Idiots guide to Washing, Waxing, Interior Detailing, and Buffing (work in progress)

[Crown Vic Owner]

Ok, lets admit it, we all like when our cars are clean, but they can be MUCH cleaner, and here i am going to show you how to make your car MUCH cleaner.


I personally am not one to talk when it comes to keeping a clean car, my car is usaully dirty, but i find ways to get around this.


My first recommendation is to go ahead and start out by washing the cars body. I recommend using a sheepskin wash mitt. You can get these at some local walmarts, but you can try autozone or somewhere else of that nature. Make sure it is real sheepskin as a non sheepskin mitt can marr the paint and put fine scratches in it.


For a soap, i recommend using duragloss 901. This soap can be found at napa and a few other places if you look hard. I personally recommend getting some from autogeek (linked below) if you can not locate it. This is a HIGHLY concentrated soap and 1 capfull will go ahead and make a full 3 gallon wash bucket. If you want to strip the current wax off of the car, supposedly dawn will strip the wax off of your car, but i dont recommend this. This is a rumor started by a wax company claiming that it may help strip wax, but no one knows. Remember, duragloss WILL NOT strip wax off of your car.


When you go to add water to the bucket, use enough to make it foamy, remember the foam is what helps protect you from marring the car as well and scratching the paint, not the water itself. After filling the first bucket, take the second bucket and fill it with plain water without soap. We will use this bucket to take off any dirt that got on the wash mitt.

Rinse down the car at this point, spray off any caked on mud or excess dirt using the hose at this point and make sure that you get off whatever you can. Make sure the cars paint is wet and do not allow the cars paint to get dry. Make sure all excess dirt is off of the car and make sure to get the wheel wells as well.

To start washing the car, take your mitt, put it in the soapy wash bucket, and wash one body panel at the time. Make sure to grab enough soap foam in between the mitt. Do not and i repeat DO NOT scrub your car with the wash mitt. Do this 1/2 a body panel at a time. Do the upper half of the body panel first. After this, you are to take your wash mitt, put it in the bucket with clean non soapy water, move it around and scrub itself in there, and pull out. If you see dirt on the mitt, use the hose to wash the dirt off of the mitt. This method is used to prevent the car from getting scratched. Do this for all of the panels on the car ABOVE middle of the doors. When you are finished with the upper part of the car, take your mitt, wash it throughly in the non soapy water. You may now start on the lower body panels. You may have to rinse the mitt off more often if you see lots of dirt on the mitt. I tend to rinse it every 1/2 of each panel / bumper. When you do this, make sure to be very conscious of when you have a dirty mitt as a dirty mitt CAN scratch your car. Make sure to use lots of soap, and make sure the car is clean. Make sure to get behind the wheels and the lower parts of the car including the lower plastics. I usually use a older rag to get the wheel wells and behind the wheels so i don't wreck my mitt, but i do not recommend you use a regular rag. If you can find a pure cotton rag to do this with, it would not be as bad.



After you are finished doing this, you may rinse the car. I recommend using the hose on mist mode, letting all the soap fall down the car. Make sure the car is completely soap free.


The next step to washing your car would be drying it. For drying the car i recommend using pure microfiber towels to prevent marring of the paint. If you are feeling risky, but you are sure your car is 100 percent clean and it will stay that way, the California water blade is an option. If you use the microfiber towels, DO NOT RUB them but instead dab the paint and make sure the car is dry. The last thing we need is water spots.

Wheels:

To wash your wheels i recommend using a microfiber cloth and soap.
(I recommend using a wheel cleaner if your wheels are severely dirty. I am going to say something that is mostly sin when detailing a car, but its what i do, i personally use simple green on wheels and make sure to wash them throughly. I have not had a issue with the rims flaking at all or anything of that nature personally, but do this at your own risk.)
When you are going to wash your wheels, make sure you get what you can off with the hose, and go on and use the soap you used for the car wash on the wheels. Make sure to pay attention to the whole wheel. Rinse your cloth VERY often when doing this and try to get as much dirt off as you can. Rinse the wheel off, and make sure to dry it as well using the same method you used to dry the car. Make sure the towel does not touch the tire. At this time, rise the tire off as well.




To be continued

[AMGoff]

I really, really don't mean to harp on you in the least bit but just be sure to preface all of this with the fact that this is only your routine... there were numerous "recommendations" that I would never use while detailing our cars.

[Brizzal]

lol someone bored tonight? Yea my washing routine is different, most people will be

[Crown Vic Owner]

Originally Posted by AMGoff

I really, really don't mean to harp on you in the least bit but just be sure to preface all of this with the fact that this is only your routine... there were numerous "recommendations" that I would never use while detailing our cars.

post what you would change
I am open to ideas, i jsut was posting the way i do it. What do you believe is not good in that ?

[adamh21]

First don't EVER EVER EVER get Dawn anywhere near your cars paint, it won't only strip the wax it will completely dry out your vehicles paint.

Second it is best to wash from the top down.

Third you can always use a rough sponge, and some degreaser on the front, windshield, and side mirrors for bugs.

Fourth Degreaser works magic on your wheel wells.

Fifth, thats a great wash procedure, but what about wax, polish, clay bar, buffing, water spot removal, aquapel of your windows...

If I have time I will post my complete procedure later.

[adamh21]

Sorry Sorry just saw the work in progress disclaimer

[Crown Vic Owner]

that and look at this

"upposedly dawn will strip the wax off of your car, but i dont recommend this. "

[adamh21]

Dawn is the worst way possible to strip the wax because it also reacts with the clear coat to dry out your paint. Have you ever washed a car and it seemed like you cant keep it wet, you hose it down over and over but the water keeps disappearing, thats from dawn. The only real way to strip you cars wax the right way is to use a clay bar. Added benefit it takes just about everything off of your paint, it works as a razor blade that shears down to your clear coat.

Even if your car doesnt look dirty, take a clay bar and some windex and give your paint a couple swipes, youll be amazed at what is comes off.

[adamh21]

And you have got it completely right with the two bucket system, there arent a lot of people out there who really take the time because they think they wont see the results, but after you do it a couple times, youll never go back to dunking your dirty mit in your soap.

[Crown Vic Owner]

I wasn't going to mention claybaring but I may. I personally use a porter cable 7424 and do things way differently. Dawn I have used once and it was neede due to the fact that the car got sprayed with a gel substance that was green and gooey, think it was hairgel.

The zaino guys I think started the dawn myth. I personally am getting into detailing myself, so don't be harsh on me please. I do recommend collinite 845 after polishing with some AIO for the winter.

I know that I do leave a thin thick amount of wax on the back of the fenders in the wheelwell where it likes to rot. I also have a tendancy to clean and wax all door jambs ( I oil my door hinges in winter because of rot), wax my windows, wax my headlamps after buffing them with a drill.

That is just input, not recommendations.

[adamh21]

Yeah I always pressure wash my door jambs and hinges, waxing them is a little extreme for me. Clay Bar to me is ESSENTIAL, there really is no other way to clean your paint the way a clay bar does, my general outline is as follows.

Remember I am a Meguiars man...

1) wash...you know the deal, also degrease the engine compartment and pressure wash it
2) clay bar with windex, windows included
3) wash
4) #84 dual action cleaner polish maguires, with a DA orbital random polisher
5) wash
6) #85 diamond cut maguires, on any heavy swirls or blemishes, also with the DA orbital random polisher
7)wash
8) #21 synthetic sealant maguires, DA orbital...VERY IMPORTANT TO LET IT SET UP
9) NXT GEN tech wax maguires, DA orbital, also important to let it set up. Wipe off with soft microfiber. Then wipe down the whole car again with a clean microfiber.

I also wax my windows as an aqua pel alternative, for the lights i use maguires...one or a combination of 4 products,

clear plastic cleaner
clear plastic polish
clear plastic detailer
PlastiX

[adamh21]

I ran a detail shop in Arizona, Maguires is all we ever used so, it rubbed off on me.

[AMGoff]

Well... first off, I would never use one of those mitts... it is so easy for something to be picked up in one of those without you even realizing it and "whoopsie" there's a nice little scratch. Personally, I use my own bare hands as much as possible, nothing else will give you the sensitivity and the ability to vary pressure as needed as your own hand. I'll usually use a nice big sponge to transfer the soapy water to the area I'm working on in one hand and use the other to wash the car... it's just like washing a baby - you wouldn't use some big ol' mitt, you'd use the gentle touch of your hand. Doing so also negates the need of two buckets as you're never transferring any dirt back to the bucket. As far as soap goes, I use nothing special.. for a regular, "maintenance" (in-between wax) wash I use nothing more than a regular non-abrasive, moisturizing hand soap, and I do so for a specific reason. The only thing I will wax my vehicles with is pure carnauba... I don't do any of that synthetic stuff regardless of how much some people swear by it. Being that carnauba is an organic substance composed mainly of fatty acid esters, I've always found that a moisturizing soap helps the carnauba to retain it's luster longer. Usually every season I will do a more thorough polish and wax - again, always applying the carnauba with my bare hands. Then once a year, usually in the spring after the mess of the winter months has passed, I will do a completely thorough clay job on them.

[Crown Vic Owner]

Originally Posted by AMGoff

Well... first off, I would never use one of those mitts... it is so easy for something to be picked up in one of those without you even realizing it and "whoopsie" there's a nice little scratch. Personally, I use my own bare hands as much as possible, nothing else will give you the sensitivity and the ability to vary pressure as needed as your own hand. I'll usually use a nice big sponge to transfer the soapy water to the area I'm working on in one hand and use the other to wash the car... it's just like washing a baby - you wouldn't use some big ol' mitt, you'd use the gentle touch of your hand. Doing so also negates the need of two buckets as you're never transferring any dirt back to the bucket. As far as soap goes, I use nothing special.. for a regular, "maintenance" (in-between wax) wash I use nothing more than a regular non-abrasive, moisturizing hand soap, and I do so for a specific reason. The only thing I will wax my vehicles with is pure carnauba... I don't do any of that synthetic stuff regardless of how much some people swear by it. Being that carnauba is an organic substance composed mainly of fatty acid esters, I've always found that a moisturizing soap helps the carnauba to retain it's luster longer. Usually every season I will do a more thorough polish and wax - again, always applying the carnauba with my bare hands. Then once a year, usually in the spring after the mess of the winter months has passed, I will do a completely thorough clay job on them.

the issue is, most of us that work on our own cars have hands that are not all soft and moisturized, aka, my hands WILL scratch paint.


Im sorry, considering the fact that most peoples hands are like sand paper, i will pass. A sheepskins mitt in my opinion is far superior. Most MINOR damage that would be caused my washing can be fixed.

I personally use a knockoff foam gun myself to transfer soap, i use a gilmour 2 that was rebranded for mane and tail.

[Crown Vic Owner]

Originally Posted by adamh21

Yeah I always pressure wash my door jambs and hinges, waxing them is a little extreme for me. Clay Bar to me is ESSENTIAL, there really is no other way to clean your paint the way a clay bar does, my general outline is as follows.

Remember I am a Meguiars man...

1) wash...you know the deal, also degrease the engine compartment and pressure wash it
2) clay bar with windex, windows included
3) wash
4) #84 dual action cleaner polish maguires, with a DA orbital random polisher
5) wash
6) #85 diamond cut maguires, on any heavy swirls or blemishes, also with the DA orbital random polisher
7)wash
8) #21 synthetic sealant maguires, DA orbital...VERY IMPORTANT TO LET IT SET UP
9) NXT GEN tech wax maguires, DA orbital, also important to let it set up. Wipe off with soft microfiber. Then wipe down the whole car again with a clean microfiber.

I also wax my windows as an aqua pel alternative, for the lights i use maguires...one or a combination of 4 products,

clear plastic cleaner
clear plastic polish
clear plastic detailer
PlastiX

Hah, you do well

I am NOT a miguiars man myself and find there stuff to be overpriced, but i cant really admit to using there professional line. Unfortunately, i have clearcoat damage on my cadillac so i abandoned all hope with that and just use a mitt i have laying around and will wax it to prevent it from getting any worse.


The crown vic got hit around 2 weeks ago and id need to replace 2 doors, but the paint otherwise is flawless on the crown vic, and i am so POed about the doors, but i am not really concerned. It was more of something for me to waste time on, and needless to say, i am pissed off that some kids threw rubbing alcohol on my cadillac, i think thats what caused the cc failure, that or a acid bomb.