Spring clean your car

1. Use the right products

If you want your car to look really good then using the right products and equipment is essential. A lot of the car care equipment on sale can do more harm than good, as can many traditional methods of washing. If you've been using one of those yellow sponges, a chamois, or washing up liquid instead of car shampoo — stop now. Invest in a few decent bits of kit and you'll notice a big difference in your results.

2. Wash your car properly

Before you do anything to your paint, you need to wash it. The better you do this, the easier everything that follows will be. Good preparation is the key to great results.

• —Use snow foam to pre-wash the car and remove most of the dirt and grit before you touch the paint
• —Use a good wheel cleaner to get your wheels sparkling
• —Use the two bucket method to wash the car
• —Dry the car carefully, then protect the paint

3. Decontaminate the paint

Every time you're on the road — or even parked up — your car is exposed to things that bond to the paint. Over time, tree sap, tar spots, brake dust, squashed bugs and industrial fallout all conspire to make a car look tired, and left untreated they can permanently damage the paint. Not sure whether you need to do this? Run your hand over the paint when it's clean. If it feels gritty rather than perfectly smooth, it needs decontaminating.

• —Use a tar remover to break down tar spots stuck to the paint
• —Use an iron fallout remover — it reacts with embedded iron particles and turns purple as it breaks them down
• —Use a clay bar with plenty of lubricant to lift off anything still stuck to the paint

4. Polish the paint

Polishing is essential if you want a deep gloss finish. Hand polishing cuts through oxidised paint, restores gloss and, with a little extra pressure, can remove some light marks. Machine polishing delivers incredible results — correcting swirls and moderate scratches and leaving paint looking better than new — but it can also damage paint if used incorrectly. Unless you've used a machine polisher before and have a paint depth gauge, I'd recommend hand polishing or hiring a professional.

5. Protect the paint

Once you've taken the time to get the car looking this good, a wax, sealant or coating adds gloss and seals in that freshly polished paint. It provides a sacrificial layer that takes the hit rather than your paint, repelling dirt and water and making the car easier to clean.

Now all you have to do is wash it regularly with good quality products, and your car will look beautiful all summer.

David Knight