While we’re on the topic of simple ideas that make taking care of your paint a whole lot less irritating/obnoxious/ineffective, there’s one that we’re hoping you’ve already figured out: keep it wet. Yes! The very hose you use to rinse can defeat the scourge of water spots.

The constant-wet methodology is not a new idea. It is, however, somewhat politically incorrect, as it requires you to use some extra water. Look at you, sticking it to the man. Don’t be snookered by the water police and big-government propaganda telling you to save water by drinking from the sponge in the sink and watering your plants with the tears of unicorns. The extra water you’re going to use to spritz your prized Sonic Blue Mustang Cobra might be a gallon or two. Be honest with yourself – if you’re washing your car in the driveway without needing to fend off marauders or alien locusts, you probably live in a country with utilities capable of providing you an extra gallon or two of water.

By the way, is anyone interested in explaining what a Mustang Cobra is? Is it like a horseshoe crab, or some wild genetic creation born of a laboratory deep beneath FoMoCo’s Rogue plant?

You’ll note that some colors are prone to fast evaporation (darker paints), and therefore quicker water spotting. Colors (or lack thereof) like Wimbledon White and lightly pigmented yellows and beiges will absorb less sunlight, and not heat up as much. It’s that evaporation that’s the real problem, because it leaves the stuff in the water – chemicals, minerals, and other dissolved solids – on your paint when the water’s gone. That stuff is not at all inert, and combined with the moisture already present in the air and the environment your vehicle lives in, they can etch/burn/eat away at your finish. A good coat of wax or sealer can hold the damage caused by water spots at bay for a time, but they’re just another layer to be eaten away, and eventually, water spots will get to your paint.

Fear not: if you have water spots, companies like Mother’s Polish sell specific water-spot removers – usually a polish of some sort, sometimes sporting a light wax in the mix – and these are effective. However, the objective should be to avoid water spots occurring at all, thus the wonderfully inexpensive and easy trick of keeping the whole vehicle you’re washing wet until you’re ready to dry.

While we’re at it, do yourself a favor and try to do all car washing and drying in the shade. Slower evaporation, less pressure to hurry up while drying, less heat, more shelving.

A near constant state of wet is easy: keep the same hose and nozzle you use to rinse your vehicle handy, and whenever you wash a section and rinse it (because you’re always washing section-by-section, right?), give the rest of the car a quick spritz too. As we’ve described before, it’s the same easy flow of water you’ve used on the rest of the car. We’re not blasting barnacles off the S.S. Minnow: there are lots of soft rubber parts, sensitive electronics and exposed lubricants on your car or truck, so you’d never use high-pressure to wash or rinse. Right?

Of all the easy rules for proper paint care, this one may be the easiest. It’s never too late to get a better habit: if you want to avoid extensive touch-up work (though TouchUpDirect is here for you if water spots get you covered), keep the paint wet until it’s time to dry.

Confession time: you’ve caught yourself walking past your car, ogling the damn thing. Do you like what you see? Do you get to brag, or apologize? Are you admiring the paint or hating yourself for not taking care of it?

If you’re the dude (or dudette) who smiles with a big fat grin after regarding your reflection in the paint, congrats. You have taken care of it. You did the washing, the waxing, the touch up paint, the buff-out… You did the work. If you’re the guy who looks at the hood of your car (or truck, or the tank of your bike) and feel a little ashamed, let’s fix that. We don’t want you to be a paint-care dummy.

Because you can’t take care of paint that’s not there, start with touch up paint (of course!). Got a chip in the bumper? It’s a one-day job to touch-it up to the point that you forget it was there. Rinse, repeat. Then there’s a regular wash habit: have one. Things like wax and advanced detailing are nice, but at the very least, you should get yourself cleaning consistently – keep your ride looking like you care.

There are plenty of good car wash habits – take a look at Mother’s detailing guide, or Griot’s – but that’s a LOT. Start simple: how about a few “I wish I’d thought of that” tips from the TUD Life crew that make car washing so much better (and help you look damn good).

1. The Two-Bucket Method. So obvious, it’s silly. Why would you rinse a sponge or wash mitt full of dirt in a bucket full of clean, soapy water? Get a second bucket, put some water in it, and always rinse in that one. Rinse the rinse bucket a few times in the process.
2. Keep the Car Wet. While you’re working in one area, don’t let the other side dry off and make water spots. Water spots are a direct attack on your paint. We hate water spots, even if they help us sell touch up paint. Keep spritzing the whole vehicle until it’s time to dry the whole vehicle.
3. Pre-Treat the Crud. If you got insects, road tar and other stuck-ons on the front end, wet the offended area, then pour a little car soap in your hand and dab it generously on the bug graveyard. Let that sit to penetrate, then wash the area like you’d wash the rest of the car.
4. Speaking of, Use Car Soap. Don’t you dare use dish soap to wash your car. Just never.
5. Start High. (NOT a joke about a Colorado resident washing a rusty Subaru…) Start soaping and washing at the top of your vehicle. There’s usually less dirt, and water usually runs downhill. This way, you’re not rubbing a sponge full of crud from the lower half of the car on the rest of it.
6. Dry, Then Dry Again. The first point of drying is to get as much water off as possible. Absorbent 100% cotton or waffle-weave towels do a good job, but you’re always going to miss some. Compressed air and microfiber towels with some detailer can re-dry those misses later.
7. Try Clay. It’s one of our favorite tricks for automotive paint. Buy a good name-brand clay bar, then use it per the instructions (though we’ve had luck with clay and water, most manufacturers recommend using a detail spray with clay). Your paint will be as smooth as new. Smoother.

Don’t be discouraged: 80% of making your ride look right is the service you give the finish. Get out in the garage and do those basics: touch up paint and regular washing and waxing. Don’t be lazy, don’t be a dummy, and take care of your paint.

You want your vehicle to stay in pristine condition, right?

Maintaining your car’s paint job is a huge part of keeping it looking brand-new.

Some might say it’s the most important part.

So what’s the absolute BEST way to keep your car’s paint all shiny and new?

If you’re like me, your car is your baby. You want to keep your baby clean, right?

I asked 9 experts from the fields of auto paint and body repair this question.

What they told me shocked me – I’ve been doing this all wrong for years!

Read more