Whats in your cleaning/detailing kits?

[iowasevillests]

So I'm curious....what is in everyone else's cleaning and detailing arsenal. I've got pictured below what I'm currently using and would love to see what other people are doing and how they like it.



Working from the front row, left to right is

• Bug and tar remover
• Wheel Wax for keeping my 17's nice and pretty
• Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant
• RainX Exterior Glass Treatment
• My own glass cleaner mix, roughly a 1:6 mixture of denatured alcohol and distilled water.

Boxes:

• Cobra Microfiber Kit, including 2 guzzler drying towels, 2 applicator pads, wash mit and sponge.
• Leatherique Leather Cleaning Kit....pricey but amazing stuff when used correctly

Top Row

• Meguiar's quick detailing spray
• Meguiar's Shine Vinyl and Plastic Cleaner/Detailer, the best stuff I've found so far
• Meguiar's Gold Class Trim Detailer for getting the various black components back to black.
• Leather and vinyl cleaner for light stains or spills
• Meguiar's Endurance High Gloss Tire Conditioner....works great and even smells like Grape Bubblegum!

But thats what I'm currently using....next on my list to get is a Porter Cable DA Buffer/Polisher and Wolfgang Swirl Remover compound and some cutting pads to give the car a good workover and removing the spots and swirls that have accumulated.

What do you guys think, what are you using and what have you had success with or are staying away from?

[behind-bars]

I like that Blue Magic Leather Cleaner you have, I use it on the entire seating area and love the smell.

My arsenal is pretty small

- Blue Magic Leather Cleaner/Conditioner
- Turtle Wax wheel cleaner, F47 I think is what its called, Not much luck with it on my wheels, It works, But not better then just regular soap
- Eagle One Vinyl Cleaner for the dash, door panels etc.
- I do have a meguiar's clay bar kit, but rarely use it
- Leather CPR, Not bad stuff, Have to make sure its buffed out though or it leaves white streaks. Usually use it right before the Blue Magic
- Some cheap ol tire spray/shine

I live in an apartment so I don't get the oppurtunity to go totally crazy detailing, Just try to keep it good looking using what is available at the DIY carwash tunnel.

[iowasevillests]

Hey we make do with what we can, before now I was in college so I rarely had a chance to get the vehicle looking nice(though at that time it was an SUV so it didn't look as bad dirty). Now that I've got a garage its much easier to keep it looking decent.

I also like the way the smell of the Blue Magic leather cleaner, its not quite as good as the smell of the Leatherique as that's more of a new leather smell, but it only takes a couple minutes for the Blue Magic where the Leatherique is a multi step process over an entire day....so they each have their time and place.

[caddolicious]

Hey All,

Yep, spring is around the corner (although we just had an ice storm this morning) and it's time to consider detailing again.

Here's the stuff I have in my bucket:

Tools: Sheep skin mitt
Standard bucket (no grit guard)
Cobra Guzzler
MF applicator pads
MF detail cloths
Cheap $1 Store wheel brushes.

Products: Meguiars Hot Rims (amazing stuff but don't let it sit too long)
P21s degreaser (just along the rockers and door jams, lifts salty sludge well)
Meguiars Gold Class Shampoo (I think it has the best lubricity $ for $)
Mother's clay (one of the softer clays, needs alot of lube)
Meguiars non-abrasive paint cleaner (great results after a winter of salt and grime is thrown at the paint).
Crystal-glo Acrylic Paint Sealant (just used it, great stuff, crazy hard finish)
Meguiars Ultimate Quik Detailer (amazing stuff works well with synthetic sealant base).

Interior: 303 Cleaner (I use it everywhere, dash, matts, rocker inserts, engine etc.)
303 Protectant (Love this stuff, it seems to last forever, not greasy so dust comes off easy)
Oxi-Clean (Dilute for spray application to clean carpets, it really kills salt stains).
Gunk Invisible Glass Cleaner (cheap and effective).

I have used the Wolfgang paint sealant and found it difficult to remove, the result was great, but too expensive.
I just tried the Crystal-glo on the weekend and it came off great (only +9C outside). I layered to applications with only 30minutes in between. The second coat made it really pop. I can't comment on the durability though. Also, it cheaper than Wolfganger and available at Home Hardware in Canada.
I'm a new convert to the 303 products too. I really like how it doesn't attract dust like Armour All.

But another fantastic ice storm this morning covered all the hard work. Probably have to do it all over again this weekend.

[behind-bars]

I've been meaning to try 303 products, Not readily available locally though, Only one or two stores in a 20 mile radius carries them. I'm glad I live in the south, No worries about salt or ice storms. Problem we do have though is pollen, Does the paint sealant make rinsing pollen or dust off the car with water alone easier, or do you still have to do a full wash everytime.

The tire cleaner I use above is called "Son-of-a-Gun", Sometimes I will carefully spray it on the black plastic in the wheel wells to make them shine, not sure if its harmful or not, I just always make sure to avoid painted surfaces as it is strong stuff

[iowasevillests]

Originally Posted by caddolicious

Oxi-Clean (Dilute for spray application to clean carpets, it really kills salt stains).

I'm going to have to try that, I've got Oxi-Clean and an extra spray bottle already, and the front carpets could really use some work.

[submariner409]

The usual assortment........

[caddolicious]

Hey all,

A couple of you mentioned that "Blue Magic" leather cleaner/prep. Is that stuff designed for "raw" leather or the "treated/finished" leather? I was told by a fellow detailing enthusiast that much of the leather in new North American vehicles is treated with a poly-vinyl finish and so traditional leather treatments won't absorb through the vinyl. Is there any harm in using it on vinyl treated leather? Where did you get it?

I have been using 303 protectant and it does a great job in terms of visual properties, BUT, it doesn't have that "new leather" scent that you guys speak of (is smells sort of "disinfectant" like). Just like a donut shop wouldn't be complete without the smell of fresh coffee, a luxery car is not complete without that nice leather scent.

My old man used some of those son-of-a-gun products on his ride, it worked well but lacked durability. I find 303 (cleaner & protectant) is nice on the wheels if you're not looking for a high gloss, it lasts about 2 weeks.

Great thread. Love the pics with all the nice products.

[iowasevillests]

caddolicious: I picked up the Blue Magic leather cleaner at the local auto parts I believe, another brand that lots of people have success with is Lexol. Far as the new leather smell, in my opinion you can't beat the smell and performance of Leatherique......now be warned its pricey stuff(about 60 bucks for the kit....should work for your car for about 2-4 times), and will take you about 2 or 3 hours spread out over an entire day as it has to soak in, but the difference in my seats is easily noticeable. I did the front two seats and had had people ask what I did to get the leather that soft, the leather is good to begin with but the fronts are much nicer than the backs now. As soon as it warms up I'm going to do all the seats again.

[MWA]

Zymol's leather cream was good until I used Leatherique.com's complete treatment. It does take some time, but the results are fantastic and worth all of the effort.....both smell and feel of "leather" returns. All of the leather that I have, belts, gloves, wallets, etc. return to life with that treatment.

[mysedan]

hmmm

Megauirs fine cut2 for polishing and most buffing tasks
Megauirs waxes (various different ones for how much I really depending on wether I need a buffing or not) but mostly carnuba's
Lexol leather interior cleaner
Mr Clean magic Erasers
gunk glass cleaner
purple power degreaser (awesome on the carpets! just gotta be reay to shop vac out)
Pledge (used on displays and helps repel the dust)(works even better if you take your bezels off and polish the insides up and then spray)
various different cloth's (microfiber and regualr terry cloth)
Claybars
quik detailer
mothers wheel polish
The powerball thingy
Dewalt buffer/polisher/grinder
wheel acid (but thats only for chrome spokes..not for my wheels)


sure I got some other junk laying around.

Prolly helps I owned a detail shop for a few years.

I miss most of all my diesel powered high powered heated pressure washer...loved that baby. Nothing...absolutely nothing it COULDNT clean out. (ok...I miss my Milwaukee buffers too...those things were awesome)

[MauiV]

This is most of it..........



Most is Griots, some Meguiars, some other stuff that has accumulated too.

[Superior Detailing]

I've got a little bit of stuff Sad truth is, that's not even half of my products. I've always liked owning a clean car.

[iowasevillests]

Holy crap man, I'm assuming from that setup and your name you use that as a source of income as well as something to do after work/on the weekends?

[TANGLDWEB]

Holly Molly!,.. and all I have is a EU2000i Honda Generator! : ) Always Liked Black Magic because of it's Lasting Ability and though I havent purchased any of the New Armorall products, they Always seemed to be a Covering, not a Treatment. Will tell ya that Anything with Bee's wax is Good for Anything,.. including People!!! Looks like I'm Shopping again,.. and I thought Buying the Car and Manuals was Enough! hehe