Car Washing

underdog · April 2018

On one forum I use (car forum) one of the guys is in to detailing in the biggest way. He made a thread of progress on his 20 year old van. The results were amazing, but one of the stages was wet sanding the paint, that must have took some balls.

JerkMoans · April 2018

underdog said:

wet sanding the paint, that must have took some balls.

I’d be inclined to use sandpaper, personally, but I suppose anything moderately abrasive would do the trick.

Deadman · April 2018

Most of the above. It also always amazes me how many people don't thoroughly soak the car before taking a wash mitt to it.

RandallFlagg · April 2018

shaunyshaun1234 said:

JerkMoans said:

jakzek said:

Used to be massively into my detailing, best advice would be to join the detailing world forum. Absolute plethora of knowledge on there.

But like others have said, avoid the £5 hand car washes like the plague, use wash mits instead of sponges, if you’ve got time use snow foam before washing (highly recommend bilt hamber auto foam), wash using 2 bucket method, hand polish with something like autoglym super resin polish, or if you have a dark car then poorboys black hole is fantastic, then seal it all in with a decent wax (autoglym ultra high definition wax is great and can easily be found at Halfords). Once polished and waxed you should only really need maintenance washes for a good few months (quick snowfoam, shampoo wash and a dry down).

You can go into a lot more detail, such as claying the car, tar removal etc but it does get time consuming. But be warned, detailing does become very addictive and you may find yourself with OCD rather quick!

‘Detailing’?!

is this something one can do on one’s front drive in a reasonably respectable neighbourhood?

Yeah of course it is. YOu get some funny looks the first few times but neighbors soon get used to it.

I really enjoy the 'missed a bit' or 'you can do mine next' comments!

I obsess over car cleaning, am on the Detailing World forum and use 2 bucket, wash mit, Dragon's Breath wheel cleaner (which is fantastic), and finish with a detailing spray, Bouncers Done & Dusted. I also use Bouncer's Bead Juice sealant occasionally and have been through no end of tyre gels and blackeners.

It can get out of hand though...I caught myself with some cotton buds cleaning dirt from the corners of the front plastic grille the other week.

ESBlonde · April 2018

If the muck is visibly thick then jet wash first, in any event soak with a hose to soften the stuff. You can buy brushes that go on the end of a hose for about £10 as a first wash to get the worst of it off but ultimately a bucket of hot soap water and a sponge is the kiddy here.
Old school soak a chamois leather then wipe over the rinsed bodywork to leave a steak/spot free finish once it dries fully.

Use a car shampoo not dish soap or anything like that.

There are a number of modern wax type silicon which are easy to apply and last reasonably well. Or good old fashioned car wax that is an effort to rub on and polish (must be done in the shade) and takes half a day unless you have an electrinic buffer.

Beware of 'Europeans' washing cars in supermarket car parks etc. They use a mildly acidic wash that take off the dirt, silicon and wax protection all at once leaving the paintwork unprotected. Even traffic grime offers better protection to the paint! They will offer to wax/silicon finish too but it's often badly applied and uneven.

There are some reputable hand car washes, look for those that are not in supermarket car parks, are busy all the time and have a lot of luxury cars lined up to be washed, pay for a decent level of finish and you will probably be OK as they survive on reputation rather than convinience.

axisus · April 2018

I don't do car washing. Never have. Only interested in getting from A to B.

The only time I ever used to get a hose on the car is when I wanted an excuse to soak my daughters who used to want to help

strtdv · April 2018

Rinse loose dirt off, then a 2 bucket clean using a wash mitt (ideally lambswool) and some Autoglym shampoo, then dry.

I use Dodo Juice rain repellent on the glass, and twice a year the car gets a "proper" clean which involves washing, removing the old wax (fairy liquid works well for this), levelling the paint (I use a mitt rather than a clay bar), washing again, drying, waxing (and polishing any marks), then sealing the wax. I also use a wheel cleaner on the wheels to remove brake dust and then put a wheel sealant on the wheels, as well as treating the plastics.
The whole process takes about 10 hours but keeps the car looking good and easier to clean the rest of the year (and makes bird dropping etching less of a problem).

DrJazzTap · April 2018

Bucket, turtle wax and a mitt. It's easier to do it in the rain though.

JerkMoans · April 2018

You might not ever get rich.
But let me tell you: it's better than digging a ditch.

impmann · April 2018

strtdv said:

Rinse loose dirt off, then a 2 bucket clean using a wash mitt (ideally lambswool) and some Autoglym shampoo, then dry.

I use Dodo Juice rain repellent on the glass, and twice a year the car gets a "proper" clean which involves washing, removing the old wax (fairy liquid works well for this), levelling the paint (I use a mitt rather than a clay bar), washing again, drying, waxing (and polishing any marks), then sealing the wax. I also use a wheel cleaner on the wheels to remove brake dust and then put a wheel sealant on the wheels, as well as treating the plastics.
The whole process takes about 10 hours but keeps the car looking good and easier to clean the rest of the year (and makes bird dropping etching less of a problem).

Fairy liquid?

FFS... don't let that stuff anywhere near good paint. That stuff kills the top layer of paint.

The more you *polish* the more paint you remove. Polish is an abrasive and removes a minute amount of the top layer *safely*. However, break through the lacquer and you'll know all about it.

Therefore, avoid *polishing* all the time (that includes clay bars and the like - they should only be used infrequently), use a proper wax (I prefer proper Carnuba wax - and back in the day, when I was a motoring journalist, I tested lots of different ones... don't be bullshit into thinking that expensive = somehow better at the domestic end of the market) and then you'll not need to wash the car so often.

That said, these days, I really don't give a shit about the look of my everyday car - life's too short - and so it looks like crap most of the time, until my wife gets fed up with it and takes it to the local Eastern European hand car wash...

munckee · April 2018

impmann said:

strtdv said:

Rinse loose dirt off, then a 2 bucket clean using a wash mitt (ideally lambswool) and some Autoglym shampoo, then dry.

I use Dodo Juice rain repellent on the glass, and twice a year the car gets a "proper" clean which involves washing, removing the old wax (fairy liquid works well for this), levelling the paint (I use a mitt rather than a clay bar), washing again, drying, waxing (and polishing any marks), then sealing the wax. I also use a wheel cleaner on the wheels to remove brake dust and then put a wheel sealant on the wheels, as well as treating the plastics.
The whole process takes about 10 hours but keeps the car looking good and easier to clean the rest of the year (and makes bird dropping etching less of a problem).

Fairy liquid?

FFS... don't let that stuff anywhere near good paint. That stuff kills the top layer of paint.

The more you *polish* the more paint you remove. Polish is an abrasive and removes a minute amount of the top layer *safely*. However, break through the lacquer and you'll know all about it.

Therefore, avoid *polishing* all the time (that includes clay bars and the like - they should only be used infrequently), use a proper wax (I prefer proper Carnuba wax - and back in the day, when I was a motoring journalist, I tested lots of different ones... don't be bullshit into thinking that expensive = somehow better at the domestic end of the market) and then you'll not need to wash the car so often.

That said, these days, I really don't give a shit about the look of my everyday car - life's too short - and so it looks like crap most of the time, until my wife gets fed up with it and takes it to the local Eastern European hand car wash...

Who use fairy liquid!

celentium · April 2018

If you clean and protect your car correctly, subsequent washes are much easier.

I'd suggest two a year for most, one in the spring and one in the autumn.

Clean the car, decontaminate, clay if required, polish and any paint correction followed by decent protection.

It'll take you a day but subsequent washes using the two bucket method would be fairly easy as the gunk slides off the protective layer.

Simples

proggy · April 2018

Two buckets of water, either MER or Turtle Wax shampoo, a sponge and a chamois and plenty of elbow grease.

Job done.

strtdv · April 2018

impmann said:
Fairy liquid?

FFS... don't let that stuff anywhere near good paint. That stuff kills the top layer of paint.

The more you *polish* the more paint you remove. Polish is an abrasive and removes a minute amount of the top layer *safely*. However, break through the lacquer and you'll know all about it.

Therefore, avoid *polishing* all the time (that includes clay bars and the like - they should only be used infrequently), use a proper wax (I prefer proper Carnuba wax - and back in the day, when I was a motoring journalist, I tested lots of different ones... don't be bullshit into thinking that expensive = somehow better at the domestic end of the market) and then you'll not need to wash the car so often.

That said, these days, I really don't give a shit about the look of my everyday car - life's too short - and so it looks like crap most of the time, until my wife gets fed up with it and takes it to the local Eastern European hand car wash...

As I say, I only polish scuffs, not the whole car. The whole car gets a wax which is adding material, not removing. The clay bar does remove material, but only gets done once or twice a year.

I only tend to keep a car for a couple of years, I'm not concerned with how the paint looks 20 years down the line.

ThePrettyDamned · April 2018

I use autoglym products.

First, I rinse the car with water to get rid of big stuff then shampoo it down, pressure wash (don't be too aggressive with it!) and hose/pressure wash the bottom of the car where I can. Then I wax it - I use autoglym wax. Perfectly fine, makes it easier to clean next time.

I only drive a Toyota Aygo, mind!

Sesh · April 2018

I'm reasonably certain it's the dirt that holds my car together. The moss growing in the window seals adds eco credentials. It gets a wash once or twice a year if it's lucky and the only enjoyable part of that is realising, again, that it is blue and not green.

RaymondLin · April 2018

This is a can of worms…..I can be soooo anal about car washes…to the point i don't let anyone clean mine.

Key….

2 buckets
You will need a lot of microfibre towels.
You will end up buying a lot of stuff to try.
It will get expensive, £40 for a tub of wax anyone?
Snow foam, pressure washer, brushes, rubber restorer, DA polisher, tyre dressing….it can get really obsessive.

monquixote · April 2018

I'm wondering if there is a correlation between obsessive GAS and car cleaning

VimFuego · April 2018

not really, I like instruments, I hate cleaning cars (I only put up with owning one cos life would be nigh on impossible without one).

JerkMoans · April 2018

robgilmo said:

I have a decent car, I usually don't bother washing it, if I do, foam spray, rinse, bucket of hot soapy water and a sponge, wash, rinse, let dry, then wax, or sometimes tcut then wax, fuck all that shit with detailing, two bucket system, blah blah, its a school run taxi, not a 200k supercar.
My old fanny magnet though, that never gets washed.

https://i.imgur.com/7AIJcaK.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Om1787n.jpg

THAT is my son's dream motor. Lemme know if you ever tire of it

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