Detailing: A Good Day

[Lee Ann]

Hi Everyone,

I took advantage of the beautiful weather yesterday, here in Northeast Ohio (55 and sunny, blue skies), to do one of my favorite things…wash the car. Then I detailed the tires and wheels, something I have been doing each time I wash it. It looked pretty good but it is time for a good wax (I have been a loyal Turtle Wax paste customer in the past but I recently bought Maguires, polishing compound and liquid wax to try something new. No pics this time though. I recently detailed the interior-vacuum upholstery and carpet, wash windows and Armor-All the vinyl). Then I took it for a spin B)
It was a good day.
I love a clean car.

Topic

[David Roddick]

Yep. For me, washing a car is a relaxing experience. When it’s time for “wax” I’ll use Nu Finish on my daily drivers and Liquid Glass (if local stores don’t have it go to Amazon) on the “show” cars. If you can find it (and you probably can’t) try to get some spray Zep tire shine – that stuff is amazing. If you can’t find that go with Maguires Insane Shine spray. Mcquires Gold car wash is also great stuff. And if you have leather seats stay with Lexol cleaner and conditioner (I used to think leather should “shine” then I learned what made it shine – yuck!).

[Lee Ann]

Thanks for the info!

What is in the leather cleaner that makes it shine?

I have heard of Zep but Armor-All (on tires) seems to work pretty well if you spray it on liberally, let it sit a couple minutes and then wipe it. They also make Armor-All in a high gloss formula, as well, as you probably know.

Yeah I think I will stick with Maguires for a while. I’ll try the Insane Shine.

Thought about trying the clay bar. Have you (or any other subscriber) ever tried it? Did you like the results?

[Paul]

[quote=”lar1969″ post=93840]
Thought about trying the clay bar. Have you (or any other subscriber) ever tried it? Did you like the results?[/quote]

I only clay the car prior to corrective polishing, sealing, and waxing – about once a year. The clay removes all of the contaminants that adhere strongly to the surface, like sap, tar, brake dust, etc. The paint will feel as smooth as glass afterwords. Also, the horizontal surfaces (hood, roof, trunk) attract and hold more contaminants than the vertical surfaces.

All of the clay products are made by the one company that holds the patent(s), and are rebranded and distributed. However, there are different grades or aggressiveness level for clay. The detailing clays in your local autoparts stores, like Mother’s and Meguiar’s, are relatively gentle. I’ve used both Mother’s and Meg’s, and they have suit me well. There are more aggressive clays available, which I have not used, that are geared towards professionals. These clays can leave swirl marks that can be removed during polishing.

My advice for the neophyte:
– If the clay falls on the ground, discard it. It can pick up something, like sand, that will scratch your paint. I usually break the bar into smaller pieces.
– I recommend grabbing a second bottle of quick detailer (lubricant) with each clay bar kit. I use more than is supplied.
– Go slow, fold the clay often, and use plenty of lubricant (yeah, yeah).
– Clay removes any protective layers from the paint/clear. You should wax the surfaces you clay on the same day. I’ve detailed my car over multiple sessions when necessary.
– You can save any unused for future use by sealing it in a Ziplock bag.

[David Roddick]

I had thought Leather should shine but turns out the shine is usually from sweat. So people would put Armor All on leather to make it shine even more. Not good. The Zep tire spray is commercial use stuff but I have been able to get some aerosol cans from time to time from friends with connections. Zep lasts a long time and does not sling off (and coat the side of the car with the sling). If I am waxing and find that even with wax the surface is rough (where your hand can feel it), then I’ll go to the clay bar. Used with spray detailer (to keep the surface wet while using the clay bar) works well. I prefer the clay bar to using any kind of compound. I will use a compound to try to repair the paint surface if the surface is cloudy – but you have to be careful since you are either cutting the paint (if no clear coat) or cutting the clear coat when using compound. When I’m showing a car, I will use the Zep and let it sit for a while, then use a clean rag to wipe the tire – it reduces the shine but looks really nice.

[Lee Ann]

Good stuff. Thanks.

[David Roddick]

Just came from a car show today. One car had an amazing shine. When asked about it, the owner said it’s not the wax, it’s what she uses to wash her car – she uses baby shampoo. I’ve been all over Google reading about that and apparently there’s nothing really wrong with using Johnson’s Baby Shampoo BUT in checking prices (Amazon) it’s a lot more expensive than using something like McGuire’s car wash (soap). I’m not sold on changing to that, but, I’ll probably try it on car that I sometimes show at a car show. Now I need to go treat my sunburn 😳

[Lee Ann]

[quote=”mustangroddick” post=101836]Just came from a car show today. One car had an amazing shine. When asked about it, the owner said it’s not the wax, it’s what she uses to wash her car – she uses baby shampoo. I’ve been all over Google reading about that and apparently there’s nothing really wrong with using Johnson’s Baby Shampoo BUT in checking prices (Amazon) it’s a lot more expensive than using something like McGuire’s car wash (soap). I’m not sold on changing to that, but, I’ll probably try it on car that I sometimes show at a car show. Now I need to go treat my sunburn :oops:[/quote]

Maybe any baby shampoo would yield the same or similar results?

I have some store brand baby shampoo on hand. Maybe I’ll try it and then I’ll report back…

[Nick]

If your waxing a black car I strongly suggest to use turtle wax black box ….BUT be prepared to spend a day waxing your car is this isn’t a simple on and off system and also …..When your waxing do NOT go in circles …Your car wasn’t painted in circles you shouldn’t wax it in circles either …that’s how you get swirl marks

[Jamie]

Nothing better than admiring a freshly detailed car and a cold beer. Especially a red car! I’m almost inspired now to detail mine.

I’m a big fan of the Maguires stuff. I used their restore cut polish to turn my car from dull pink to bright red again. I’ve had to do a couple small spots here and there over time but for the most part it looks good.

I’ve never used a clay bar. I’d like to try it though.

Where I am there are pretty strict water restrictions in the heat of summer. Unfortunatly it applies to washing cars and not just watering gardens. A couple years ago a buddy got me on to a spray bottle of a Maguires speed detailer. It does a nice job of cleaning off dust and small bits of dirt without scratching up the car. Makes it look almost like it was just waxed and leaves a nice surface for new wax. Wax wise I used to use the old school turtle paste but again started using a spray on wax from Maguires. It goes on faster and takes far less time to set up. I found that you do want to work in small sections as if it sets too long you end up with the goofy swirl marks and have to re do it.

As far as car washing detergent goes I lucked out an a liqidation store a few years back and bought a gallon of Maguires soap for $12.

I’ve never been a fan of the greasy, shiney look Armor-all gives. Just a personal thing. Interior stuff I just use warm water. Same goes for tires. I don’t like my tires to look like polished glass. Before I wash the car I spray them with a mixture I make of dish soap in water with vinegar and take a brush to them for a bit. That cleans them up really well.

Making old plastic black bumpers black again is where I hate life. It takes the most work. The best method I’ve used is also the messiest and requires the most attention to detail. Black leather boot die from a cobbler or a tack shop really does work nice. Wear gloves, pour some onto a rag and start working it in. Let it set for a while and buff the extra off. Sometimes you need to do it a couple of times over where it really soaked it in but It will bring a dark black look to everything. Its even worked on black mirrors faded so bad they were nearly white! Again I did that on my car once years ago. A couple times a year I use a bumper black treatment from Mothers and it more or less seals them up nicely. The thing I would recommend most if you do this is to mask off where the black is close to body paint. And use acetone or mineral spirits to clean any oils off the plastic first.

I might actually enter my car into the local bigger VW show this year if I don’t have to work. It’l take me a week to detail the car completely including the engine bay but hell it will look nice again.

[Paul]

[quote=”JS” post=103929]Where I am there are pretty strict water restrictions in the heat of summer. Unfortunatly it applies to washing cars and not just watering gardens. A couple years ago a buddy got me on to a spray bottle of a Maguires speed detailer. It does a nice job of cleaning off dust and small bits of dirt without scratching up the car. Makes it look almost like it was just waxed and leaves a nice surface for new wax.[/quote]

A rinseless car wash is perfect for areas with water restrictions. Even though I live a mile from 20% of the world’s fresh water supply, I still try to conserve water. I was initially skeptical of a rinseless wash, but “converted” after using a sample of Optimum No Rinse. It left the car with a nice shine, and there was almost no dirt visible on the drying towel. They also have another product that contains UV inhibitors (more like a sunscreen than a wax in terms of longevity).

[David Roddick]

Some of the pros seem to like going with no water on cars that are just a little dusty. You do get a lot of microfiber towels dirty. There’s a lot of good stuff on the market for taking care of a car. I tend to stay with McGuires, but sometimes on everyday use including bad weather use, I’ll still use NuFinish. On a show car (or one that I treat as if it was) I like Liquid Glass for the shine BUT it’s not best for cars that stay out in all kinds of weather. I’ve mentioned Zep Tireless shine which someone has for sale on Amazon how (but it’s really expensive – I need to thank my sister-in-law again for getting me some). Has anyone use Chemical Guys stuff? Seems reasonable on Amazon. And of course, has anyone used AMMO-NYC? Seems great but the price is way up there. The videos are great to watch though.

[Paul]

I’ve used the rinseless wash on a moderately dirty car (even on a nice winter day where everyone and their sister waits in line at the carwash) and have good results. The trick is to place a portion of the wash solution into a pump sprayer. Then, apply it to a section of the car and let it dwell for a 1-3 minutes. Finally, wash the section as you normally would with the sponge or microfiber towel.

I’ve only used a few of the Chemical Guys’ products. They’re alright.

1. Citrus APC concentrate (I forget the name, but it’s fluorescent yellow). I’ve used it for cleaning rubber floor mats, wheel wells, and tires. Simple Green would probably work just as well though.

2. The orange/yellow microfiber towels for rinseless washing. Amazon has them for a good price for a 12 pack. These are probably rebadged/private label (i.e. made by the same factory) because I’ve also seen them offered by AutoGeek.

I’ve avoided the top-of-the-line boutique products. I cannot justify the price, like $200 for a can of carnuba wax, when I’ve been satisfied with the lesser over-the-counter products.

[Author]

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