No matter how you look at it—new or used, sports car or minivan—cars are expensive. They are necessary parts of life unless you live in a major city and most Americans own a car. Something that is so important to our lives and costs so much should be taken care of. That means washing your ride regularly. Road grime, oil, and salt will eat up a car’s finish if given enough time. It’s important to wash that crud off monthly at least. Plus, you look better driving a shiny car instead of a faded rust bucket. If you don’t already know, here’s how to clean the exterior of your car.

Go Old School

If it’s a nice day outside, pull out the garden hose, fill a bucket, grab a sponge, and go to town. Wash your car in the driveway at home and enjoy the day. Clean that thing like you are washing your chest in the shower. Spray down the car, then wash a section at a time—rinse and repeat. Doing it yourself is cheaper and you get a sense of satisfaction from cleaning your baby. Shine up the tires too and get the vacuum out while jamming some tunes. Cleaning the exterior of your car isn’t rocket science; it just takes some work.

Roll Through the Automatic

Maybe you are pressed for time or just don’t want to wash it yourself. We understand. The guys at the mega car washes do a great job; you should check these places out. The massive brushes get all the nastiness off the car, spray the underside, and can give you a spot-free rinse and spray wax if you want. Then, the guys at the end with the shammies and rags get rid of all the little drops, so they don’t dry and leave spots. It’s a VIP experience on a budget.

Manual Car Wash

No money for deluxe wash and no house to wash in the driveway? No problem. Go to the car wash with a pocket full of quarters and roll into a stall. For around $1.50 you can use the high-pressure wash wand and clean your car. The soap shoots out like a firehose and blasts all the dirt off in no time. There is the optional brush if you want to hit the tires too. Here’s a pro tip: leave the quarters on the box near the coin slot. When the timer goes off, you don’t want to fumble around for change to add time. If the timer goes zero, you must pay full price to start it again. RNR Tire Express in the best tire store in Rock Hill, SC. Need new rims? We got ‘em. Need new tires? We got ‘em. Check out the lineup online and come in for installation.