[TampaGTguy]

Is anyone else here a freak about how to wash their car? What kind of products to use? And etc???

What is everyone using to wash their new rides? From soap, mitts, drying techniques to wax.

I don't want to get any swirls in the new paint.

 

[socasam]

I have washed my new car a lot more often than previous cars. It's like an addiction. I use 2 different mitts/sponges. I use one on the upper half and one on the lower. I also spend a lot of time drying it because I HATE water spots. As far as wax, I have put two coats of liquid glass on the car and it really makes it shine.

 

[tispho]

Best way is two bucket method. In the shade, and only in the shade.

Fill up TWO 5 gallon buckets with water. Use grit guards if possible. One will be soapy water, one will be rinse water.

Fill one bucket with soap. Fill the bucket with water first before you add the soap. You want soapy water not sudsy water.

Dunk a genuine lambs wool wash mitt into the soap water.

Rinse off the car with water, take the wash mitt and start washing from the top to the bottom. After you finish a panel, dunk the wash mitt into the rinse water then remove the wash mitt from the rinse water and put it back into the soap water.

repeat until entire car is finished. Then use the flooding method to dry.

Use an electric blower to remove more water from crevices. Then wipe car with quick detailer with micro fiber towels to remove any water spots.


This method will greatly REDUCE the amount of swirls you put into your car, but will not prevent it completely.

It is impossible to wash a car without inducing swirls.

 

[TampaGTguy]

Best way is two bucket method. In the shade, and only in the shade.

Fill up TWO 5 gallon buckets with water. Use grit guards if possible. One will be soapy water, one will be rinse water.

Fill one bucket with soap. Fill the bucket with water first before you add the soap. You want soapy water not sudsy water.

Dunk a genuine lambs wool wash mitt into the soap water.

Rinse off the car with water, take the wash mitt and start washing from the top to the bottom. After you finish a panel, dunk the wash mitt into the rinse water then remove the wash mitt from the rinse water and put it back into the soap water.

repeat until entire car is finished. Then use the flooding method to dry.

Use an electric blower to remove more water from crevices. Then wipe car with quick detailer with micro fiber towels to remove any water spots.


This method will greatly REDUCE the amount of swirls you put into your car, but will not prevent it completely.

It is impossible to wash a car without inducing swirls.

What's a Grit Guard and the Flooding method? And is it really impossible to wash without getting swirls?

 

[jep23]

http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forums/show-shine/222638-afms-essential-detailing-threads-here.html

This should give you some good tips here.

 

[SeanL]

Like mentioned, I use the 2 bucket method. I give it a VERY good rinse first to get as much crap off as I can before I start washing. And I check the mitt constantly to make sure there is no grit in the mitt. Get a pure white or yellow mitt for crap visibility. Mine is a microfiber tentacle thing. Works good. In cool weather I use warm water from the sink. I wash in small sections and rinse right away to check for accidental swirls before moving on to another section.

Microfiber mitt
2 buckets, warm water
Meguiars Gold soap
chamois
Scratch-X (I will be trying Meguiars Ultimate Compound soon)
Meguiars polish
Mothers Carnuba wax
Meguiars quick detailer in between to remove dust.

 

[SeanL]

What's a Grit Guard and the Flooding method? And is it really impossible to wash without getting swirls?

It is, I have none so far and have washed mine about 9 times since June. I wash lightly and that removes a lot, but will not grind crap in. I go back over after a rinse with more pressure.

I believe it is best to wash every week before the wax has a chance to wear off, and get another coat of wax on after a light washing. Build up the wax coats!

 

[TampaGTguy]

It is, I have none so far and have washed mine about 9 times since June. I wash lightly and that removes a lot, but will not grind crap in. I go back over after a rinse with more pressure.

I believe it is best to wash every week before the wax has a chance to wear off, and get another coat of wax on after a light washing. Build up the wax coats!

I only ask about the swirls because technically the swirls should be in your wax, not in your paint or clearcoat right? I mean, if you keep a good coat of wax on there, you shouldn't really have to worry about swirl marks getting on your paint job or clearcoat?

Someone correct me if my thinking is wrong on this one..

 

[SeanL]

All my other cars had swirls in the clear coat (I was not the first owner). You can get swirl marks in anything, wax or clear coat. If it is down to the paint it is not really a swirl anymore. The wax is there to protect, and if there is just a swirl in the wax and not clear coat I don't see why it wouldn't go away with another coat of wax. But I am not an expert and do not work detailing cars. I have no kids yet, so this is my firstborn right now and I do my best to keep her looking good.

I have seen NEW cars with tons of marks because the owners were not careful at all. Probably went to a cheerleader car wash day, lol. I was tempted by one of those, then I though about how many times they probably ran those mitts through grit in the wheel wells... So, resist the temptation!

 

[cababah]

I just use a microfiber washing mit and turtle ice car wash and dry the car with a microfiber. Of course this is done in the shade when the sun is down. After applying the soap and then rinsing the car and underbody, I pull it into my garage where I dry the car using some microfiber towels.

To make sure that I got the water spots off, I use a gallon of distilled water and thoroughly wet a microfiber cloth and wash cloth the entire car piece by piece and then lightly dry with another microfiber cloth (you don't need to actually dry distilled water as it will leave no residue whatsoever and a gallon is a dollar or less at the grocery store).

I have never been a car waxer, just a weekly washer. However, after leaving my car at the dealer in the rain for a few days I got it back and saw my white car (easiest color to see this on) was now covered in rail dust specs again. Industrial area? Acid rain? Who knows but I used mother's clay bar kit on the car for the second time since I got it and now the paint is smooth as glass again.

For anyone desperately trying to combat water spots I highly recommend picking up some jugs of distilled water and giving the car a final rinse/rub down with that. It will take you an extra 5-10 minutes but very much worth it in my opinion for peace of mind knowing that ******* spots won't show up!

 

[FST HRSY]

Best way is two bucket method. In the shade, and only in the shade.
Fill up TWO 5 gallon buckets with water. Use grit guards if possible. One will be soapy water, one will be rinse water.
Fill one bucket with soap. Fill the bucket with water first before you add the soap. You want soapy water not sudsy water.
Dunk a genuine lambs wool wash mitt into the soap water.
Rinse off the car with water, take the wash mitt and start washing from the top to the bottom. After you finish a panel, dunk the wash mitt into the rinse water then remove the wash mitt from the rinse water and put it back into the soap water.
repeat until entire car is finished. Then use the flooding method to dry.
Use an electric blower to remove more water from crevices. Then wipe car with quick detailer with micro fiber towels to remove any water spots.
This method will greatly REDUCE the amount of swirls you put into your car, but will not prevent it completely.
It is impossible to wash a car without inducing swirls.

+1 on this method

Personally, I do not use a lambs wool sponge but a microfiber sponges. I use an Absorber towel (from Wal-Mart) to dry the car after the pooling/flooding method, but I do not use an electric blower (no need to with Absorber towel). I use Meguiars Gold Class shampoo and Meguiars Ultimate Quick Detailer after the car's dry. I use Mothers mag/aluminum polish for the tail pipes and pony emblem. I use Westley's tire cleaner and Meguiars all wheel cleaner (with tire brush and wheel brush). Rain-X on windows. Interior is all Meguiars. Wax is either Meguiars cleaner wax or NXT 2.0.

Hope this helps.

 

[sswillow]

I use a microfiber mitt and Surf City car care products. I wash the car from the top down leaving that lower black molding for the end followed by the rims. Then I use the Absorber to dry. I get comments that the car is blinding in the sun.

 

[shadowstang03gt]

NXT wax hands down. i have tried everything. for the money the best. Use to buckets, like the other guys said. Dont do something dumb like wash the wheels and then the paint.

 

[Stray59]

Hard water is also a PITA when washing a car. My locale is known for it. I installed a water softner this year and it made a huge differnce with water spots.

 

[Checkmate]

I wash mine just about every weekend, weather permitting. I have a pressure washer, but this car hasn't gotten dirty enough for it.

Two-bucket method, in the shade, one section at a time. These are the items I use:

- Meguiars gold car wash
- Big microfiber sponge mitt
- About 15 microfiber towels to dry

After the first washed I put on 3 coats of Meguiars NXT tech wax paint sealant by hand, and a coat of Meguiars gold class carnuba wax on top of the sealant. I use microfiber applicators and buffing cloths. I even waxed the wheels, under the hood, door frames, decklid...

I use Mothers back-to-black on all of the exterior black plastic (including the engine cover, etc.) and weatherstriping. Mothers chrome polish on the exhaust, and Meguiars foaming tire shine.

For the glass and mirrors I use glass doctor spray cleaner with newspaper.

After each wash I reapply the back-to-black and foaming tire shine, clean the glass, and use Meguiars ultimate quick detailer on the body - this can also be used to protect the grille and headlight plastic.

And no, I don't work for Meguiars, but I'm thinking about buying stock. :nogrinner

 

[Magnamover]

I washed mine by hand the first time and decided never again. Black is difficult to clean and the touchless laser wash does the best job with no swirls. Our local wash does free 3 day rewash too. Cheap vs time spent.

 

[TampaGTguy]

I washed mine by hand the first time and decided never again. Black is difficult to clean and the touchless laser wash does the best job with no swirls. Our local wash does free 3 day rewash too. Cheap vs time spent.

Only problem with that is we have hard water and it never completely dries after a last wash or touchless wash. I don't trust the soap they use in those car washes either.

 

[Stray59]

Only problem with that is we have hard water and it never completely dries after a last wash or touchless wash. I don't trust the soap they use in those car washes either.

I've heard they can be pretty harsh.

 

[anarchyx914]

I personally use a lambs wool mit (Its called the Dodo Juice Wookie). It's about $50 but its an awesome wash mit.

I use the 5 gallon bucket with grit guard for rinsing off my mit (its just filled with clear water, no soap) and I use a foamer to foam the car down to create plenty of lubricity.

The key to not scratching the paint is by providing ample lubrication between your wash mit and the vehicles paint surface. Its also very important to rinse your mit on the grit guard (its like a plastic insert that sits in your bucket, and you rub your mit on it to loosen any dirt / grime so it doesn't scratch your paint).

Most clear coat scratches are caused at the drying stage! Don't use that wal-mart chamois I think its called Absorber. That scratches the living hell out of paint.

I actually have a heated blower (Metrovac 8HP blower) it blows like 1200CFM of hot air to dry the car off so it doesnt scratch anything. It cost like $300 but its well worth the money because my paint is almost completely clear coat scratch free (except from what the dealer did to it when they washed it, but i'll buff them out later).

If you have to, Get something like the cobra microfiber guzzler when drying and use a blot-drying technique. You basically lay the microfiber drying cloth on the paint and simply blot Dry the car. Do not move the microfiber across the paint as it could possibly scratch the paint.

I'm sorry but im really anal about how I wash my cars, and I've watched alot of demonstrations on drying products, and pretty much everything other than AIR scratches the paint if not used correctly.

 

[anarchyx914]

I just use a microfiber washing mit and turtle ice car wash and dry the car with a microfiber. Of course this is done in the shade when the sun is down. After applying the soap and then rinsing the car and underbody, I pull it into my garage where I dry the car using some microfiber towels.

To make sure that I got the water spots off, I use a gallon of distilled water and thoroughly wet a microfiber cloth and wash cloth the entire car piece by piece and then lightly dry with another microfiber cloth (you don't need to actually dry distilled water as it will leave no residue whatsoever and a gallon is a dollar or less at the grocery store).

I have never been a car waxer, just a weekly washer. However, after leaving my car at the dealer in the rain for a few days I got it back and saw my white car (easiest color to see this on) was now covered in rail dust specs again. Industrial area? Acid rain? Who knows but I used mother's clay bar kit on the car for the second time since I got it and now the paint is smooth as glass again.

For anyone desperately trying to combat water spots I highly recommend picking up some jugs of distilled water and giving the car a final rinse/rub down with that. It will take you an extra 5-10 minutes but very much worth it in my opinion for peace of mind knowing that ******* spots won't show up!

Best way to combat water spots is a good high quality carnuba wax, or a good paint sealent. They make the water bead right off the car, and wont cause any spotting

I should also add that waxing plays a critical part in protecting your paint. It helps prevent the UV rays from the sun from dulling your cars finish as well as any surface containments from staining the clear coat of the car. Bird poop can actually stain clear coats then you need to compound/polish it out.