February 14th, 2022 by Sarah Miles

As the car industry moves closer to becoming all-electric in a bid to achieve net-zero carbon targets, Tesla is recognised as a leading innovator in this kind of vehicle technology. Not only do they represent great environmental credentials, but they also have unmatched prestige among electric cars, and indeed the car industry as a whole. Teslas are high-end cars so if this is the vehicle you have chosen, you will no doubt be concerned about how to care for it as well as you can to maintain its look and performance. Keeping it clean is an important part of that.

Washing your Tesla – what you need to know

A Tesla is no different to clean than any other car in theory but when you have made such a significant investment, you will want to make sure you don’t do anything to compromise the aesthetic of the car so extra vigilance is required.

Washing your car isn’t just about making it look good, it’s also about reducing the risk of damage from environmental contaminants. Substances such as dirt, grit, bird droppings, salt from the roads, and even rainwater can all damage paintwork with prolonged contact and salt corrosion can even cause rust – especially on the underside of the car as this is closest to the road.

The first thing you need to know about washing your car is that brushes are bad news for paintwork. That’s because even soft bristles are too harsh for the delicate paint finish on cars and will cause tiny scratches. Barely visible to start with, they will dull the shine over time and can often be seen on a very bright day. This pretty much rules out most standard automated car washes.

This may come as a surprise, as they are very closely associated with car washing, but sponges aren’t good either. That’s because they accumulate the dirt and grit from the car’s surface in the holes of the sponge. This is abrasive so as you move the sponge over the car, you can easily scratch it.

How should you clean a prestige car such as a Tesla?

The best way to know that your car is being washed in a safe way that will protect its paintwork is to do it yourself. Use microfibre cloths rather than sponges or brushes or, even better, start with snow foam. Snow foam is a pre-wash treatment that you spray on with a pressure washer. It clings to the surface and grabs all the dirt and contaminants. You then rinse it away with clean water, taking the dirt with it, so it has no contact cleaning until most of the gritty particles that can damage your car are gone. Not only is a pressure washer necessary for using snow foam, but it’s also a great way for doing a really thorough job of cleaning all the salt residue from underneath the car where, if allowed to build up, could cause rust in vital parts such as the chassis, suspension, and brake lines.

2 x 5L Pro-Kleen Cherry Snow Foam

Price: £27.95

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Which pressure washer to use

There are many pressure washers on the market so it can be confusing to choose the right one. This Pro-Kleen pressure washer will give you everything you need for caring for your Tesla, and indeed a range of other cleaning jobs around your property.

Here’s why:

All the attachments you need

This is really the ultimate car care bundle as it includes a snow foam lance and a rotary brush for more robust areas like the wheels, as well as a range of nozzles.

Pro-Kleen Electric Pressure Washer with Snow Foam Lance

Price: £149.99

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Swap attachments easily

It has a quick connect feature so you can switch attachments really easily with just the push of a button.

Extra-long hose

With an 8m long hose, you can easily move around the whole vehicle.

High pressure for when you need it

You wouldn’t use high pressure on your Tesla’s paintwork, but you do need it for giving the underside of the car a really good rinse to get rid of all the salt from the road. This pressure washer is powered by a 2.2KW carbon brush motor, moving water at up to 468L per hour and generating up to 165 bar pressure.

Built to last

The internal pump mechanism is made from aluminium, so it won’t rust or degrade.

Easy storage

If you have a Tesla, it’s likely you’ll want to keep it safely in a garage when not in use. You don’t have to worry about finding too much space in there for the pressure washer as well though as this model is slimline and has a number of features to keep all parts and accessories neat, including a cable reel for the hose and compartments for the attachments.