I wrote this because I've been seeing a lot of people who do not know how to properly wash their cars. I thought this would be helpful for those who want to know how they can wash their car without scratching the surface and if interested go on to correct the paint.

Watch this video to show you what bad car wash techniques will do....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZjWk...ayer_embedded#!


Step 1 -Wash

Washing your car is the most important part of keeping a swirl free ride. Sadly, this is the stage where the majority of the swirls are actually created due to improper washing techniques. I will explain how to properly Wash a vehicle.

What you need:
2 5Gallon buckets
2 Grit Guards
A Good Shampoo (Megs Gold Class, Adams, Chemical Guys Citrus Wash etc...)
Microfibre Washmitt (alternatively you can use lambswool, or Schmitt)
Waffleweave drying towels (these are 100% cotton drying towels that absorb water)

Process:
Rinse the vehicle with a pressure washer and always work from top to bottom.
Once rinsed fill 1 bucket with warm water and the other bucket with soap. Ensure the grit guards are in place.
Using the washmitt start at the top and dip the wash mitt in the soapy water and then onto the car.
Then rinse the wash mitt in the water only bucket to get rid of all trapped debris.
Dip again in soapy water and continue until the whole car has been washed. Do not let the soap dry.
Rinse off and then use the WW Drying Towels to dry the vehicle.

The above washing method is basic. If your car is really dirty I recommend foaming the car first with a foam gun before using the shampoo. Also the wheels and arches should be done first before the paint. A cost effective method to do the wheels is to use a strong All Purpose Cleaner (APC) like Zep's industrial strength or Zep Citrus and diulte 4:1 with water.

To get rid of bugs and tar you can use APC (diluted 4:1 or stronger if needed) and spray over contaminated area. Agitate with soft bristle brush or boars hair brush.


Step 2: Clay

A vehicle is clayed to remove surface imperfections that washing can not remove such as dirt trapped within the paint. Such dirt and debris consists of rail dust, brake dust, overspray, tree sap etc...

What you need:
Clay
Clay Lube

Process:
Spray the area with the clay lube and in a back and forth motion use the kneaded clay to rub the surface. Make sure the surface is not hot otherwise clay will marr the area.
-use adequate lube and knead the clay once the surface becomes dirty and repeat until the whole car is clayed. Your shoulders will be sore and it takes about 45min to do a small to mid-size car. Do not use water as lube because water does not provide the same lubricity as some of the lubes on the market.

Claying the surface will also leave your car smooth and glass-like to the touch. A vehicle should be clayed 1 to 2 times per year.


Step 3- Correction/Polishing

This step is optional and it depends on your vehicles condition. If your vehicle has swirl marks and other paint defects such as holograms, buffer trails, and overspray then follow the correction process.

Now this can get complicated and there are hundreds of different methods out there so I will keep it as simple as possible and targeting this to newbies.

What you need:
PC 7424XP
Cutting Pad
Polishing Pad
Finishing Pad
Compound
Polish
Finishing Polish

Now I haven't given any product references because there are literally hundreds of different brands out there so choose whatever you like. For newbies I have seen the Adams line do wonders because it's very easy to use. Here's a link to a package.

Ideally you want to use the least abrasive combination first to remove the imperfections and if that doesn't work you step up a notch. The reason being you want to remove as little clearcoat as possible. Yes, polishing removes clearcoat. But before you get your panties in a knot just know that it is very little. Infact most swirl marks and scratches range from 2-5 microns. 1 micron = 1/1000 of a millimeter. An average car contains about 80-120 microns of clearcoat.

Step 4 - Last Step Process

Applying a LSP is key. I recommend appyling a Sealant and then a wax.

Sealant - Acts as a layer of glass and gives the car a wet look while protecting it from UV Rays, acid rain, and other elements

Wax - use a Carnauba wax. The higher the content of Carnauba the better. Some of the higher end waxes contain a Carnauba content greater than 50%. Carnauba is a natural wax that comes from Brazil. It has natural waterproof capabilities and also adds a level of depth and lustre to vehicles. Carnauba waxes can range anywhere from $40 to $20 000 for a small container.

Once the car is fully prepped a sealant is applied and allowed to cure on the paint. Once the sealant is buffed off the wax can be applied and layered as the owner pleases. Some good sealants are....Duragloss 105, Chemical Guys Jetseal 109, Opti-seal, Werkstat Jett Acrylic etc....

Some good waxes are...Chemical Guys 5050, Pinnacle Souveran, Lusso Oro, Dodo Juice Supernatural, Wolfgang Fuzion, Swissvax, Zymol.

And that's a GENERAL gist of cleaning a vehicle. Once a vehicle is clean it is proper washing techniques and care that dictates the longevity of the paint's flawless finish. A car that constantly gets abused by squeegees, brushes, and other harsh conditions will obviously have a dull finish.

The above was written for the newbies and as an introduction to detailing. It is a very basic tutorial and if you follow those simple wash steps above you should have a good finish no matter what.

Hope that helps,

-Waseem

 

ps3king

I just wanted to say thank you for all your informative posts. They are appreciated.

 

I'm glad you took the time to read it and thanks for replying. It's feedback like that that motivates me to continue posting.

I was beginning to think that not too many people use this section and that I may be of use elsewhere but seeing as you read it is reassuring.

I will check back on this forum every now and then.

Take care Beau and THANK-YOU for saying something.

 

Good post, I think its good that people continually post these step by step guides not only for the benefit of teaching noobs, but also as a nice refresher for those more experienced. I would like to add that for dark vehicles one of the best sealants you can buy is klasse all in one. Ive also been using techwax 2.0 lately and have gotten excellent results.

 

Very well-written. My $.02 to add - for wax and paint cleanser, I'm a huge fan of S100/P21S products - amazing finish with that stuff.

 

Klasse AIO is great. Its cost effective and is a great sealant. Thanks for the addition.

I love P21S products. Their wheel cleaner is one of the best I've used but comes at a hefty price tag. My number 1 non-acidic wheel cleaner hands down is Autoglym Custom Wheel Cleaner. I recently tested this product and compared to others at its price tag its the best. I use it on all moderately soiled wheels for my clients. I barely have to scrub once this stuff is applied. Honestly you should see how the dirt and soil from the tires just starts dripping off just by spraying this stuff. Unbelievable!

The P21S Total Autowash is great to pre-soak bugs, wheel wheels and also doing the engine bay.

Thanks for the additions guys.

 

bump.

 

how do you get rid of water spots on the chrome trim on the trunk and around windows on A6?

 

Now with the A6 i'm not sure if the chrome is plastic or if its actually chrome.

So...for chrome

Go to your local dept. store and pick up a good metal polish and some #0000 Steel wool.

For Plastic
Use a very light cutting polish or even a pre-cleaner. You can even try Megs Scratch X as that might work but Klasse All-in-One works very well in these situations and also protects.

Hope that helps.

 

bump for absolutely the most simple and correct way to wash a car. i hope enough ppl read this post. it should be stickied i think.

to add my 2 pennies. for those who don't want to clay or correct the paint and just want a wash. make sure you completely dry the car, then polish and then wax. do not apply wax before applying polish. also keep polish and wax away from plastic like the black door moldings, headlights, and grilles etc.