Car Washing question.

[thorne]

There was a thread of pics of a detail job. I get my car detailed on a regular basis but I was curious whats the best way to wash and maintain that bad ass shine? I swear mine looks like shit in 2 weeks.

 

 

I know I fail at knowing how to properly wash my own car . But I'm sure I'm not alone.

[Skinner]

I use mother california gold or turtle wax soap, Micro fiber wash mit and dry it with a towel called the absorber its like a schammey(sp?) car looks good. for spray on wax inbetween details I prefer Mothers detail spray.

[AJ]

I know I fail at knowing how to properly wash my own car . But I'm sure I'm not alone.

 

nope just you:p

[Flyin Miata]

I use mother california gold or turtle wax soap, Micro fiber wash mit and dry it with a towel called the absorber its like a schammey(sp?) car looks good. for spray on wax inbetween details I prefer Mothers detail spray.

 

Those absorber things are amazing. For like 10 bucks at Auto Zone you can have a kick ass shammy that will last forever. Thing soaks up water like there's no tomorrow.

[Buck531]

SOS pad works wonders.

[Guest 614Streets]

more water less soap, pre soak the car with water out of direct sunlight , chamois dry gentley , and next time you have the car detailed have it polished with a buffer and then maintain light waxing after washing.

 

In other words if your last detail looses gleam in two weeks , the detailer should polish process the clear coat and not just cover and smother it with products that "wear and wash off" Thoose products are great but maybe they are not getting the clear coat surface polished flat.

[Tindall2006]

Quit driving it in gritty muddy water lol

[RX-7 Addict]

P21S is the best car washing stuff I have ever used

 

its like $15 for a 16oz bottle though! but damn it looks good. I would think most people dont think its worth it.

 

Another tip would be to use a 'quick detailer' ie. spray wax after you wash. With the spray and a microfiber towel , it should only take 5-10 minutes and will give you a much nicer shine than just a wash

[Crossle]

SOS pad works wonders.

 

Never thought of that, I'll have to try that this weekend. I want to see your car sometime, so we can compare shines.

[thorne]

We need a CR Car wash day.

[6 Speed S4]

We need a CR Car wash day.

 

+1

[Doc1647545523]

I agree with most of the advice that members have posted above. But in my experience, one single goof in detailing (e.g., using products that are chemically incompatible) can cancel out a lot of your efforts. A number of CR members are professional detailers who may weigh-in on this , so I would defer to their judgements if they disagree with what I'm about to say.

 

First, I'd evaluate what is "wrong looking" with the paint after it quickly loses its shine between detailings. Swirls? Dirt? Film? Does the surface feel bumpy instead of smooth? All of these can be problems, and there isn't a single solution which fixes them all.

 

If you're serious about maintaining a great shine without going to the detailer every week, I'd recommend the 95 page, free on-line guide to detailing from Griot's: http://www.griotsgarage.com/category/product+information/detailer%27s+handbook.do

Even if you don't buy their products, they have a lot of useful information about approaches to car cleaning. Also, I've found the Autopia forum detailing primer very helpful: http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-detailing/

That forum also has thousands of product reviews and comparisons.

 

I detail my own cars because I haven't found any pro's who could maintain them conveniently and inexpensively. I've paid as much as $500 in Columbus for a top-notch detail of my Bentley, and at one time had a regular contract with a detailer whose operation was across from my car storage. It seemed like I was either paying big bucks or else I didn't have a clean car ready when I needed it. In reality, most black cars stay clean for about 30 minutes unless they're covered. It also seemed like I could make it rain just by having a car waxed.

 

If I had to guess, I would say that your detailer is probably doing a wash and then a wax without getting the surface of the paint properly prepared for the wax. With your car I'd evaluate the problems, then most likely would do a thorough wash, then use detailers' clay on the surface, then use a mild paint prep to remove any old wax or sealant (because those old products might not bond to the layer you're about to apply), polish out any scratches with a random orbital polisher, then apply a sealant instead of a wax. A good sealant will last about a year even if you occasionally have to take your salt-covered car through a car wash or have to let the car sit uncovered in a parking lot in the summer. Waxes don't last as long as a sealant and simply can't hold up to machine washing and harsh environments, regardless how expensive the wax is.

 

If you wash the car with a shampoo which is compatible with the sealant you've used and if you dry it properly, a little spray wax applied as you dry the car will maintain the car finish for at least a year. Don't confuse spray wax with detailing polish--they aren't the same. Dusting the car lightly and then using detail polish can help keep the car looking sharp between washings.

 

I'm sure others here will have different opinions on how to keep your car looking good, but I use this approach and I've found I can keep my cars looking good without having to spend much money or devoting every waking hour to car detailing.

 

If you've got lots of time and money to spend on your car finish, you'll probably want to go the wax route, but if you use your car for a daily driver, you're talking a lot of effort to keep it looking great.

 

I hope this helped more than it confused, and I'd welcome hearing corrections/criticisms from our detailing pro members.

[GSXRAntwon]

Wax with a good carnuba wax preferably Jax wax for me. Everytime I wash I use a good name brand car wash soap, microfiber wash mit. Drive down the street to let air dry. Come back and use Jax Wax Hawaiian Shine sprayed on then wiped off with microfiber. Always shiny for me!

[Scotty2Hotty]

Wax with a good carnuba wax preferably Jax wax for me. Everytime I wash I use a good name brand car wash soap, microfiber wash mit. Drive down the street to let air dry. Come back and use Jax Wax Hawaiian Shine sprayed on then wiped off with microfiber. Always shiny for me!

+1 We use Jax wax at my shop, the tire shine is amazing too.

[Scotty2Hotty]

If you want a nice shine, start with a clay bar, use insulator wax, then top it of with carnuba and buff. You'll have a nice shine after every wash for a few weeks.

[88lx5oh]

I agree with most of the advice that members have posted above. But in my experience, one single goof in detailing (e.g., using products that are chemically incompatible) can cancel out a lot of your efforts. A number of CR members are professional detailers who may weigh-in on this , so I would defer to their judgements if they disagree with what I'm about to say.

 

First, I'd evaluate what is "wrong looking" with the paint after it quickly loses its shine between detailings. Swirls? Dirt? Film? Does the surface feel bumpy instead of smooth? All of these can be problems, and there isn't a single solution which fixes them all.

 

If you're serious about maintaining a great shine without going to the detailer every week, I'd recommend the 95 page, free on-line guide to detailing from Griot's: http://www.griotsgarage.com/category/product+information/detailer%27s+handbook.do

Even if you don't buy their products, they have a lot of useful information about approaches to car cleaning. Also, I've found the Autopia forum detailing primer very helpful: http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-detailing/

That forum also has thousands of product reviews and comparisons.

 

I detail my own cars because I haven't found any pro's who could maintain them conveniently and inexpensively. I've paid as much as $500 in Columbus for a top-notch detail of my Bentley, and at one time had a regular contract with a detailer whose operation was across from my car storage. It seemed like I was either paying big bucks or else I didn't have a clean car ready when I needed it. In reality, most black cars stay clean for about 30 minutes unless they're covered. It also seemed like I could make it rain just by having a car waxed.

 

If I had to guess, I would say that your detailer is probably doing a wash and then a wax without getting the surface of the paint properly prepared for the wax. With your car I'd evaluate the problems, then most likely would do a thorough wash, then use detailers' clay on the surface, then use a mild paint prep to remove any old wax or sealant (because those old products might not bond to the layer you're about to apply), polish out any scratches with a random orbital polisher, then apply a sealant instead of a wax. A good sealant will last about a year even if you occasionally have to take your salt-covered car through a car wash or have to let the car sit uncovered in a parking lot in the summer. Waxes don't last as long as a sealant and simply can't hold up to machine washing and harsh environments, regardless how expensive the wax is.

 

If you wash the car with a shampoo which is compatible with the sealant you've used and if you dry it properly, a little spray wax applied as you dry the car will maintain the car finish for at least a year. Don't confuse spray wax with detailing polish--they aren't the same. Dusting the car lightly and then using detail polish can help keep the car looking sharp between washings.

 

I'm sure others here will have different opinions on how to keep your car looking good, but I use this approach and I've found I can keep my cars looking good without having to spend much money or devoting every waking hour to car detailing.

 

If you've got lots of time and money to spend on your car finish, you'll probably want to go the wax route, but if you use your car for a daily driver, you're talking a lot of effort to keep it looking great.

 

I hope this helped more than it confused, and I'd welcome hearing corrections/criticisms from our detailing pro members.

 

this is pretty dead on.

most waxes are fillers. a product like zaino is a filler as well, but with a longer life.

really to get the shine you want as stated above you want to prep the surface before waxing, sealing.

 

you can get a good paint sealer from autogeek.net

poorboys paint sealant isnt a bad product. but from my experience i like zaino for its length. and maintain with zaino z7 wash, and z6 for in between your full job.

 

and your wash process is also a big thing.

you need to use a grit guard or the 2 bucket system, you want to try to have no grit on your mit or sponge. and you want to use a car wash that works well with your waxes and sealants. if you use a harsh car soap, it will strip the wax off easier. make sure when you wash its cool outside and when drying i always bring the car in the garage to rid of waterspots drying on.

[SVT_Nick]

I don't have a hose at my place, so I use public car washes. But what I've found works really well is to spray some turtle wax wheel cleaner, then go around the car with the car washes pre-soak a few times, high pressure rinse, spot free and drive it home. No need to psychically touch the car with anything. Keeps scratches and swirl marks down and prolongs waxing.

[2 Sweet]

I use three separate sponges when I wash my car. I have a really nice wash mitt that ONLY touches the paint. I have another nice wash mitt that only touches the rims, and then I have a third sponge I use on random dirty areas like the wheel wells. I've heard of those "grit guards" that trap dirt at the bottom of wash buckets and that seems like a great investment. Where can I buy one?

 

I don't have anything else to add really. Lots of good info in this thread

[2 Sweet]

Also remember to clean the wheels and wheel wells first.

 

Care to elaborate?

[Doc1647545523]

I've heard of those "grit guards" that trap dirt at the bottom of wash buckets and that seems like a great investment. Where can buy one?

Here's a link to the one I use. The photo doesn't show the grit guard across the bottom, but it has one. http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/car+care/car+washing/car+cleaning+tools/ultimate+wash+bucket.do?search=basic&keyword=wash+bucket&sortby=newArrivals&page=1 I've also seen cheaper, smaller buckets but with grit guards at Home Depot.

[2 Sweet]

Here's a link to the one I use. The photo doesn't show the grit guard across the bottom, but it has one. http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/car+care/car+washing/car+cleaning+tools/ultimate+wash+bucket.do?search=basic&keyword=wash+bucket&sortby=newArrivals&page=1 I've also seen cheaper, smaller buckets but with grit guards at Home Depot.

 

 

Thanks man, I'll see how much they go for at Home Depot, I had never thought to look there

[2 Sweet]

Steve,

 

Those areas are typically the nastiest part of the car, and wheel cleaners are usually the most harsh. Clean these areas first, and if you splash any onto the rest of the car, it will come off in the normal cleaning process.

 

If you have a clean car, and then wash the wheels, you risk contaminating your clean paint with harsh chemicals and abrasive grime.

 

I highly recommend using different wash media as you described. You should either use the two bucket method with a grit guard, or thoroughly rinsing out your wash mit after each small section. The wash bucket should be as clean at the end as it is when you start...you don't want to introduce dirt and grime into your clean bucket and mitt.

 

Thanks for explaining, that makes perfect sense.

 

This isn't a problem for me though, seeing as how I use multiple sponges and buckets

[88lx5oh]

you can get jax wax buckets with grit guard at jegs as well, or order online from autogeek.net