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Washing

If there is a single maintenance that offers the biggest benefit to your car's appearance, it's keeping your vehicle clean through regular washing. Washing is the process of removing loose dirt and road film on the top of your car's paint surfaces. That means more than just a good hosing. You have to scrub it with shampoo and a sponge or wash mitt. Which is why I don't visit carwashes much, unless I take my own mitt.

Washing can be a double-edge sword, though, as even the mildest soaps can remove the protection from your car's paint, causing oxidation (paint starvation). Detergents can dull your car's finish even faster.

A good car wash shampoo should be very gentle on paint, plastic and rubber. Don't use dish washing soap unless you are trying to strip your wax job (Dawn is good for this). A good car wash shampoo provides lubrication to prevent scratching and conditioners to maintain the shine. Be sure to select a quality product that's not counterproductive to your detailing efforts. I'm currently using Adam's car wash. I spray it on with a foam gun for maximum coverage and lubrication. I fill the foam gun up 1/2 way with soap, and then fill the rest with water. I love my foam gun.

A towel is a towel, right? Unfortunately, this is not correct. If you grew up in a house like mine, Mom retired the old bath towels to the garage for car and dog duty. What Mom didn't realize is that most bath towels use a backing material that contains heavy polyester thread. The edges of the towel are stitched with polyester thread, too. Pound for pound, polyester is stronger than steel. This is great for long-lasting bath towels, but it's not so good for your Taco's paint. Traditional polyester and polyester blend thread scratches automotive paint finishes. Use paint-safe microfiber towels, like the Adam's Waffle Weave drying towel.
Your choice of wash tools is important, too. You should find a wash tool that is comfortable for you to use, but take a few things into consideration. First, your wash tool should hold a lot of soapy water. The more it holds, the more soapy water you can get on your Taco. This is important for lubrication. The lubrication created by soapy water is what prevents dirt from scratching your paint.

Use a wash tool that cleans easily, too. If it does not easily release dirt and grit, it's not safe. I like wash tools with a lot of fibers, like a lambs wool mitt, wash pad, or a grout sponge (Lowe's has a good grout sponge). My favorite wash mitt is available at Griot'sGarage.com Griots Sheepskin mitt.

Contrary to many beliefs, the natural sea sponge and the boar's hair brush are not good wash tools. Modern wash tools make these items relics things of the past. A paint safe wash brush can be used on the lower body panels, but should not be used above the bottom-of-the-door line.
The recent popularity of microfiber has created a large number of microfiber products, including microfiber wash mitts. Personally, I only use microfiber for drying and buffing, not as a wash mitt. I think it holds too much dirt for washing.
For drying, a combination of tools may be necessary. The sheepskin chamois have been used for centuries as a towel for drying. This naturally soft leather is very absorbent. All-natural chamois are still a good choice, but they are not as effective or as easy to use as a quality MF drying towel.
If you like to dry in a hurry, there are paint-safe squeegies available that will quickly remove 80% of the water from your vehicle with just a few strokes. Follow up with a good towel, and you're done. If you use a paint-safe squeegee, be careful. It only takes one small dirt particle between the blade and your car to create a scratch. Personally, I don't like to use paint squeegies.
I have recently changed a few methods to my vehicle washing steps. I now wash the tires and wheels first. If you wash the body first, the water will dry and spot your vehicle before you can finish washing the tires and wheels. Do not use the same wash water on your car's paint as you do your tires and wheels. Throw it out and refill your bucket. Brake dust is metal, and it will leave swirls in your paint if there is brake dust in your mitt or sponge. If it's a cool or overcast day you might be able to get away with washing the wheels last, and not getting any water spots on the body.If possible, work in the shade. A hot surface causes the wash and rinse water to evaporate too quickly, increasing the likelihood of water spotting. One trick is to park on a slight incline. This allows rinse water to run off moldings, trim, and recessed areas better. If you have to work in the sun, work fast and keep the car wet by rinsing often. Start by thoroughly wetting the vehicles finish with a semi-strong spray of water to remove mud, loose grit, and surface dirt. This might be a good time to mention: Take it easy with the powered pressure washers. Except for the wheel wells and undercarriage, I wouldn't use a pressure washer on my vehicle, especially since these newer Tacos seem to have soft paint.Put some shampoo in a bucket. I use a 2 gallon bucket. Then fill 'er up, and try to keep the foam in the bucket or on you mitt. The foam has a lot of lubrication in it. Start washing from the top down and rinse often. I use a small step ladder to reach the roof.ou Never go from the bottom of the truck back up to the top, unless you rinse out your mitt. Frequent rinsing of the body is especially important if you are using a shampoo containing natural oils. While these oils cushion the paint and minimize abrasion they are heavier than water and can leave a film if allowed to sit on the paint. I do a final rinse of free-flowing water, which gives a sheeting action and will reduce water spots. I use an Adam's firemans nozzle. It makes a real difference over regular pistol grip nozzles. There is a lot more control and pressure adjustment. If you have low water pressure at your house, you really should get one of these "firefighter" style nozzles.

As the final washing step, You can greatly reduce the amount of water left on your paint by taking the nozzle off of your hose and run some low pressure water over the paint, and let the water gently sheet off.

Drying
Dry off in the shade if possible. I use a gas leaf blower to knock off a lot of the water and get it out of the nooks and crannies. This will make towel drying go a lot faster.
Using a clean waffle weave drying towel or chamois, start at the top of your vehicle and work down, drawing the towel or chamois across the surface in a straight line. If using a natural chamois, use the rough side to dry.Use a terry detailing towel to dry your tires and wheels. Do not use your chamois or good microfiber towels on the tires and wheels, as it will become soiled. Open the doors and dry the door sills and jambs. Wipe under the door and along the door edge, as well. Dry off any tube steps or running boards too. If you ignore these areas you will get water drops streaming down the side of your vehicle when you start driving.Open the hood and wipe down the jams and seals. On the engine, use your damp towel to remove dirt the top of the engine cover and engine compartment surfaces. After working in the engine compartment, put the dirty towel in the wash and don't use it on your vehicle again until you wash it.