First car, first car insurance…first car wash with insurethebox

When you get your first car, and your first year of pay as you go insurance it's likely that you will want to make sure you stay safe on the roads and keep your vehicle looking great!

Well, here at insurethebox, our telematics car insurance can help you see, through your customer portal, where you could make improvements on your driving habits and this could help you earn Bonus Miles. Being a positive driver can also help you save money on the wear and tear on your car and can even help you be a more environmentally friendly driver.

But… we can't keep your car clean – that's up to you!

We can however, offer you our insurethebox top tips for a gleaming car. So, if you want to know how to look after your car's paint job, read on:

Clean cars with pay as you go insurance

• Step 1: Wet the car with plain tap water to remove loose dirt and grit, but do not use a sponge as this may scratch the surface of the paint. If you have access to a pressure washer, this will really do the job well, but if not, use lots of water then leave it to stand for a few minutes to soak into any stuck-on lumps.
• Step 2: Hose over once more and you're ready for the pre-wash – yes, we did say this was how to get a "gleaming" car, not just a clean one. If a pre-wash seems too much like overkill, skip to Step 3

  Pre-wash Use a very soft sponge (a baby sponge is good, but don't put it back in the bathroom afterwards!) and some low foam car shampoo to gently remove dirt and grit. Make sure the shampoo does not have polish included as this will seal in any dirt which you don't remove at this time.

insurethebox top tip – use filtered water if you want perfection and for really stubborn marks, a good quality tar and bug remover is a great buy.

• Step 3: Main Wash Now, with a good quality car shampoo in clean water (filtered if you want perfection) and a slightly harder sponge, wash in circles all over the car from the roof down to the door sills – leaving the grittiest bits until last.

• Step 4: For the wheels use a brush first and then a hard sponge or a scrubbing pad, but keep whatever tool you use just for the wheels, as you risk scratching the paintwork if you then use it for the bodywork. There are various products on the market which will remove brake dust and wheel dirt, but be careful as they often use harsh chemicals.
• Step 5: Rinse off with clean water – a gentle hose or watering can will do the job. Start with the roof and work down.

insurethebox top tip – don't clean your car in the heat of the midday sun. The water will dry far too quickly on the panels and you'll be left with immovable and unsightly streaks.

• Step 6: Dry the car using a Chamois leather (what your dad calls a shammy). Make sure it's very slightly damp and, using gentle smooth movements, take the standing water off the surface of the paintwork. A warm day makes this easiest, but not too hot, as the leather cloth will leave a very fine layer of water which should evaporate fairly quickly.
• And finally…polish – well, we never said this was easy…

insurethebox top tip – use the money you save on your pay as you go insurance to take your car to the car wash. You might not get perfection, but you'll get a clean car in minutes without too much effort.

Pay as you go insurance from insurethebox
And for great car insurance, with a perfect finish, click on our get a quote button now to see if we could save you money on telematics car insurance.

insurethebox pay as you go insurance offers lots of rewards and benefits, and even helps you keep your car clean – well, we advise you how to do it, we don't actually come round with a bucket!