Spring Car Wash With the Dog: A Driveway Order of Work

A spring car wash with the dog goes best in a set order: the dog is on a leash or indoors the whole time, the inside of the car comes first, and the dog's own wash comes after, ending with the paws. Winter leaves a car dull inside, and the first warm weeks add shed hair on top of it.

This page is the driveway version, with a hose, a bucket and the dog nearby. If you would rather go through a tunnel, we cover that in our page on car washes with a dog in the car. What follows is the order we work in and the products we reach for.

Where the dog is while you wash

Pick one of two places: on a leash that somebody is holding, or inside the house. Not loose in the driveway with the car doors open and the hose running. Shut the doors when you walk away from the car.

Whether the dog is washed first or last is up to you. We do the car first and the dog last, because the dog's wash ends at the car door with clean paws, and that is a tidy place to stop. If you can, brush the dog before you vacuum, so the loose hair lands outside instead of on the seats.

The inside of the car after winter and the shed

Start with the vacuum. Pull the floor mats out and shake them, then do the seats and the cargo area, and run the nozzle along the seat tracks. Spring is when the hair is at its worst. The American Kennel Club writes: "For dogs that shed seasonally, the heaviest shedding usually occurs in spring and fall." That is why the car looks the way it does. The same source adds: "In spring, dogs lose their heavier winter coats to stay cool in warmer weather." So expect hair.

For the hair itself, the full five step method is in our guide to getting dog hair out of a car. Use that page if the seats are the worst of it. We will not repeat the steps here.

Once the loose dirt is gone, wipe down the hard surfaces. We use the P&S Xpress Interior Cleaner from Pal Automotive. P&S states it cleans leather, vinyl and other interior materials, and that the finish is deliberately flat, never glossy. The listing says to spray it onto a microfiber towel or a scrub pad rather than straight onto a screen or a gauge cluster, agitate the dirty area, then wipe with a second dry towel so nothing is left behind.

For the carpets, mats and cloth seats there is the 3D GLW Carpet and Upholstery Wash, which 3D describes as an ultra concentrated stain extractor. The pint is a 16 fl oz trigger bottle. The listing's method is to vacuum first, mist the fabric, let it sit for a moment, agitate with a soft brush, then blot with a clean towel. On a heavy stain, repeat rather than soaking it once.

Keep the bottles out of reach and let the interior dry with the doors open before the dog gets back in.

The drying towel

A wet car spots as it dries, so the towel matters. Ours is the 3D Gray HYDRO-FIL microfiber towel, the 20 by 24 inch size. It is a 1200 GSM towel, blended 80 percent polyester and 20 percent polyamide, and 3D rates it at about two gallons of absorbency. The smaller size is easier to control one handed, which suits door jambs and mirrors.

Glide the towel over the paint instead of scrubbing, and fold it into quarters so you can keep turning to a dry section. Wash it apart from cotton with a detergent made for microfiber, leave out the fabric softener, and tumble dry on low heat. Use a different towel for the dog.

The cleaner, the carpet wash and the towel are all Pal Automotive items. Pal Automotive items are sold and shipped by Pal Automotive through Shopify Collective, not made or shipped by Sniff and Shift.

The dog's own wash

The same spring shed that fills the car is why the dog needs attention. The American Kennel Club writes: "For example, dogs that shed heavily may need brushing several times a week or even daily during peak shedding periods." That covers the brush. On bathing, the club writes: "Beyond regular brushing, bathing your dog with a shedding-control shampoo can help remove loose hair and maintain coat condition." That covers the bath.

For the bath itself we point to the Cleo&Hooman "Spaw" Day Dog Shampoo and Conditioner Duo. The listing describes one pump bottle that shampoos and conditions in the same pass, with a white tea and peppermint scent. The maker's directions are short: apply the shampoo evenly over a wet coat, massage gently, rinse thoroughly until nothing is left in the fur, then dry the coat as needed.

Paws before the dog gets back in the car

Do the paws last, at the car door, with the towel already in your hand. For the paws we use the Cleo&Hooman paw cleanser, a foaming cleanser in a 200 ml, or 6.7 fl oz, bottle with a silicone brush head built into the pump. The maker's routine takes about a minute: shake the bottle, pump the foam onto the paw, massage it in and between the toes, then wipe with the towel or let it air dry. It is also sold in two and three bottle packs, which the listing suggests if one bottle lives by the back door and another by the car.

Cleo&Hooman items are sold and shipped by Cleo&Hooman through Shopify Collective, not made or shipped by Sniff and Shift.

Cheddar at the car door

The bath goes better when it ends well, so we keep a bag of our Freeze-Dried Cheddar Cheese Dog Treats by the car. We freeze-dry them in small batches in Malvern, Pennsylvania, and the only ingredient is cheddar cheese. The pieces are small, which makes them easy to hand out one at a time. Freeze-drying makes the cheese crunchy and non-greasy rather than soft, and once dried it needs no refrigeration, so it travels clean in a treat pouch or a car. On our scorecard the crunch is 4 of 5 and the training value is 5 of 5.

It comes in one size, an 8 ounce bag. Reseal the bag after opening and store it cool and dry. The label reads: "Feed as a treat or reward. Not a complete diet. Provide fresh water and supervise while snacking."

Spring car wash questions

Do dogs like car washes?

That depends on the dog, and the only way to find out is to watch yours. The driveway wash keeps the dog out of the picture while you work, since the dog stays on a leash or in the house.

Should the dog be washed before or after the car?

Either works, as long as the dog is never loose in the driveway. We do the car first and the dog last, so the day ends with clean paws and a treat at the car door.

Can I use the car cleaners on the dog?

No. The interior cleaner and the carpet wash are for the car, and the dog gets the dog shampoo and the paw cleanser. Keep each bottle with its own job.

How long does the spring shed last?

We would not put a number of weeks on it. The American Kennel Club writes: "Shedding is primarily triggered by changes in daylight and temperature." Keep a brush by the door and run the vacuum through the car whenever the seats need it.

Do I need every product on this page?

No. A vacuum, a towel and a leash cover the basics. The products here are what we use, and the order of work matters more than the bottles.

Can I give the dog cheddar if it is on a special diet?

Cheddar contains dairy, so these treats are not suited to dogs with dairy sensitivities. If your dog is on a special diet, ask your veterinarian first.