Step one in waxing your car is washing it. This is so you are not trapping any dirt and grime under the wax. You want your car looking as clean and shiny as possible before applying car wax. Wash and and dry your car thoroughly. I like to hand wash my car with a special car soap. Do not use dish washing soap! It is overly harsh and may damage your car or truck’s paint finish. I cannot stress this enough. Do not use dish washing soap when car washing soap is so cheap and results in a better finish without the risk of damaging your car.