With gloomy weather and poor driving conditions in the rear view mirror, April is the perfect time to give your vehicle a thorough spring cleaning. To help maintain that new car shine through spring and summer, Meguiar's, the century-old leader in vehicle appearance care, presents the "Dirty Dozen" car care myths, and the real facts on how to keep your vehicle looking its best.

Myth 1: Dishwashing detergent is safe to use as car wash. Absolutely Not! Dishwashing detergents remove everything from your paint finish!
Myth 2: Washing and cleaning are the same.
They sound similar, but are vastly different.
Myth 3: If it looks shiny, the cleaning process can be skipped. Not until you complete a thorough physical and visual evaluation of your paint finish.

Here is the rest of the myths. Click on the link below to review the full descriptions... 

Myth 4: Clay bars should only be used by professionals.
Myth 5: Waxing can remove swirl marks.
Myth 6: There is no difference between polishing and waxing.
Myth 7: Machine polishers damage the paint finish.
Myth 8: Diapers, t-shirts and flannel make good cleaning cloths.
Myth 9: Wax protection can be guaranteed to last up to 1 year.
Myth 10: Paste wax offers greater protection than liquid wax.
Myth 11: Lighting a hood on fire, without damaging the paint finish, proves the protective qualities of a car wax.
Myth 12: Once a car is waxed, regularly protecting the paint finish becomes unnecessary.

[SOURCE: www.europeancarweb.com READ FULL ARTICLE]