what is needed for a thorough car clean from start to finish

i usually use a small sponge on the wheels, large one on the car

1. clean wheels
2. rinse car, clean, from roof down, rinse off soap
3. use the aqua blade
4. chamois dry.

This is where it gets a little confusing and i'm looking for some advice. do i polish first (meguiars next generation), using applicator pads, then what do i use to take the polish off after that???0

at the minut i just seem to use endless amounts of kitchen roll, there must be something better than that??

any suggestions as to what cloths to use for window cleaner, trim cleaner and what can go on after meguiars next generation wax???

wanna make my car look as good as possible as have got a nice original car to be proud of

cheers guys

rory

 

Personally I wouldnt use a sponge or a aqua blade.

Better of using a mequiars wash mit and a mequiars drying towel.
As for cloths, get some decent microfiber cloths (mequiars do these).
Pmsl at kitchen roll

You dont really need to put anything on after a wax but you can get some mothers topcoat if you wish, this goes on after athe wax and supposed to make it last longer.

Look here for good advice and tips
www.detailingworld.com

cheers
Benn

 

forgot to add, the topcoat is best to put on after approx 24hrs of applying the wax, as this allows the wax to cure properly.

 

so get a wash mit rather than a sponge

i had one before, used to weigh my arm down and really start to ache as it used to soak up loads of water

wasnt a meguiars one though

may have to do some shopping

what do you use microfiber cloths for???

cheers

 

everything

 

lots of tips on here m8

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/index.php

 

had a look on that site, confused is an understatement

 

I use a sponge (and my cars near concourse). It's all down to how you look after the equipment you use to clean mate, there really isn't any need to start spending fortunes on it all.

Keep the sponge clean. Separate one for the wheels as you do, another for the bodywork. If the car is dirty when you wash, jetwash off first to clean the crap off. Don't use a sponge as it'll turn the dirt into a rubbing compound. As daft as it sounds, don't use your clean sponge on a dirty car. Get as much crap off before the sponge even touches the car. I'll cover my routine for this later !!!

Don't use washing up liquid - I use Johnson's baby shampoo which has a neutral PH. Cheaper than car shampoo and leaves no residue. I wash a panel at a time, then rinse off with clean water. Don't be too concerned about drying off just yet. Once the whole car has been washed, I spend at least 5 minutes hosing her off making sure all the bubbles etc have been thoroughly rinsed off and the panels are cool if doing if sunlight. Ideally now the car should be put in a garage to get her out the sun and away from dust / dirt in the air. Drying a car with that is again like using rubbing compound on your paint !! Use a decent quality drying cloth, or at the very least a clean chamoix. I actually prefer the synthetic ones myself. I spend at least an hour drying my car, but spend the first 5 / 10 minutes getting the surface water off the exterior just to stop any water marks which can be a pain in the arse to polish. Open the doors, let the water run out, same with the boot and bonnet. Once the car is totally dry, you are then ready to polish. For this, I use Autoglym perfect polishing cloth. The polish I use a trade stuff that you can't buy. It doesn't last very long but gives a finish like no other polish I've ever used, and I've tried them all !!! Polish one panel at a time, with an area no larger than about a foot square at a time. Take you time, apply the polish liberally but a thin enough coat that you won't be feeling like you're using T-Cut. Personally I avoid AutoGlym polishes as they leave far too much residue for my liking. Such a small area means you take your time, but any dust in the air won't cling to the polish and again act as a rubbing compound. I can easily spend 4 or 5 hours doing my car this way. Make sure you go right round the door shuts, sunroof surround, boot surround etc with the same care as the doors, bonnet etc. If it's painted, clean it, dry it and polish it. It's the finishing touches that make the difference between a clean car and a really clean car !! Don't use any jazzy dashboard products etc, all you want is a damp cloth to wipe down the interior of the car. I use the tyre foam on the rubber, be careful with this as if it gets onto the bodywork it can be a bit of a pig to get off, and you won't be happy if you've just polished that panel.....

My Golden Rules:

1) Once the sponge is finished with, put in the sink in cold water for a couple of hours. Lets all the soap suds out and any dirt with sink. You can then just wring out for 2 minutes and clean. Leave indoors to dry naturally and then wrap in some porous cloth to allow it to breathe.

2) Same procedure with the chamoix, but then store in sealed plastic food bag with a few holes in to vent.

3) If you drop anything on the floor whilst cleaning, discard it and get another.

This is by no means a comprehensive guide to my cleaning routine, but a general overview of how I do things. Others may disagree but all IMO......of course !!

Bit off topic I know but hope this may be of some benefit.

Stuart

 

Nice guide Mr S1

 

Cheers chap

 

I got myself a bulk buy of the meg's micro fibre polishing cloths from a mate

Have a mate thats got an eye for perfect when it comes to cleaning cars and hes given me some spot on advice which has helped alot.

To looks at my car now you would of thought it was mouldy and green under a tree less than 6 months ago(thanks dave)

 

Very Good,

Pritty much how i clean mine, but i polish a panel @ a time or cut it in half if its a big panel.

For tyres i use the ayto glym tyre black and i get a cheap sponge from halford rip small squares off it and spray the tyre black onto the sponge held away from the car then wipe the sponge around the tyre.