Well its springtime, and time to get into the swing out washing our cars. Washing my car is something i'm kinda obsessed with. I would like to know what you guys use, mits, soaps, wax ect. Any tips, or tricks would be great, i'd like to compile all the info into a single post. ME: Soap: Meguires Deep Crystal Car Wash Mit: Microfiber Dogbone Sponge, and Microfiber Rag Wax: Clay Magic Claybar Kit, Meguires 3-Step Cleaner, Polish, Wax Tire Shine: Meguires Hot Shine Tire Spray I use vinagar and newspaper to clean my windows, and a soft brush to scrub my tires with. I use a microfiber rag to clean my wheels, and Simple Green for the tires, gas tank cover, and wheel wells. I also use 2 wash buckets; one for soapy water, one for clean water, rinse your rags out in the clean water to get rid of grit. Hopefully soon I'll have a wet/dry shop vac to blow the water off of my car, but right now I use an Absorber shammy. I always soak it in a bucket of water while washing my car, and when its time to shammy I rinse, and shammy. I also use 00 Steel Wool and Mothers Mag and Alumn. Polish for my tail pipes. I always wash my wheels before the rest of the car, so i make sure the simple green doesnt set on the paint. I need to get some detailing brushes, and figure out what to use to clean my interior, now I use all purpose Armor All for the dash, and it doesnt give TOO much of a shine, and doesnt make it look stupid. I vaccum usually, and if its bad, I shampoo the carpets. There was a thread and said the Mr. Clean Magic eraser works wonders on the plastic interior pieces, getting dirt off, I need to pick one of those up too. Any more tips please feel free to let me know, if you have special tricks at cleaning the engine bay post them, I just use Simple Green and a hose. Please everyone post what you use to wash and wax with, and what you use on your interior.
Soap: Eagle one (red) Compound: 3M wax/polish: Meguire's steps 1-3 (red bottles) I have used MANY types of waxes....i really like the Turtle wax ultra gloss and Meguires Gold class (short 'lifespan'). I use a Porter Cable 7424 also, with $80 worth of pads/microfiber towels/bonnets/etc! -Patrick
Interior: wet towel, dry towel...and vacuum cleaner! I use(d) meguires leather conditioner/cleaner on my seates I also have a really nice mit to apply soap(on outside), i'll post when i figure out what kind it is (lambs wool?)
I use Turtle Wax soap to wash, one of those ragged lookin terry cloth wash mits, the Absorber to dry, Mother's Back to Black on the trim, Eagle One tire shine, Eagle One Tech Wax (I think thats what it says on the bottle), Armor All Leather conditioner, Armor all Vinyl/plastic protectant, mother's mag and alum polish for any bling (tips, CAI, etc), and more Armor All Protectant under the hood. that's quite a bit of $$ in cleaning products, but I'm sure alot of guys on here spend more than I do.
matthiasj I also use newspapers to clean my windows but I havent tired vinegar. I use Stoners Invisible Glass. NO STREAKS, time first time i used it I was blown away. no more windex haha
i go to the local self serve car wash bc my apt complex will not allow such things as cleaning the car... communists
wash-blue corral claybar-Claymagic's claybar (soon to buy) rewash paint cleaner/polisher-Klasse All-in-one carnuba wax-Meg's #16<--best wax ever. Chenille sponge for washing (soon to buy) "Quality" microfiber towels for removing waxs/sealeants www.pakshak.com has great MF towels or www.autopia-carcare.com I currently use the "absorber" for drying but thats getting replaced by a waffle weave drying towel again packshak.com or www.autopia-carcare.com. I use Armorall "original" for vinyl protectent soon to be replaced with 303 Aerospace protectent.
soap: ZEP car wash.... ZEP products own everyother one rag: microfiber cloth wax: turtle wax ultra gloss tire shine: get my ass down there and scrub
I'll be the first to say.. Mr Clean Auto Dry! That thing is friggin great. Rinse car, spray with Mr Clean soap. I use a general car wash sponge to clean the dirt.. Rinse car again to get the soap off. Rinse car a 3rd time with special Mr Clean Filter attachment, which iodizes the water. Car drys itself, water spot free. Takes me 20 minutes tops. Best thing, it's guarenteed or my money back. best $20 bucks i've ever spent. pick it up at Wal-Mart
Thanks for not getting off topic. I'll be purchasing a Porter Cable 7424 and i'm going to buff, my car out. Also, steel wool is my friend, i use that stuff on everything. I'm a big fan of Meguires products. Has anyone does the Wax-As-You-Dry stuff...does it really work good?
For the interior, Meguiar's Gold Class Leather Cleaner/Conditioner is teh Bomb. Meguiar's NXT Vinyl/Rubber Protectant for the rest of the interior - cleans, protects, but not too shiny.
I haven't washed my car in over a year. I only use mothers detail spray and a 100% cotton cloth to wipe it off. My car sits under a cover so it doesn't get dirty. When my car was a daily driver I washed it weekly with Zaino car wash soap. Then I dried it with a squeegi (sp?) thingy and an absorber. Then I broke out the leaf blower and it got all the water out of cracks and crannys.
I'll chime in on the wax as you dry products meguiars is crap the eagle one product is much better. I would say these products are not to be used solely to keep your car waxed just to give it a little tune up between your waxing's. As for the washing 1. eagle 1 car wash 2.detailers sponge for the upper body, a normal sponge for the wheels and lower body. 3. bath towels (dryed with out a dryer sheet as it takes away the absorbancy). 4.eagle 1 wet tire shine(thick clear silicon stuff). Waxing 1.eagle 1 nanowax(not used yet) 2.detailers applicator 3.terry cloth towels(buffing)
How can you comment on something you have never used. I have used WAX as YOU DRY on my Black car and it works great for a quick shine. But I would never use it to replace waxing my car. Mothers has some new products out to use with machine buffers like the Porter Cable 7424. I am going to try them this weekend and I will let you know how I like them. Also Home Depot has the Porter Cable 7424 on sale for about $80
My routine is basically the same as everyone elses.....i just started using the meguiars insane shine tire spray....i REALLY like it. I was sold on Black Magic in the past but this stuff blows it away.
water:hydrogen and oxygen mix soap: eagle one (purple one with the saleen on front) windows: windex powerizer foam with medical rags (my dad is a surgeon so be brings home all this cool **** from teh ER like really sot rags and things like that) compound: 3m wax: harly's special (its special order from cali. some guy that makes it in his basement-PURE CARNUBA- best **** ive ever used, and ive tried 4-5 different waxes) dry: old chamois that my dad gave me.....works ****in awesome detailing ****: mequires hot tire shine, eagle one detailing spray (saleen on front), armorall all purpose cleaner (engine bay) TRICK: i actually use the hot tire shine on my dashboard, door panels, steering wheel minus the rim, console, side mirrors, cowl, and some trim.....shine lasts a long time...........i was so surprised cause i was just ****in around one day and tryed it, and it worked amazing
i'v been on autopia, and wow, what a site, the have soo much stuff. I might order some washing stuff off of there. Keep the info coming guys.
i bought some Black Magic Pro Shine Protectant for the interior, and Autozone has their Meguiars #26 Hi-Tech Yellow Wax on sell for $.99 so i picked some of that up too.
