Keeping your car clean is not just about maintaining its appearance, it is also about protecting its value and ensuring that it lasts as long as possible. One of the most important steps in keeping your car clean is contact washing. Contact washing is the process of using a Duel Microfibre Wash Mitt to physically remove dirt, grime, and other contaminants from the surface of your car. The Duel Microfibre Wash Mitt is super soft and plush, making it the ideal tool for your contact wash. It is different from rinsing or hosing down your car, which simply pushes dirt and grime around and will only remove surface dirt, not dirt that is bonded to the paintwork. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of contact washing when cleaning your car and provide some tips for doing it effectively and safely.

First and foremost, contact washing is important because it removes dirt and grime that can cause damage to your car's paint. Over time, dirt and grime can accumulate on the surface of your car and, if left untreated, can cause scratches, swirl marks, and other damage to the paint. Contact washing removes this dirt and grime before it has a chance to cause damage, helping to maintain the appearance and value of your car.

Another important aspect of contact washing is that it helps to remove contaminants that can damage your car's clear coat. The clear coat is a clear, protective layer that is applied over the paint on your car. It helps to protect the paint from UV rays, chemicals, and other contaminants. However, if these contaminants are allowed to sit on the surface of the car for an extended period, they can damage the clear coat, leading to discolouration and other issues. Contact washing removes these contaminants before they have a chance to cause damage. Even with a thorough prewash routine, which is as important as the contact wash, there may still be dirt, grime or contaminates present on the surface, even those you can not see with the naked eye. This highlights why a contact wash is so important. Even if you think your vehicle looks clean after a contactless wash, rest assured some dirt or grime will still be present.

In addition to protecting your car's paint and clear coat, contact washing is also important for maintaining the overall health of your car. Dirt and grime can accumulate in the nooks and crannies of your car, such as the wheels, door jambs, and around the windshield wipers. If left untreated, these areas can become breeding grounds for mould and mildew, which can cause unpleasant odours and even health problems. Contact washing removes dirt and grime from these areas, helping to keep your car clean and healthy.

So now that we understand the importance of contact washing, how can we do it effectively? One of the most important things to keep in mind is to use the right tools. A high-quality car wash mitt is a must-have for contact washing. This style of wash mitt is gentle on your car's paint and clear coat and is less likely to cause scratches or swirl marks than if you were to reach for the dreaded car wash sponge or even worse, a brush! It's also important to use a high-quality car shampoo that is specifically formulated for contact washing, for this, we highly recommend our highly concentrated car shampoo, Bahama Blue. A highly concentrated pure shampoo that contains a perfectly foamy and efficient formula. Bahama Blue is the ideal solution for all vehicle maintenance wash requirements enabling dirt and road grime to be removed from all vehicle surfaces safely due to its neutral chemical composition and anti-marring additives.

Avoid using household detergents or dish soap, as they can be harsh on your car's paint and clear coat. Most washing-up liquids are much more aggressive than regular car shampoos. They are packed full of degreasers and not so many lubricants, which are super important in a dedicated car shampoo product. Continuously using dish soap such as Fairy Liquid over time will deteriorate your car paint. There are some key things that you need to keep in mind. One of the main factors is that washing-up liquids are not made to be used on car surfaces. Therefore, your results wouldn't be near as good as those of a dedicated car-washing shampoo like Bahama Blue.

Another important aspect of contact washing is to use the two-bucket method. This involves filling one wash bucket with water and your choice of car wash shampoo and another rinse bucket with clean water. Start by washing one section of your car at a time, using soapy water from the wash bucket to remove dirt and grime. Then rinse the mitt or cloth in the clean water before moving on to the next section. This helps to prevent dirt and grime from being re-applied to the car's surface. If you want to understand the two-bucket method and why we use it in more depth, read our guide here:
https://www.duelautocare.co.uk/blogs/guides/what-is-the-two-bucket-wash-method-and-why-do-we-use-it

To summarise, your vehicle can only reach a certain level of cleanliness without the contact wash, so if you are looking for the best results from your wash process, don't skip this part!