It’s been way too long since I’ve washed my car. Given the spring that never sprung, and the summer that’s barely arrived, it hasn’t been high priority.
Therefore, today is the day! With a fairly clear afternoon, according to the weather and time schedule, let the water wash the dirt away.
I approach this as I’m sure most do. Begin by wetting the car down, then applying soap in decisive broad strokes. Once the car has been fully covered in soap, time to rinse. Now, I’ve owned cars since I was 17, and one thing I know about myself, is if I only wash it once I’ll miss a few spots. So, I soap it up and wash it again to make sure none of those embarrassing “dirty” spots show up after it’s dried.
Once the body is done, next come the wheels. I hit those with both an aggressive wheel cleaner, as well as a touch of elbow grease. Then the windows, making sure I can see free and clear.
Time for a little wax, to add a layer of protection from the elements it’s bound to encounter on the next leg of it’s life.
Then, it’s a little polish to make sure some of the dirt that is in the hard to reach places is taken care of.
Washing your car is really good therapy, because it’s much like washing away your own personal grime that’s collected over time. It really doesn’t take much effort, once you’ve spent the time. We all pick some road wear up along the way, and it fells good to wash that all away, and look at ourselves with a fresh perspective.
It’s the same car, same engine, same safety systems, same wheels that take us to and from as well as from here to there. But now that it’s clean, it looks brighter, happier. The body has some scratches and a few dings, which you really don’t see when it’s clean. The chrome glistens, the rubber shines, the glass is clear. The car seems to be smiling.
I really know how it feels.
The New Meat and Potatoes 