1. **State the problem:** Find the greatest common factor (GCF) of the terms $-18x^3$ and $-6x^2$. 2. **List the terms:** The terms are $-18x^3$ and $-6x^2$. 3. **Find the GCF of the coefficients:** The coefficients are $-18$ and $-6$. The GCF of $18$ and $6$ is $6$. 4. **Find the GCF of the variable parts:** The variables are $x^3$ and $x^2$. The GCF is the variable with the smallest exponent, which is $x^2$. 5. **Combine the GCF of coefficients and variables:** The GCF is $6x^2$. 6. **Answer:** The greatest common factor (GCF) of $-18x^3$ and $-6x^2$ is $$6x^2$$.