How to clean your car without water if you live in a flat: step-by-step guide

Living in a flat in Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon or Porto means parking on the street or in a shared garage where hoses are not allowed. Result: the car gets cleaned when it is time for the car wash, and in between it collects dust, pollen and dried drops. There is a 20-minute alternative.

What you need

• A 3-in-1 clean-and-shine spray (cleans, shines and protects).
• Two clean microfibre cloths: one to spread, one dry to finish.
• Shade and cool bodywork.

The right order

Top to bottom and panel by panel: roof, bonnet, boot, doors, bumpers and rims last. That way falling dirt does not land on what is already clean and the rim cloth never touches paint.

Step by step

• Spray one panel, not the whole car.
• Spread with the first cloth in straight strokes, no pressure.
• Flip the cloth as soon as you see dirt on it.
• Finish with the dry cloth until the haze is gone.
• Move to the next panel.

What not to do

• Clean in the sun: the product dries before you spread it and leaves marks.
• Use a gritty cloth or a kitchen towel: that is what scratches, not the spray.
• Apply it to the windscreen: it leaves reflections. Use glass cleaner for glass.
• Scrub a stain hard in circles: wet it and repeat.

When you do need water

Mud, beach sand, road salt in winter. Waterless is not enough there: rinse with pressurised water first, then the spray for shine and protection.

How often

A quick pass every 7–10 days keeps the car looking freshly washed and stretches full washes to once a month.