Mothers Know Best: 4 Car Cleaning Lessons I Taught My Son—That He Actually Listened To
Because car care is really about keeping memories-and cars-polished. Here's how I used Mother's Polish to keep him interested.
My son and I were watching a classic movie, Karate Kid, when Mr. Miagi recited his famous line, “Wax on, wax off.” At first, my son didn’t get it. I explained to him that the reference was to car cleaning, a task can be fun because it draws on a basic movement principle in karate.
However, in reality, karate moves can be more fun than cleaning our Volkswagen. But maybe a box of goodies from Mothers Polish and some Karate Kid inspo would change that. So when the company offered to send me some of their products, I jumped at the learning moment and said yes. Soon Little Man was looking over the delivery: Mothers California Gold Ceramic Wash & Wax, Spray Wax, and Paint Correction. Before he got carried away, though, I reeled him back a bit: I wanted to show him how to take care of the car, a task that I enjoy and take pride in.
Here are the 4 simple tasks I taught my son to take care of the car so hopefully one day he will find joy in car cleaning, too.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks. Mothers sent us the product in exchange for our honest review. All opinions and impressions are my own.
1. Grab a Bucket, Bring the Microfiber Mitt, Get the Hose, and Suds It Up!
Summer makes it easy to dress appropriately for a car wash: shorts, a tee, and slide sandals. Thankfully, we had cloud coverage and the weather dipped below 90 degrees, so we brought out the bucket and hooked up the hose. With Mothers California Ceramic Wash & Wax, a little bit of soap goes a long way. It’s super sudsy, so you can put a small amount on a microfiber mitt and swirl it around in the bucket and soak it a bit.
Once you have a good amount of soap and water absorbed into the mitt, you can head over to the car (after rinsing it first to loosen up dirt and debris) and start washing the car with circular motions. I did this first, so my son knew what to do when washing a car. Then I handed him the mitt to wash the hood of the car on his own. We loved the fun watermelon scent. This helps encourage little ones to help you clean the car, and you can feel better about its safety, too: it’s environmentally friendly and pH neutral.
Neither of us had to put much effort into wiping the dirt away. We immediately noticed that this ceramic wash and wax keeps your car clean and protected with a glossy look. It was easy to wash away for a spot-free and streak-free wash.
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2. Before You Wax, Check For Spots That Require Mothers Polish Paint Correction
If you’ve had an “oopsie” moment that made for light scratches on the paint, don’t be afraid to explore the Mothers Polish paint correction. This works to polish and remove imperfections while restoring the look of the original finish. You’ll want to use this to remove any current issues, like scuffs, paint transfers, oxidation, or water spots, and then later, use the spray wax to prevent any additional imperfections in the future.
I had my son do a walk-around and look for any spots that needed attention. Sure enough, on the front left near the grille, there was a slight imperfection. Apply a small amount of paint correction with a microfiber applicator pad and work it in a bit (admittedly, I applied too much at first, when I underestimated how much the nozzle would dispense).
Then wipe away any excess to reveal the finish without the spot. My son thought it was magic, and he’s not wrong. It’s really good. Remember: you’ll want to remove it immediately after you work it into the imperfection. It was my first time using paint correction on my own, so my son and I got to learn this step together!
READ MORE: Automatic Car Wash or Hand Washing: Which is Better?
3. Spray Wax is Your Friend, Increasing Shine & Beading
Taking care of your car can keep your paint looking like it just rolled out of the showroom, and here’s where the wax-on, wax-off mantra kicked in for my son. We sprayed it about a foot and a half away over one area of the hood, so it can cover the small area without overdoing it.
With Mothers Polish’s professional-grade and affordable at-home spray wax, you want to move your microfiber towel in a circular motion to protect your car’s paint and help give you a hydrophobic, extra beading that repels water when it rains.
Repeat this across the whole car, and then sit back and enjoy the extra clarity on your paint. This is where my son realized that the spray wax protects the paint correction, while also keeping the car’s coat protected in the future. Once he got the hang of spraying and wiping, he gleefully did the rest of the car, stepped back, and admired his work.
READ MORE: My Kids Told Me To Replace My Car with a 2025 Lincoln Navigator Black Label. Here’s Why
4. Make Car Cleaning Fun, Not Complicated
For beginners learning to detail and those who regularly wash and wax their cars, the best system is to stick to the basics. Wash, correct the paint if needed, and then wax your car. But there’s the element of fun that must be had, or you’re doing it wrong (yes, you heard me).
Play your favorite music, sing along, and before you know it, you’ve already finished cleaning and protecting your car. There’s got to be some love put into it, and your car will shine as your proof. Plus, who doesn’t love getting into a car that looks like it’s been professionally detailed?
READ MORE: What My Mom Taught Me About Driving: Safety, Car Care and Loving Your Ride
Cleaning Together Makes for Good Habits and a Strong Support
Thankfully, my son enjoyed the process and said he wants to wash and wax the car next time because he doesn’t want us to have all the fun. And that is the best part: we can bond over cars and achieve a clean, protected car that looks even better after a wash, paint correction (if needed), and wax.
Instilling good habits in our kids early helps create a healthy routine for life, and for car cleaning. I like to think the brand is called “Mothers” for the good habits it inspires, but maybe what inspires me more is the value of taking care of our cars, a task that when done right, we can enjoy and take pride in.
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