Weekly car wash checklist: the Sunday Service printable
By Sam W - SoapX Ltd.
The weekly wash is where swirl marks are either avoided or made. This free car wash checklist keeps every step in the right order, wheels first, hands off until the foam has done its job, then a two bucket contact wash and a careful dry. Print it, stick it in the garage and tick it off.
Free download // Checklist 01
Sunday Service weekly wash checklist. Two A4 pages. Tick it off as you go and write in your ratios.
What is on the weekly car wash checklist
| Section | What you tick off |
|---|---|
| Before you start | Pick your spot, fill two buckets, lay out clean mitts and towels |
| Wheels first | Rinse wheels and arches, apply wheel cleaner, agitate faces, barrels, nuts and calipers, rinse thoroughly |
| Hands off | Pre rinse top to bottom, pre wash or snow foam, rinse off top to bottom |
| Now you touch | Two bucket contact wash, lower panels last, dropped mitt?, final rinse |
| Dry and finish | Dry with a plush drying towel, door shuts, fuel flap and boot lip, glass inside and out, tyre dressing (optional), top up protection (optional) |
| Pack down | Rinse buckets, guards and brushes, wash microfibre separately |
Every row has space to write the product and ratio you used. The sheet works with any brand, so it suits whatever is already on your shelf.
Why a checklist helps on a simple job
Most wash damage comes from skipping a step when you are in a hurry: no pre rinse, one bucket, the dropped mitt that goes straight back on the paint. A list removes the guesswork. After a few weeks you will not need it, but you will still use it to log what worked.
The order, at a glance
| Stage | Hands on paint? |
|---|---|
| Wheels first | No. Wheels have their own tools |
| Pre rinse and snow foam | No |
| Two bucket contact wash | Yes, top down, lower panels last |
| Final rinse | No |
| Dry | Yes, with a clean plush towel |
| Pack down | Rinse and dry the kit |
Make it yours
The space beside each step is for the product and ratio you used. Write it in once and every future wash is quicker. For the full routine with timings, read Sunday Service: the weekly two bucket wash routine. To get ratios right in any container, use the dilution ratio calculator.
How to get the most from it
- Print it on A4. It is designed to work in black and white.
- Write in the product, ratio and dwell time you used. Next time you will know exactly what worked.
- Laminate a copy and use a whiteboard marker if you do the same job every week.
- Save the PDF to your phone so the list is always with you.
Quick answers
What is the correct order to wash a car?
Wheels first, then pre rinse, pre wash or snow foam, rinse, a two bucket contact wash from the top down, a final rinse and then dry.
Why wash the wheels first?
Wheels carry the heaviest dirt and brake dust. Doing them first means dirty spray never lands on paint you have already cleaned.
How long should snow foam stay on?
Follow the label. Most need three to five minutes. Never let foam dry on the paint, especially in sun or wind.
Kit for this job
- 3 Step Wash Rig Kit
- 20L Wash Bucket with Grit Guard
- Ultra Plush Microfibre Wash Mitt
- Twisted Loop Drying Towel 1400 GSM
- Snow Foam Cannon 1L
- No.03 Wheel and Rim Cleaner
Prefer one download? Get all 14 SoapX checklists in one PDF. They are free to print and share. Please do not resell them.
More from the Journal
Always read the label. Directions, dilutions and safety advice for every product are here:
