Carnuba car soap? Never seen that before.

Clay JUST removes imbedded dirt & contaminants. This is what makes the paint feel smooth. It will not remove swirls or scratches, & can in fact put them in.

You need a "Polish" or cleaner to remove the scratches, you use this after clay, & before wax.

 

When you apply the wax to your car, do you just rub it in with a rag or do you use an electric sander type of thing on a low settingwith a special cotton disc on it? Also, same question about the clay. Then what do you use to condition your leather, I know you use armor all but do you use the wipes or the other stuff that is more like lotion you rub in.

 

Wax should be applied with a soft applicator usually supplied with it. I buff off with a orbiting buffer then go back with a microfiber cloth to get anything in the cracks.

I use detail spray to wet the area im clay barring and fold it every so often. You dont want to use a lot of pressure when using the clay & must keep it wet.

I never use Armor All on the seats because it leaves oil behind. I always use a cleaner then conditioner for leather. I apply it by hand or microfiber cloth, let it sit, then wipe off with a clean cloth.

 

Are foam guns really necessary. I mean $60 for something that saves you a few minutes of time.

 

Never had 1 and couldn't justify $60 for something that my kitchen sink can do. I fill 1/2 the bucket with hot waterwith the spray attachment then fill the rest with my hose.

 

What brand of wax do you guys like to use?

 

Cool Thanks for clearing that up. Sounds like I need a some polish / cleaner and some clay.

Yes Carnuba. It has the wax supposedly (s/p) built into the wash but I trust that as much as I do two in one shampoo and conditioner. LOL. So I wax by hand. I use turtlecar wax and I use the little applicator mit to apply the wax then I use another applicator wax mit to buff the wax off.

 

You don't need one, but they sure help. You are much less likely to put any scratches in the paint with one. I would say it's more important to use a good car soap, then to have a foam gun. But once you use one a couple of times, you will NEVER use anything else.

 

There are a thousands of waxes out there! Right now I'm using Menzerna FMJ & their polishes. Then top the FMJ with Zymol, P21S (best cheap wax out there), or Sovereign.

 

I try to wash every weekend, but it's not always a reality. I can sure tell the difference though, and it's a lot easier to maintain the paint if you wash consistently.

I live in an apartment, so I can't always wash when I want to. I have to secure a nearby parking space (within hose range!!) and wash it on the street. 2-bucket wash method, microfiber washbone sponge, firehose nozzle and the "Least Invasive Method" preached by this guy on Google Video. Not a single wash-induced scratch or swirl, it works great. I use Meguiar's Gold Class shampoo, and occasionally Blackfire Gloss Shampoo. I'm happy with both, but Meguiar's comes in a big jug

The only thing I can think of to improve this method would be a. water filter (my water is desert hard), b. Grit Guards, and c. a foam gun. Check out this video for a great foam gun demonstration.

If I absolutely can't hand-wash, or need a quick midweek touch up, I'll go to the coin-op pressure wash (never machine), drench it good with water, do a quick coat of spray soap and then rinse completely. I never touch the paint with anything at a public spray wash, but if you wash regularly you shouldn't need to scrub much. The only downside is, the soap tends to strip off wax/sealant

To dry, I use a Big Blue III Towel and the blot method for zero paint impact. This towel is great, you can do an entire car without wringing, which saves time and water spots.

For wax, I use Blackfire All Paint Protection sealant. Usually I do 2 coats over the course of 2 days, which looks S-I-C-K. I really like the slippery feel that Blackfire leaves, and it's not only super shiny, it lasts a long time. I'd like to try a good natural non-Blackfire wax over the Blackfire sealant though; I've heard great things about P21S. I'm tempted to try Zymol, but since you need a pre-wax treatment for it, I'll probably wait until I'm out of Blackfire and need a refill. Who likes Zymol? Which one do you buy?

-edit-

Forgot to mention - the one thing that's REALLY cut down on my washing time and needs was a good car cover. I have a custom-fit Covercraft Noah and it majorly reduces the amount of dust & gunk that accumulates overnight. If you park outside, have covered parking, or even a garage, I highly recommend using a good cover to reduce the gunk and protect your finish.