hard-to-reach crannies. However, with pressurized air, you don't need to let these parts of your car air dry. Just aim the nozzle on your pressurized air device at them to blow away any lingering water droplets.Template:Greenbox:'''Tip:''' If you're having trouble getting your car completely dry with pressurized air, use a non-abrasive towel to dab or wipe up any remaining water so you don't end up with water spots.

Using a Squeegee

1. Get a paint-safe squeegee. It's important that you use a squeegee designed for use on automobile paint. Otherwise, you could damage the finish on your vehicle when you're drying it. There are a variety of brands that sell squeegees specifically for drying off cars.
   • You can find a paint-safe squeegee online or at your local home improvement center or department store.
   • Paint-safe squeegees are great if you're looking for a fast, easy way to dry off your car and prevent water spots.
2. Make sure the squeegee and the surface of your car are free of debris. Even a small piece of dirt on the squeegee blade or on your vehicle can result in a scratch if you're not careful. Always thoroughly inspect the blade on the squeegee before you use it, as well as the surface of your car, and rinse off any debris if necessary.
3. Swipe the squeegee blade across the surface of your vehicle to dry it off. Use a steady, fluid motion as you drag the blade across your car. As you swipe the blade, it will carry away any water droplets in its path, leaving your car nice and dry.
   • If you're drying a horizontal surface on your car, like the hood, swipe the blade from one side to the other so you're pushing the water off of your vehicle. For vertical surfaces, like the door panels, swipe from the top to the bottom.Template:Greenbox:'''Tip:''' Start at the top of your vehicle and work your way down so you're not pushing water onto portions of your car that you've already dried.
4. Go over your car with a non-abrasive towel when you're done to avoid streaks. Sometimes, a squeegee can leave behind water streaks. To avoid this, lightly wipe down the surface of your vehicle with a non-abrasive towel, like a microfiber drying towel or chamois, to remove any remaining water marks.
   • You can find a microfiber drying towel or chamois online or at your local home improvement center or department store.

Rinsing and Sheeting Your Car

1. Rinse your car off so it's free of suds and dirt. Before you start the drying process, it's important that there's no debris or cleaning residue on your vehicle. Otherwise, your car could end up with spots or scratches later on. Spray it down thoroughly with a hose once you're finished cleaning it.
   • Make sure you get the entire surface of your car, including the top and wheels.
2. Flush excess water off the surface using a hose on medium pressure. Known as sheeting, this process flushes off most of the water on the surface of your vehicle so it's easier and faster to dry later. Just take the nozzle off of your hose, set the water to medium pressure, and hold the nozzle parallel to the top of your car so the water flows down the sides. Make your way around your vehicle until you've flushed the entire surface with water.
   • Don't spray your car directly with the water or you'll make it wetter. You want the water to gently flow onto your car's surface so it flushes the existing water off.
3. Open and shut all the doors to get rid of any water in the seals. After washing, rinsing, and sheeting your car, there might be some water trapped around the door seals. Opening and closing the doors should be enough to shake off any water trapped in them.
   • Open and close the doors to the trunk and hood of your vehicle as well.

Things You'll Need

Using a Non-Abrasive Towel

• Non-abrasive towel
• Terry towel

Drying Your Car with Pressurized Air

• Leaf blower, air compressor, shop vac, or another source of pressurized air

Using a Squeegee

• Paint-safe squeegee
• Non-abrasive towel

Rinsing and Sheeting Your Car

• Hose

Quick Summary

Template:Summary:Dry-a-Car

See also

• Adjust Valves on an Aircooled Volkswagon (VW) Beetle
• Tell if Tesla Has Full Self Driving
• Get Rid of a Car That Doesn't Run
• Repair a Dent on a Car Using a Stud Welder Gun
• Know That Car Needs a Professional Mechanic
• Do an Oil Change for a Toyota Camry (2001 to 2011)
• Reset Gas Gauge Needle
• Determine if Your Car Is Front or Rear Wheel Drive
• Replace a Cabin Air Filter on a 2012 2018 Ford Focus
• Flip Cars for a Profit

Read more ...